Maria Reinstein once tried to teach herself to knit by watching YouTube videos. 

It didn’t go so well. 

It was the same deal for Cindy Mailhot, who tried to learn the craft all on her own and — these are her own words here — failed miserably. 

Kevin Kilcline, meanwhile, was just happy for the opportunity to hang out in a bar while his wife learned to knit. He didn’t expect that he’d learn to knit, too, or that he’d soon be cranking out wash clothes, hats and other items with his own hands. 

I mean, it’s knitting, right? And knitting is for white-haired old ladies in rocking chairs who while away their hours knitting scarves, hats and mittens — with cords attached so you don’t lose them — until it’s nap time. 

Well, not so much anymore. Locally, scads of younger folk have been learning to knit by going to a bar and learning with others over drinks and grub. This collision of tradition and youthful socializing has revived the knitting craft, not just here but all over the country.

In Lewiston and Auburn, it’s all thanks to Tyla Davis, a Poland woman who hosts a whole bunch of events to bring business into local clubs, including trivia nights, cribbage and some wild mash-up of trivia and bingo. 

When some of her followers asked Tyla if she could teach them to knit, she agreed at once, with just one caveat: This, she advised her pupils, is not your grandmother’s knitting. 

What does that mean, exactly? Nothing more than the fact that in Tyla’s knitting class, one isn’t restricted to washcloths and mittens if you’re feeling more audacious.

“Since my class is taught in a bar setting and not a classroom, it is a bit more risqué than what you would see in a typical classroom setting,” she says. “In the third project, my students make a dishcloth that has a pattern built into it. Often times, the swear word patterns are the most popular.

“Students have the option of picking something that is more mainstream,” Tyla continues, “like a dog, duck, or coffee cup — but most of them pick something a bit more funny. You use the same skills to knit a duck as you would the F-word. It’s a great way to teach that knitting can be personalized and individualized for whatever you’re into — and apparently most people are into swear words!” 

CAST ON

Not everyone who knits with Tyla chooses to go the crude route. Some are so happy — and surprised — that they are just able to knit something that they are perfectly happy sticking with the standards. 

Kilcline, for instance, wasn’t expecting to pick up the needles at all. He signed up for his class at Side By Each Brewing Co. in Auburn mainly because his wife, Kerry, had been frustrated by earlier attempts to learn the craft. 

“So when I saw this I thought that maybe being taught by a different person would help her learn,” says Kilcline of Yarmouth, “and worst-case scenario, we would have to come to the brewery once a week for the next six weeks — how terrible. … Tyla taught in a way not only my wife understood better, but I also was able to figure it out and I learned that it was very relaxing. So we both graduated.” 

Kilcline was so confident in his newly acquired skills, he used them to make Christmas presents for family members, and there were no dirty words involved that we know of. 

There’s a lot of that going around.

Reinstein, after the miserable affair with attempts at self-teaching, went into Tyla’s class fully expecting to fail again. At first, it appeared that this prognostication would prove true. 

“I joined and after the first class I thought that it was going to go the same way,” the Turner woman says. “Tyla had told us we’d feel like quitting and she was right — but she was also right that if we stuck with it we could all do it! She promised to meet us outside of class time if needed, which she did. She told us of her first class that didn’t go so well. I

really appreciated that, though an experienced advanced knitter, she did what all great teachers do: She went right along on the learning journey with us. She also kept us laughing at ourselves.” 

The bar atmosphere not only helps keep things light, but likely adds to the potential for provocative. Although Reinstein didn’t chose to go with dirty words or any of that, she knows plenty who did. 

“My favorite project was when we all got to choose different patterns for dishcloths,” she says. “Many chose words — you can’t publish most of them. I chose a heart with a dog paw print. I’m excited that I’ll be able to continue learning and that I’ll get to hang out more with Tyla and the amazing group!” 

Mailhot? After the disaster trying to learn through YouTube, she too went into the class expecting to again be foiled by yarn and needle. But Tyla kept encouraging her. Mailhot COULD learn. Tyla stressed that over and over. 

“And lo and behold,” Mailhot says. “I really was able to, and it was great.” 

Like the others, Mailhot credits Tyla’s loose, engaging and confidence-inspiring style of teaching. 

“She was patient and attentive and very organized,” Mailhot says. “She really invested in our success, I guess you’d say, and it was amazing.” 

STUDENTS BIND IN BARROOM ‘CLASSROOM’

Mailhot and her classmates started with a simple dishcloth. Then they advanced to dishcloths with designs on them (Mailhot’s featured a rubber duck). Before she knew it, she was knitting a pillow, and the fact that she was able to do that blows her mind. 

“I was shocked,” she says. “I know there are mistakes in it but I couldn’t find them.” 

Everybody sings the praises of Tyla’s teaching style, but Tyla herself is adamant that anyone can learn to knit. She also believes that the less rigid, more laid back setting of the bar is perhaps more conducive to learning. 

Mary Gagnon of Lewiston would agree with that. She’s been knitting all kinds of things since she learned from Tyla and she, too, believes that the jolly atmosphere of the “classroom” helped her along. 

“It did, because we were able to see that we weren’t alone in our learning,” Gagnon says. “Others may have been a little further ahead or behind, but we were all learning this new skill together. We were able to grouse at each other about our foibles, and we were also able to cheer each other on. Tyla kept things fun, light and encouraging. She normalized our (laughably bad) beginner errors and helped us with one-to-one instruction when we needed it. Side By Each was terrific, too, providing us a fun atmosphere and great food and drinks. It never felt like a chore to go to class.” 

Tyla has always insisted that the events she hosts at the local clubs are as much about bringing people together as about the event itself. Themed trivia is a blast, and all, but so is meeting a bunch of strangers who all share the same interest. 

And so it was for the knitting class, as well. 

“I learned a new hobby, which I’m super proud of, and made connections with people I would have otherwise never met,” says Chelsea Amaio of Auburn. “I think that’s what I loved most about this class; how much we all clicked, despite our different backgrounds and ages, and every week just sat there knitting while chatting and joking about so many different things.”

Diana Charest? She was another one of those who tried to learn knitting through YouTube. (For the record, that makes YouTube 0 for 2 in teaching people to knit in this particular story.) “I usually got frustrated,” says the Buckfield woman, “and threw it in a corner.”

Look at Charest now, knitting pillows and hats like a pro. So smitten with knitting is Charest that she is looking forward to Tyla’s advanced knitting class, which is coming next. 

MEMORIAL IN YARN

Tyla’s knitting class is typically a jovial affair, but not without some bittersweet moments. When you pull that many people into your orbit, you’re bound to experience a sad turn sooner or later. 

Tyla has memories of one such student; memories that are both fond and sad. 

Tracy Draper of Auburn had signed up for the class with her sister, Terre Hallacy, and the two became among the most enthusiastic in the class. It was one of Tyla’s favorite student pairings of them all. 

“You could tell the two sisters were very close and had this close bond that you don’t often see,” she says. “They were a riot to have because they would fight over homework — Terre didn’t like class and never did her homework. Tracy adored class and did her homework multiple times each week to get it perfect. 

“Shortly after their graduation,” Tyla says, “Tracy unexpectedly passed away. At her funeral, her family had all of her knitting projects in front of her picture board, and during her services her recent knitting interest and class were mentioned. It was so moving and powerful. Tracy knit five dishcloths that all said “WTF” in them. It was comical and a lot of her loved ones were able to talk about this new skill that she had learned and grown to love.

“I’m humbled and grateful that I could be a small part of that,” Tyla says. “And that I was lucky enough to be able to see the two sisters and their love for each other. After Tracy’s passing, Terre reached out and showed me her continued knitting project, too. A moment like that is a rare glimpse into how something that is seemingly so small and unremarkable can have an impact.” 

CAST OFF

Tyla’s class at Side By Each graduated and moved on, but now she’s teaching others at Rusty Bus Brewing Co. in Lewiston. All of this because somebody at a cribbage table once asked Tyla if she’d be interested in teaching people how to knit. 

She believes in giving the people what they want, does Tyla Davis, especially when doing so can help to support local businesses. 

“Supporting local shouldn’t be a preference,” she says, “it is all of our responsibility. I’ve been very lucky that I have the capacity to help some of these businesses in a supportive way that I feel makes a bit of a difference in their success. When a business trusts you with their events, and by extension, their customer base, that is an honor that you should never take lightly.” 

The people who work to keep those businesses going don’t take it lightly, either. These bars are in the business, after all, of bringing people together and Tyla’s efforts help with that. 

“Her class is not only a great way to learn a new skill, but also a great way to meet new people in a welcoming environment,” says Casey Peacock, tap room manager at Side By Each. “Her class usually brings in new customers, and it’s great that Side By Each benefits from the consistent weekly business.” 

When you get right down to it, in spite of the occasional off-color word or expression appearing in yarn, Gramma would be proud, indeed.

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