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About Us
Our Mission
The Knitting Guild Association is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to providing education and resources to knitters to advance their mastery of the craft of knitting. We support serious knitters in their efforts to perpetuate traditional techniques and keep the artisan aspects and high quality standards of the craft alive.
Who We Are
We are run by knitters for knitters. TKGA is entirely a volunteer, nonprofit organization supported only by memberships and donations. We join together with a common desire to pass on our knowledge and share our expertise with other knitters. If you wish to take your knitting to the next level, we welcome you to join TKGA as a member.
Our History
In the year that Reagan and Gorbachev held their first arms control summit, MacGyver sold millions of Swiss Army knives, Madonna was Desperately Seeking Susan, and the Live Aid Rock Concert raised over $600M for African famine relief — who would have thought that knitting was beginning to organize!
But organize it did! TKGA founder Carol Wigginton could not have fully envisioned how far her original organization would come. With the name The Knitting Guild of America, the vision was to unite knitters from across the country, but in 2001 the name was changed to The Knitting Guild “Association” to include scores of members from outside the U.S. The first 1985 national gathering for knitters in Dallas, Texas, with a few teachers, retail exhibitors and a couple hundred attendees, grew to an annual conference of thousands. A 20-page two-color association journal titled Cast On has evolved into a full-color quarterly magazine filled with lessons, quality patterns and TKGA news. The Internet made it possible for TKGA to be “home” to knitters around the world.
In 2016 TKGA became a 501c3 non-profit organization run by knitters for knitters. Cast On magazine evolved into a digital publication to provide the same excellent education content as before with room to expand. The Master Hand Knitting Certification program continued to grow under the new organization and has been joined by new certification programs.
TKGA owes an enormous debt to the early founders and leaders of TKGA. Members, teachers and designers like Barbara Scott, Marilyn Ibele, Janet Johnson Stephens, Dixie Berryman, Evie Rosen, and Jennie Merritt developed the first correspondence courses, started the Master Hand Knitter and Machine Knitter programs, began guilds across the country and held conferences that attracted thousands of attendees. To learn more about the early years of TKGA, please click here.
TKGA has been able to thrive through the expertise and dedication of our Honorary Lifetime Members:
- Mary Anne Todd
These master knitters have devoted years to volunteering at TKGA as committee members to help other knitters improve their knitting skills or as board members who worked behind the scenes to take TKGA to where it is today.
TKGA Today
We continue to offer the legendary Master Hand Knitting Certification Program and have added five additional certification programs to our educational offerings. We have also added more knitting-related correspondence courses, and mini-courses for those who wish to work at their own pace.
Cast On magazine is released digitally each quarter and focuses on education, techniques, and history with patterns and technical articles. K2TOG, our monthly newsletter, connects you with knitting news, tips and educational information.
Our website is the central place where you can find the best content for knitting information, events, classes, contests, inspiration, patterns, and more. We have recently introduced TKGA member-only discounts from some of the best names in the knitting industry. We have added a wide variety of tools and ways to connect with other knitters for social and learning opportunities including online presentations, video tutorials, in-person retreats, and Next Level Knitting Conference, our annual virtual 3-day online conference. We have exciting new enhancements planned with always one goal in mind: to provide education and resources to knitters to advance their mastery of the craft of knitting.
We’re glad you’ve found us. Now get ready to enjoy knitting on a level like you’ve never experienced before.
Are you ready to take your knitting to the next level?
Keep the craft of knitting alive. Support TKGA.
Have questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions here for answers or download our Brochures here.