I was searching for a local knitting club - since I want to get together in person with people/knitters.
I found a local knitters Guild. Before I call, I wanted to ask you guys what a “Guild” is?? Is that the same thing as a knitters club maybe?
It seems they meet every second Wed. of every month.
Thanks…
Yes, essentially a knitting guild is a club. There are often dues attached with membership and different states and or cities have their own guilds. There is also the TKGA (The Knitting Guild Association) which is national, it “sponsors” the magazine Cast On (which you receive as part of your membership), offers correspondence classes (pay for), and requires annual membership dues. There is also the TKGA confernces which they also support.
Katrina
I’ve joined the local “Spinners and Weavers Guild” which is really the local “Fiber Arts Guild”, which couldn’t apparently agree to change their name. They’re basically a club, and are also involved in some regional and national spinning/weaving guild events. They meet monthly here.
In the old days guilds were organizations which basically controlled crafts work and other trades. The term 'craftsman" came from the guilds.They often had various levels of membership/certifications from apprentice to master and were the models upon which later unions would be based. The modern day unions such as the Electricians Union and Plumbers Union are modeled after them.
Prior to the industrial revolution the only way a woman could even be admitted into a knitting guild in Ireland and much of Europe was if she were the widow of a Master Knitter.
The modern incarnation of the guild does have certification programs that one can partake in to earn the title of Master Knitter. Many local clubs use the name “guild” without actually being one.
I joined the Greater St. Louis Knitters Guild and I love it! We have meetings once a month with workshops or knitalongs before the meeting. There are gals who float around to help with UFOs or knitting problems. There is usually a speaker of some sort during the meeting (and we all knit right through it). A couple of months ago we had a chick who shears her own sheep and spins. She went through the whole process with us starting with kissing the lamb the day it’s born. We have yardsales a couple of times a year before meetings where you sell your un-needed stash. Talk about bargains!!! I loaded up last time! We have show-and-tell time at meetings where you either show a UFO that you are stuck on and everyone offers suggestions and encouragement or you can show off something that you finished. Most gals are wearing something they made anyway. That’s neat because knitters appreciate knitted things and don’t hesitate to compliment them! Join yours. If you don’t like it don’t renew next time. I think mine is $18/year but don’t quote me.