How do you console single friends without sounding patronising?

[yorkshireWenceslass]

I have a friend who has been single for a few years and recently has started to talk about feeling lonely and feeling like she'll be on her own forever. I try to make her feel better but I just feel like I'm spouting a load of cliches 'I'm sure you'll find someone', 'You'll meet him when you're not looking for him', etc, etc. I get the feeling she thinks 'Well you've got DP, what do you know about being lonely'. She forgets that I was a single mum, in the same position as her, before I met DP 7 years ago.
I want to help cheer her up but just don't know how to

Speed dating is fun if you are not hoping that one of the sad desperados you will meet is not going to be a future boyfriend.
Under no circumstances tell her to join a class! Obviously if she has a hobby, then that is worth pursuing but don't just join a class in the hope of meeting a man - you'll just be sitting there with all the other women doing exactly the same thing!
Going to a sporting event is a good one. Rugby, football, dog racing, horse racing - plus loads of others can be a fun day out in themselves as well as great potential hunting ground.
Tell her to try the internet too. I haven't had much luck, but there are quite a few MNers who've met their DP/DH's on there.

But that's the point, people should be joining classes and hobbies for themselves, the byproduct of which is getting out of the house and having new and interesting things to talk about should you meet someone new.

I've got a single 30-something friend who I've spent a lot of time listening to and offering advice to when asked. She's chosen never to take any of the advice though and has never made the effort to change any aspect of her life. The upshot of this is she's getting more bitter by the day - making nasty, loaded comments about her situation versus mine. She's doing the same to pretty much all the other girls in our group too (we're all with significant others and have children). We love her to bits and want the best for her, but are finding her attitude very very difficult. At a baby shower yesterday (which she chose to come to), her behaviour was pretty awful and I left feeling very sad and stressed. I'm getting to the point where I just don't want to be her friend anymore, then part of me thinks I'm horrible for thinking like this. What to do ...?

Sorry haven't looked at this for a couple of days, thanks for all your responses!
I just get a bit annoyed sometimes because I feel like I'm being made to feel guilty for being with someone and being happy. Mix that up with a feeling of helplessnes in wanting to cheer my friend up but not being able to and that's about where I'm at!
She keeps announcing that she's finished with being with unsuitable men... then starts seeing another unsuitable man

Perhaps I should just keep the conversation away from men and relationships.

LOL I had a friend who would say "I'm not going to play games, the ball's in his court now" when dating. So setting traps and expecting him to be psychic isn't playing games? Funnily enough they often disappeared fairly shortly due to her cool attitude. Funny how lots of women completely lose their sense of humour with men.