The Knitting Guild Association

'The Knitting Guild Association' is the largest knitting association in the United States. The Knitting Guild Association (TKGA) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing education and resources to knitters to advance their mastery of the craft of knitting. TKGA supports serious knitters in their efforts to perpetuate traditional techniques and keep the artisan aspects and high quality standards of the craft alive. It has over 5,000 members in the United States and abroad, and is dedicated to promoting knitting and knitting education. It was founded in 1984.

TKGA publishes 'Cast On' magazine quarterly. According to the TKGA, 'Cast On' is "the Educational Journal for Knitters" and is filled with valuable lessons and patterns for all levels of knitting. Members can take TKGA courses and also have access to technical articles and free patterns in a members-only area of the TKGA website.

TKGA Certification programs are the gold standard in knitting. These programs are not classes, but research programs where you study techniques, history, and design. Depending on the certification program, you will either knit swatches and projects that demonstrate your expertise, or complete exercises, as well as submit written work that demonstrates your understanding. Volunteers for the Master Hand Knitter Certification review your work and provide detailed feedback to enable you to improve.

'Master Hand Knitting Certification': Members can enroll in the Master Hand Knitting Program, an extensive three-level program.[1] Each level includes over 18 to 20 swatches to be knit, questions to answer, patterns to write, book and magazine reviews,[2] and papers to research and write.[3] The culminating tasks are the design and knitting of a hat and a sweater, of which one has to be in the Fair Isle style and the other Aran. As of October, 2023, there are 406 Master Knitters worldwide.[4]

For the remaining certification courses, you work one-on-one with an instructor to master the course materials and earn your certification. The certification programs are: 'Professional Knitter Certification',[5] 'Certification for Knitwear Designers',[6] 'Certification for Knitting Judges',[7] 'Certification for Technical Editors' [8] ,'Certification for Knitting Instructors'.[9]

'Further Educational Courses'[10] The Knitting Guild Association also offers Hand Knitting Correspondence Courses which are conducted via email, a Marketing Course for those working in the knitting industry, a Pattern Writing course, and over 20 mini courses for knitting-related single topics. They host the Next Level Knitting Conference, which is an annual virtual conference each spring, and in-person knitting retreats in the fall.

The Knitting Guild Association is led by a board of directors consisting of 7 Certified Master Knitters. Arenda Holladay, President of the board and executive director, also serves as editor of Cast On Magazine.[11]