Browsing by Author "Tolmunen, Kerttu"

Craft- courses in adult education centre are a good way for learning new skills and they also have a place in meeting other, same-minded people. Courses in adult education centres may be a big part of possibilities for hobbies especially in the countryside, where the possibilities for different hobbies are more limited than in most cities. The subjects of this study are participants of one weaving-course held by Oriveden seudun kansalaisopisto. The aim of this study is to determine values and attitudes linked to crafts, that form the meaning of crafts in participants’ lives. The aim is also to determine the reasons, why the participants have chosen to take part in this particular course. The study was executed in one lesson of the weaving course in January 2016 by a paper questionnaire. The material was analysed with qualitative content analysis. The answers were themed out by adapting Kallios (2014) indicator of the Craft Sense. The reasons for taking part in the class were compared with Metsämuuronens (1995;1997) motives of hobbies. The results showed that the meaning of crafts mostly related with the effect on wellbeing, the feeling of know-how and innovativeness, that linked mostly with designing crafts. Making things by hand had an effect on person’s own wellbeing, and the experiences of learning and enhancing of know-how were often mentioned. The reasons for taking part in this particular course were mostly coherent. Familiar people and the desire to learn how to weave were mentioned as important factors. Cognitive, social and functional motives were emphasized in the answers. Doing together, good company, know-how and learning were important reasons for participating in this course.