Connection & Craft – Joining & Enjoying Knitting Groups

By Jodie Morgan

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Recently I worked at a public library next to a Town Hall. I saw a group of crafters gathering for the monthly ‘Yarnistas.’ I was delighted to find this happening! So I was inspired to write this post on how to join a knitting group.

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I wanted to check out what projects people were working on, and to chat with people who loved the same things as me. I introduced myself and asked whether people would allow me to have a quick chat and take a few pics of their projects.

I was made welcome!

I reviewed, fact checked and updated this post on June 25, 2023.

Table Of Contents

Yarnistas Monthly Knitting & Crochet Meetup

The Yarnistas catchup is coordinated by Farrah and Niki.

Yarnistas Poster

It’s promoted by Unley Libraries and on the Adelaide Crochet Knitting Catchups group on Facebook.

Farrah from The Crochet Fix own design for crocheted mittens in rose pink colored yarn

Farrah is a designer. Her business is The Crochet Fix. She was working on lovely crocheted fingerless mittens and beanies. We chatted about how the group provided community and advice on techniques in crochet or knitting.

Niki's Socks

Niki was working on socks using 2.25mm needles from her Hiya Hiya Interchangeables Sock set. Her yarn was in a lovely ceramic yarn bowl made by one member who attended the catchups.

I made my way around the table and chatted about each project with the person. I tried to take photos, to show each project and do each justice!

Items the Yarnistas have made for sale at the Unley Library front desk.

Members made items for charity and others were learning new techniques. The vibe was positivity and merriment. Each member was enjoying themselves. Lots of laughter and chat. Here are the projects the members were making.

Jane knitted garter stitch squares for a blanket project.

Jane knitting garter stitch squares at the Yarnistas monthly catchup

This scarf by Janet had a gorgeous open lace stitch pattern.

Open weave pattern scarf by Janet in lovely aquas and blues

The Teddy Bear book marks crocheted by Maxine and others are sold at the Unley Library front desk.

A collection of colored yarn scraps used to create teddy bear bookmarks by Maxine

What fun these crocheted toys for RSPCA by Mel will make!

crocheted cat toy by mel

The crocheted blanket pieces by Jenni will be gorgeous!

Jenni's crocheted blanket squares with blue and green centres

I was amazed at the knitted in one piece beagle dog by Julie. The pattern was from the UK and 70 pages long!

Julie's Beagle dog in progress all knitted in one piece by picking up stitches

Julie told me it sat in a basket of unfinished projects for a few years and she was glad to be motivated enough to finish it.

Betty was knitting a Snood with Moda Vera yarn. We discussed how the colors worked so well together. This snood will be donated to charity. Her pattern was from a knitting book – Knitting for Winter.

Betty's knitted snood in purple and grey brown yarns

Betty attends the Yarnistas catchups but is involved with another group of knitters who donate their makes to charity.

These knitted Scarves and functional Tunisian crochet items by Joy provided her with a great sense of achievement.

Joy's Tunisian Crochet scarf with pockets

People have commented on how nifty her Tunisian scarf with pockets is for carrying her stuff. She does Tunisian crochet on a normal aluminum crochet hook!

This delightful and bright Crocheted Granny Square blanket by Sarah was created by yarn with color changes.

Granny Square blanket with green, blues, orange and yellow by Sarah

Yarn manufacturers are clever with the way the color pooling works out so well as in Sarah’s blanket. Sarah showed me pictures of the knitted sweaters in cable designs and Fair Isle, her Mum had made her children.

They were beautiful and she said they’re treated as heirlooms. Woolen garments are long lasting if well cared for.

It’s been a while since I was part of a physical group. Traveling with my family means I’m not in one place for long. The last time I caught up with other makers was during the Soul Craft Festival online meetups on Zoom. I was grateful to have chatted about knitting and crochet with the Yarnistas.

It made my creative heart fill with warmth and joy!

Thinking how to get involved with a group or start one? Here are some tips.

How To Find Knitting Groups Near Me?

  • Search Meetup.com
  • Contact local libraries and yarn stores
  • Look on Ravelry
  • Research Knitting Guilds near you. Search for name of your region then add on knitting guild
  • Guilds in North America: ilikeknitting.com/knitting-guilds-clubs-directory/
  • Guilds in Australia: yarnologie.com.au/pages/australian-guilds-groups/
  • Guilds in the United Kingdom: kcguild.org.uk/sharing-knowledge/guilds-groups-and-other-resources/kcg-branches/
  • Look on various forums like Knitting Paradise, Knitting Help, Crochetville, or Crochet Talk
  • A community bulletin board at your library, coffee shop, or community center
  • Your local Facebook group
  • Instagram – designers have Knit-A-Longs (KALS)
  • The local newspaper
  • At work (some knitting clubs meet at lunchtime!)
  • Google – try searching “knitting group near me” and see if anything pops up! I got tons of results when I tried this.

How Do I Start A Knitting Group?

Step 1

Ask your friends if they’re interested in forming a knitting club and meeting up to spend time on their projects. Get them to invite someone they know. Be open to all.

Step 2

Find somewhere to meet up like a café, someone’s home, the Library, community center or Town Hall

Step 3

Find a regular time for your meetings. Decide whether the meetups happen weekly, fortnightly or monthly. People will remember when the meetups happen.

Step 4

What are the expectations of the meetups? Will everyone work on their projects? Will you pick one pattern? Will snacks/drinks be allowed? Could someone run a techniques class or knitting classes focusing on interesting stitches? Will the projects be donated to charity?

Step 5

Create a Code of Conduct with what is expected of membership.

Mastering Knit Stitches And Yarn: Tips For Joining And Enjoying A Successful Knitting Group

  • Stick the time and dates set
  • There are dynamics in groups
  • Sometimes these work or they don’t
  • Set up a code of conduct for the group
  • Ensure everyone follows it
  • Respect and inclusivity are important
  • Things and people change, so be flexible.
  • You may have started as a knitting group,exploring techniques and yarns but being creative takes all forms

Conclusion

Are you involved in a knitting, fabric crafts yarn crafts group? What’s it like? I’d love to hear your experience or tips in the comments.

Read Next: See my article on gifts for knitters, learn more about the craft with fun bite-sized facts here, and discover great knitting podcasts to listen to right here.

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About The Author

Jodie Morgan From Knit Like Granny

Jodie Morgan (Author & Founder)

jodie@knitlikegranny.com | Lives In: Regional Australia

Author: Jodie Morgan is a passionate knitter and blogger with 40+ years of experience currently living in regional Australia. Taught by her mother and wonderful grandmother “Mama”, she fell in love with crafting from a young age. When she’s not knitting, you’ll find her enjoying a cup of coffee with cream, or sharing helpful resources and tips with the online knitting community. Get to know Jodie and the team on our meet the team page.

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Comments

  1. I belong to several groups and a guild. The guild meets once a month with very experienced knitters. I started a neighborhood group that meets at our community clubhouse every week. This group is always changing but a good way to meet neighbors. I also have a group that used to meet in the city library until COVID. We’ve resurrected the group and now meet at Panera weekly. All levels of experience but that’s what makes it interesting!! I also help with several charity groups including knitted knockers and chemo hats. Knitting helps me be a better person .

    Reply
    • That’s so wonderful to read Mary. Thank you for sharing your experience of being part of several knitting groups and a guild. Acknowledging that knitting helps you be a better person is heartwarming. Cheers Jodie

      Reply
  2. I started a small knitting group in the local library a few months ago. We meet once a month, having a summer break now. Thanks for the tips! They’ll help us to carry on.

    Reply
    • That’s great your group can meet in your local library Renia. If you have any tips you’d like to share , please let me know. Happy knitting! Cheers Jodie

      Reply

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