About the Guild

The West Coast Knitters’ Guild (WCKG) is a group of enthusiastic crafters whose prime interest is to enjoy and encourage the skill and artistry of knitting and crochet. We choose to call ourselves a Guild as a means of demonstrating that we value skill and achievement in knitting and crochet, and that we want to encourage the ongoing development of our members’ individual talents. Review the Guild’s constitution.

Our meetings are held from September to July, on the first Tuesday of the month — here’s what to expect at our meetings. We represent all ages and skill levels, and are always happy to welcome new members. Please come out and join us at our next meeting! Meet some of our current members.

History of the West Coast Knitters’ Guild

The West Coast Knitters’ Guild started in 1991 as a knit night organized by Diane Debray & Nancy Vivien at their Richmond LYS. They encouraged customers and friends to join them in sharing ideas, creating new friendships, and nurturing their love of all things fibre! In 1993, the group received a Charter from the Canadian Knitting Guild. Speaking to the members on the tenth anniversary of WCKG, Diane said “…I also hoped that as a group, we could encourage each other and be a positive influence in each other’s lives, knitting and otherwise…”

The Guild’s membership has increased steadily over the years and has moved twice to accommodate its growing number of knitters and crocheters. We were at the Oakridge Seniors Centre from 2006-2020.

Meet the Guild!

Our Guild is organized and run by our Executive Committee, with plenty of assistance from our hard-working staff of Volunteers. Our members range from beginners to experts. We are pleased to include many industry professionals among our membership.

Community Participation

The WCKG is dedicated to promoting the art of knitting and crocheting. Our Guild has always emphasized community involvement. We are very pleased to be the recipient of Silver and Bronze awards for our on-going support of Nova House, a safe house for women and their children run by CHIMO Crisis Services in Richmond, B.C.

Each year we participate in Holiday Craft fairs, with partial proceeds going to Nova House. Our members also create numerous hats, scarves, mitts, and blankets which are donated to a variety of charities around the Lower Mainland.

Ongoing Education for our Members

WCKG hosts workshops to encourage skills development among our members. We welcome various industry professionals each year who share their passion for all things fibre! Each August, we Knit in the Park, which began in 1998, and is held in Vancouver’s beautiful Stanley Park. We are delighted to say that this event sparked Canada’s National Knit in the Park Day, an official day for knitters and crocheters across Canada to gather in local parks and share love of fibre arts.

Keep an eye on our Events Calendar for information about upcoming workshops, and next summer’s Knit in the Park Day!

Meeting Location

WCKG meetings are held from 7:00 to 9:00PM on the first Tuesday of every month (except August) on Zoom.  We are not currently holding in-person meetings due to COVID-19.

What to expect at our meetings

Our monthly meetings are a mix of Guild business and the sharing of inspiration, news, and ideas.

Meetings start at 7:00 pm and run to 9:00 pm. A typical meeting begins with Guild business and general news. Next, comes the activity for that month. This may be a presentation by a scheduled speaker, a demonstration or social knit time. Past speakers have included knitwear designers, knit shop owners, and indie dyers. The activity is followed by a Show & Share of our members’ (or guests) knit and crochet projects. If you have an item for the Show & Share, please ask for a project form before the meeting starts. Details of past Show & Share items are published on our site in the Member only pages.

Please see our Membership page for information about how to join!

Yarn Sales

Donated yarns, magazines, and books are available for purchase in the lounge area before and after the meeting. Items sell for a small fee and all funds collected go towards our annual Nova House donation – Jane S. will be on hand to collect these funds. If you have items you would like to donate to these sales, please contact us.