This question has come up more than once in the past few months. I have always belonged to a knitting group of one kind or another in Massachusetts and NH.. Upon moving to Chester, the first thing I did was go to the library, get a library card and ask..."Do you have a Knitting Group or Guild in Town" I was told NO. Then asked by our librarian, "Would/Could you start one?" Of course I jumped at the opportunity.
The long and short of it, we met at the library, very soon out grew our space there. I was given a key to our newly vamped "Community Center" This is when I started researching the differences between a Knitting GROUP and a Knitting GUILD...there is a difference...GROUP COMMITMENT...
I will Gladly past on what I have learned...
A "Knitting GROUP" is just that. A GROUP of people knitting together at any given time, day or night.
A "KNITTING GUILD" on the other hand...is a "GROUP OF KNITTERS with a COMMON GOAL". To be a TRUE GUILD according to the Crochet/Knit Guild of America...The Group (GUILD) MUST agree upon a COMMUNITY SERVICE for said Group to FOREFILL in a timely manner with weekly, monthly meetings to stay apprised of said service.
Some Guilds reguire a membership, an annual fee, and actually have board members...President-V.President-Secretary-Treasurer.
Personally, I have never wanted to be that regimented but I did want to name my Group and I wanted us to be a GUILD. I learned to have those things you must have a mission statement.
When forming the guild I asked, the ladies then attending, could we promise each other to make the commitment to knit for Charity, gather our items and send them to said Charity. We have ALWAYS done this. No hesitation on anyone's part.
In the very beginning, a large box of lovely yarn was donated by a mother-in-law of one of the knitters. Using this yarn, we ALL knitted squares, we ALL assembled a full-sized afghan and raffled it off at the Chester Town Fair. One of our members bought $25 worth of tickets, she won the afghan!! She then, donated the Afghan with the raffle tally of $50 to the Red Cross to be sent to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We were so Proud!!!!!
Since then, "Purling Petals GUILD", a name chosen by the members, has donated to so many charities...here is a list of some...Linus Project, Salvation Army, St Thomas Aquinus, DADUZA Dolls for Africa, Helmet Liners for the Troops, California Fire Fund, Neighbors Helping Newborns, Hats and Booties for Guadamala, Sweaters for Haiti, Project Purl. I know there are more I just can't remember them all.
I must say, through my own experiences, in NH and MA, I LOVE the community, commradary and wholeness you feel by belonging to a Guild. Doing anything for another human being you will probably NEVER meet is the greatest feeling I have every known. It gives you purpose and warms the heart when the whole world seems to be falling apart!!! I could never imagine my life without belonging to a Guild.
Hope this answers the question..."Why does Joanne ask Guild Members to Knit for Charity?".....To Help Mankind!!
