I had a little rant about the fact that there is no knitting guild in Ireland last weekend during the knitting class I gave. Does this not strike anyone else as appalling? When I search for ‘irish knitting guild’, among the first results are two entries from my own blog saying, why don’t we have one? So I decided to search a little harder and ended up at the Craft Council web site. No record of a guild there, but I sent them an email anyway asking if they knew what the story was.
I have sent lots of emails to the UK guild asking, do you know if there is an Irish one? could Irish knitters possibly fall under the UK guild? can you give me any information at all? I never got a response. And, to be honest, I wasn’t holding out for anything from the Craft Council either. I was pleasantly surprised, though, when I got a response on Monday asking me to get in touch by phone. I did that, and was informed that any shape or form of a knitting guild had basically fallen apart. However, the lady I talked with told me that it would be very straight forward if I wished to re-establish one and that there is funding available from the Council for such a thing. She is sending me out lots more information.
Now, I believe that there is a need for one. We need a focal point for Irish knitting; one central place that will preserve and promote the craft in the country. It’s one thing if you live in a densely populated area such as Dublin, Cork or Galway, and you can go along to the many vibrant meetings. But what if you don’t? And what if you’re not very internet savvy? Guild meetings, classes and courses would be an ideal way to meet other local knitters. It would be great, too, to connect with the very cool Spinning, Weaving and Dyeing Guild and maybe run workshops together. The last thing that I think we need, and that a Guild would be perfect for, is a good specialist library. There are fantastic books out there but you know, not everyone can afford to buy all the books they want, and many people like to see a book before they decide to buy it. Unfortunately, the library system in Ireland is just useless for craft books.
These are only my thoughts on the subject. I think it’s worth pursuing – but what about you? Does this sound like a resource that would enhance your knitting lives? Is it something you would like to see emerge, or is it something you could live without? Share your thoughts!
I think that yes, it would be a nice idea, and knitting should be represented the way that other fibre crafts are.
However, I’ve seen how much work seems to go in to the other guilds, and I don’t think I could give the time.
For example, it would have been lovely if I could have organised events in Dublin next week for National Knitting Week, but I just don’t have the time, and I’m away from tomorrow to Tuesday.
It would be good though, and I there are definitely benefits – shared books, and perhaps things like a swift and ball-winder.
Yup! I think it would be great. It seems like it would be a really great resource, as well as giving the craft the profile that it needs. It would be wonderful to get connected with some of the Fashion Design and Art Colleges too. Doesn’t that sound possible if we had an actual Guild?
Tea and Cakes is dead right about the amount of work that would be involved. It’s far too much to expect individuals to take it on, but I’d be interested to see how other Guilds are structured. We may find a reasonable way to proceed. Keep us posted! Ouch! Pun intended.
I’d love if there was a guild because I’m in Mayo and there’s no meetings or anything around my area,my only resources are online.I’d love a resource for books I’ve my local library haunted trying to get me books from all over the place!
There are so many groups now, it seems like there would probably be support out there for a guild. It’s, as the others say, the time and effort!
An Irish knitting guild is a wonderful idea. It will take alot of time committment and energy to start and keep it up. When I lived in Canada, I was a member of the knitting guild and they had meetings once a month, workshops and a knitters frolic once a year; it was a shoppers/workshop paradise!
Okay, not to be a stick-in-the-mud or anything, but being a person on the organising committee of the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, I have to say that it is nearly impossible to get the commitment needed to run this guild. People are busier these days and even as I anticipate the coming of the Knitting & Stitching Show and the work needed to set up the Guild’s stand, I am reeling from the thought of it. Right, whinging aside…
But I also would ask from a philosophical standpoint, why knitting groups cannot be successful from a grass roots standpoint and to work upon a relational networking basis? Once organising it into a guild begins, it takes huge amounts of time and energy to sustain it past the initial enthusiasm.
So, for what it’s worth….
Just want to respond to a simple yarn’s comment. I absolutely agree and I heartily sympathise with the cry of woe about the work involved. It would require a big commitment and whatever the intention, it will inevitably fall on a few individuals. It seems to be just a fact of life, it’s been my experience everywhere, from the Parents Assoc of the school, to the local Tidy Towns.
However, I do think that an overarching organisation like a Guild would help to support the development of groups/networks at the grassroots level. It could provide a directory of resources or an information pack on starting a local group for instance?
Just by providing an affiliation with it might give people confidence in local groups and raise it beyond the perception of a Knitting Circle to an artisan form. We know how fantastic and cool and sexy knitting is, but lots of other people still have the perception of baby knits in unpleasant acrylics. (I myself have very painful memories of a knitted swimisuit. All credit to the knitter, it was pretty…but uncomfortable!)
The Guild itself could grow organically according to the needs/interests of members. Maybe we could start small and not aim at holding events initially? There is obviously a big overlap with the StitchNBitch group membership so there’s a basis for discussion anyway.
Let’s see what’s involved and what support might be out there.
This is my first ever comment on a blog and I just wanted to say “well said Nic”
Sounds like a great idea !
Hi I am delighted to have found your website!! I wanted to know where the shop trimmings is, would love to check out all thier buttons!! I am in carlow and the only wool shop I know of is the one in Shaws under the Dinn Ri hotel, fab selection of wool.
I just found this web site and note that all of the letters are dated november 2007. Has any thing happened since then? I was just thinking on thr same lines that we should have a knitters guild but I wasn’t thinking as broadly as you. I was just thinking of Dublin.I’m interested but don’t know where to begin.
Mary Mc
Dear Neelia,
I found this blog recently and have really been enjoying reading recent as well as previous entries. I was particularly intrigued by the entry on developing a knitting guild. I live in the U.S., but both of my parents were born and raised in Ireland, so I have visited a few times and hope to visit many more. On my last trip, in 2004, it occurred to me that every town I visited had shops selling Irish sweaters, but not once did I come across a yarn shop. One of the towns I visited was Youghal, in Cork, where my father was born. I went into a store which had once belonged to my family. I was quite dismayed that the store was in rather poor shape. That visit combined with my observation about the lack of yarn shops, led to an ongoing fantasy about buying that store and opening a yarn shop, perhaps with a lending library given what I’ve read about the lack of knitting books. It’s just a dream – I have neither the money nor the expertise to open a shop – but I am delighted to have found this blog and know that the craft of knitting is alive and well in Ireland. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful ideas and designs. They are an inspiration to me.
Marguerite Weibel
Like others, I have just fallen on this site. Can I first refer to the comments from Marguerite —I agree with your comments about Youghal. The shop, which did sell wool etc has now gone but there is a shop in Ardmore, which is on the way to Youghal from the Waterford side where plenty of homemade jumpers, cardigans, socks, hats etc are to be had and all made by local knitters. I’m also looking for a group that I can join. I love knitting and since moving to a smaller house and finishing work, I do as much crafts as I did whe my lads were at home. Does anyone know of a list showing where groups are in the country ?
Just spend 2 days at the knitting and stitching show in RDS – Nov 2011. Braid Guild, Embroidery Guild etc BUT no Knitting Guild. Just this – So YES I think its a great idea – has there been any progress.
The amount of people into knitting now is big – It is now considered cool. But where do we go.
Irene
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