How to Start a Knitting Circle

Hooked on knitting? You're not alone--it's the latest craze. Invite your
friends to join you while you knit one, purl two, and spin yarns. Even
teens are getting into it--boys as well as girls. It's neither expensive
nor difficult to learn, and you get to wear the fruits of your labor.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Decide how many members you want in your club. See 368 Organize a Book Club.

2. Set a date, time and place to meet (see 373 Plan an Organizational Meeting). Call friends and place flyers in yarn or fabric stores as well as the library.

3. Decide if you'll open the group to novices or only to seasoned knitters. New knitters will need instruction; consider pooling money to hire an expert from a yarn store. Or, call a senior center or nursing home to see if someone is interested in giving lessons and pointers.

4. Make the first meeting an informal organizational one at which you determine all logistics. Establish the club's policies, including who will be responsible for refreshments (nothing sticky!), if guests and children are allowed, and whether meetings will be woven around a theme, such as knit-a-scarf night.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask a yarn store if it will sell knitting supplies and yarn to your group members at discounted prices.
• Have all the members knit a scarf or mittens to donate to a homeless shelter or an armed services unit.

[resourcefulone]

on 7/20/2009 Execellent, the local library (Cypress Hills Branch, Brooklyn, NY) in my neighborhood has free knitting classes once a week. We started with 1 hr than 2 now we meet for 3 hours and the group has grown. Loving it, loving it!

[mnmommy]

on 2/6/2009 Good ideas- I love the community service aspect. I've always wanted to be in a knitting circle, but don't know of any. Looks like it might be easier to start one than I thought!