If you are a beginning knitter, or perhaps if you’ve been knitting alone for a while, you might like the idea of joining a knitting group or knitting club. These groups can be very helpful if you are just starting out as knitters are very generous with tips and advice. If you are an old hand at knitting, perhaps you’d just like to share some time with other knitters, learning new patterns or new stitches. It’s nice to make new friends who share your interest in knitting.
Where to find a Knitting Club or Knitting Group
To find a knitting club or group, check first with your local yarn store or whoever teaches the knitting classes at your local Joann or Michaels store. You can also try
Macomer's knitting shop books feature knitting groups.
online at Ravelry.com. There are lots of local knitting groups who have a forum. You can ask questions about where they meet and maybe friend some of them on the forum to get to know them first before you attend a meeting.
You can find out quite a bit about the group from exchanging a few messages on Ravelry. I once asked a local knitter about the local knitting group and she actually told me that because of groups I’d joined on Ravelry she didn’t think I’d “fit in” with the group. It seems this group had a pick on with the local yarn shop owner and since I joined that yarn store’s group on Ravelry, this woman thought if they got together and “talked about” the yarn store owner, I might be uncomfortable.
I didn’t have dog in that fight, let me tell you! I told her I was knitting for relaxation, not drama and declined to go to the meetings but my exchange with her certainly told me a lot about that particular knitting group.
Another way to find a local knitting group is to check with charities in your area who knit for soldiers, the homeless, chemo patients and other charitable knitting projects. These groups always welcome extra hands and you can feel good about joining a group like that.
Why Join a Knitting Club or Knitting Group
- Taking knitting classes is a great way to learn new patterns or basic knitting for beginners but these classes cost money or may be hard to fit into your schedule. Joining a knitting club or group can actually take the place of taking a knitting class as you’ll find lots of help and free advice. You can take a knitting project you’re having trouble with or ask lots of questions until you become an experienced knitter as well.
- You can learn new patterns with people to help you along the way. If you are not experienced at reading a knitting pattern, it is very helpful to have someone who can explain it to you, and demonstrate the right way to do the stitches. If you run into a snag, you can ask questions, which is impossible if you’re trying to learn from a book. In a Knitting Group, you are expected and encouraged to bring your patterns and projects along with you.
- Knitting with a group keeps you motivated to finish those knitting projects so you can show off your progress at the next meeting. You don’t put aside unfinished projects out of frustration or boredom.
- You can make lots of new friends at a knitting group or knitting club. It’s nice to have knitting buddies to get together with once a week or so, share knitting projects and maybe coffee and cookies. You can exchange ideas, maybe do charity projects for the community and your knitting gets better all the while.
- You can get ideas for new projects - Some knitting groups have themes for the get-togethers, such as one skein projects, knitting Christmas gifts. You might see a new yarn that inspires you or a new patterns you would like to try. When knitters gather, there is no limit to the wonderful ideas they can come up with.
If there isn’t a knitting group or knitting club in your area, maybe other knitters have been wanting one as well. Put up flyers at the local yarn shop or talk to the owner about hosting one. Find a charity to knit for and then round up other knitters who would like to join in. Our local YMCA has a knitting group because one of the members asked if they could host one there.
Knitting groups and knitting clubs are usually very casual get-togethers and no matter why you’d like to get together with other knitters, there is sure to be a group out there that fit into. Don’t struggle with projects and get frustrated, knitting alone.
