Knitch Magazine

Getting Organized with Penny Sitler

Twenty-five years ago, a visionary knitter named Carol Wigginton created an organization to help knitters connect with each other to share experiences and information. The purpose of the group was also to encourage others to take it up the craft of knitting, and to provide educational opportunities so knitters could improve their skills. Carol's idea was so brilliant that the group she started in 1984 is now celebrating its 25th Anniversary.

Today, Penny Sitler is at the helm serving as Executive Director of TKGA, organizing events throughout the year, publishing the group's fabulous Cast On magazine, and evangelizing the organization throughout the world. No longer "The Knitting Guild of America," The Knitting Guild Association is ten thousand members strong with chapters throughout the world.

We caught up with Penny who works out of TKGA's offices in Zanesville, Ohio.

KnitchMagazine: The first requirement for this job must be that you're a knitter. How long have you been knitting?

Penny: I learned from a group of friends about 12 years ago. A group of moms in my community were casually meeting monthly at each other’s homes. The first time I knitted was with borrowed needles and I snapped the tip off of the end of a needle.  Think I was knitting too tightly? My first project was a striped baby cap on double point needles. I then made a cap for my high school aged son. He came home with orders for custom colors for all of his college bound friends. I learned to knit intarsia when I did a cap for one of his friends headed for the Naval Academy – he wanted his hat to read “Navy”. I didn’t know I was teaching myself an advanced technique! I must have knitted two dozen caps that winter.

KnitchMagazine: How did you become Executive Director of the foremost knitters' organization in North America, if not the world?

Penny: I had been the Executive Director of two local foundations in my community. These were part-time positions with no benefits while my children went through school. When my oldest child began college, my self-employed husband and I thought it would be wise for me to look for full-time employment with a health insurance benefit. Luckily, Offinger Management Company, the company who manages TKGA, advertised for an account executive in my local newspaper. I applied, not knowing that knitting would soon be a central part of my professional life!

KnitchMagazine: What do you do as Executive Director?

Penny: I work with our Advisory Board and staff on ideas to spark knitters’ interest in TKGA and keep things fresh. The conferences and Cast On magazine are always works-in-progress, as we continually try to make each event and issue more fun and more exciting than the last. We want TKGA to be a must-have membership for knitters and always aim to bring great value to the membership.

KnitchMagazine: That sounds like quite a challenge.

Penny: My biggest challenge is getting the word out to knitters that TKGA is a resource for them. I can’t tell you how many times at knitting events, where I host a membership booth to introduce people to TKGA, I have been told, “I’ve never seen Cast On before” or “I’ve never heard of TKGA”. Once knitters see what we have to offer, they invariably join the association. We are always working to spread the word – so be sure to tell all of your knitting friends!

KnitchMagazine: Why not tell KnitchMagazine readers about it? There may be quite a few who aren't yet familiar with your organization.

Penny: TKGA is all about education, with the stated purpose of The Knitting Guild Association being to provide education and communication to advance the quality of workmanship and creativity in knitting, and encourage interest in the art of knitting.

We're celebrating our 25^th anniversary this year. TKGA started as The Knitting Guild of America − also TKGA − at the end of 1984, with its first conference in 1985. Carol Wigginton, the founder, turned it over in 1999 to Offinger Management Company, an 80-year leader in association management.

In 2001, TKGA became registered as a non-profit organization and the name was changed from “The Knitting Guild of America” to “The Knitting Guild Association”, a name that is more representative of our global outreach and non-profit status.

KnitchMagazine: We hear some confusion between TNNA and TKGA. Can you explain them both to us?

Penny: TKGA is for knitting enthusiasts. Anyone can join TKGA and gain knowledge, skills and connections with other knitters. TKGA conferences are open to the public and are great places for any knitter to take classes and buy knitting supplies at retail prices.

The National NeedleArts Association − TNNA − is the trade association for the needle arts industry. TNNA’s trade show, which is not open to the public. is where local yarn shops go to shop for their stores’ inventories. All of the manufacturers of yarn, needles and other knitting tools and publishers of knitting patterns, books and magazines sell their wares to knitting retailers at TNNA shows. TKGA is a member of TNNA. Many retailers and wholesale members of TNNA are also members of TKGA, in support of people who are the end users of their products. That’s you, KnitchMagazine reader!

KnitchMagazine: What's your primary focus?

Penny: Education. Many of the benefits of membership relate to education. We offer correspondence courses, such as “Basics, Basics, Basics” and “From Swatch to Sweater”. Our Masters Program is well known and highly respected in the knitting world, with separate programs for hand knitting and machine knitting.

Cast On magazine works in tandem with our other educational offerings as “The Educational Journal for Knitters”. Each issue contains two lessons, one for a technique such as slip stitch (“Stitch Anatomy”) and one for a type of design such as raglan sweaters (“Fashion Framework”). We usually include an “On Your Way to the Masters” article, highlighting an element that is required by the Masters Program.

KnitchMagazine: How has the association changed throughout the years?

Penny: The first national gathering for knitters in Dallas, Texas in 1985 had few teachers, retail exhibitors and a couple hundred attendees. TKGA’s conferences have evolved into annual gatherings of thousands, where tickets regularly sell out for hundreds of hours of classes taught by professional teachers, including some who have grown into larger than life “knitterati” − knitting stars like Nancie Wiseman, Laura Bryant, Lily Chin, Margaret Fisher and Melissa Leapman.

A 20-page two-color association journal titled Cast On has evolved into an 86-page full-color quarterly magazine filled with lessons, quality patterns and TKGA news. The internet has made www.TKGA.com a reality and makes it possible for TKGA to be “home” to knitters around the world.

KnitchMagazine: The knitting market has expanded in recent years to include a new generation of knitters. Has that affected the association?

Penny: Yes. The cultural image of knitters has moved from grandmothers knitting socks in aid societies to young men and women knitting in public at Starbucks or Borders book stores. Television and movie stars and fashion runways reflect youthful knitting interest. Younger knitters have influenced the pattern design in Cast On magazine, lowered the age of members of the TKGA Masters Program Committee and broadened knitting interest in general both outside and inside TKGA.

KnitchMagazine: So you've adapted nicely to this younger member. Have you also adapted to new technologies?

Penny: Certainly! The hunger for learning influences TKGA and drives us to provide more and better vehicles for providing information. The next 25 years will surely find TKGA advancing with technology by leaps and bounds − but always with the goal to be the most trusted and comprehensive place to find answers and education. There will always be “people” at the heart of TKGA, no matter where technology may lead!

KnitchMagazine: Yes, the people connection − the connection to other knitters. It's very important to your members, isn't it?

Penny: It is. At least once a year, TKGA holds a conference that is full of all things knitting − classes with world renowned instructors, fun fashion shows, a banquet that celebrates our association and a shopping floor overflowing with knitting supplies.

This year’s conference, in Manchester, NH in July features a brand new track of education geared to knitters who are going through the Masters Program. We're holding our inaugural “On Your Way to the Masters Day” in July with presenters Arenda Holladay, past Masters Program co-chair and current Masters Program consultant, and Molly Ferrante, current Masters Program co-chair.

Members of TKGA get free entry to the shopping floor and discounted pricing on classes, banquets, etc. KnitchMagazine readers ought to join us. It’s the best gathering of knitters anywhere!

KnitchMagazine: We're certain that many will want to. What are the details?

Penny: It costs $30 per year for a member in the US, or $54 for two years. Canada and Mexico are $37 for one year and $68 for two years. Corporate memberships are available as well. Joining on line at www.tkga.com is a snap, or knitters may contact our office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 740-452-4541.

KnitchMagazine: Members are eligible for the Design Contest that is often featured in KnitchMagazine.

Penny: Yes, the Knitting Design Contest is in its second year, sponsored by Yarnmarket. It’s a wonderful opportunity for budding designers to have a chance to be published on Yarnmarket’s web site and win great prizes to boot! You do have to provide a pattern for your submitted design because part of winning in a category is having your design available to Yarnmarket customers.

KnitchMagazine: Many of your members aspire to becoming pattern designers, so this is a great opportunity. You also feature new designs in your fashion shows. We noticed that the runway events are always very popular at TKGA gatherings.

Penny: Yes. We usually hire a knitting teacher to help coordinate the fashion shows at TKGA events. Well-known teacher Gwen Bortner will be our coordinator for the 2010 TKGA fashion show of members’ designs and the Knit & Crochet Show fashion show of exhibitors’ and sponsors’ designs at our July event.

TKGA always has several designs in the TNNA fashion show to present what our association members are finding in our member magazine, Cast On. In June, we’ll have the cover sweater from the Cast On May-July 2010 issue in the TNNA fashion show. It was made with Abbey Collection yarn from Yarnmarket. We'll also feature several designs from our special 25^th anniversary issue in August-October 2010.

Fashion show coordination takes so much time. I’m fortunate to have lots of help with this part of our events.

KnitchMagazine: With all your responsibilities, you must do a lot of traveling.

Penny: I do go on what we call “site visits” when we’re looking for places to hold our Knit & Crochet Shows and TKGA conferences. We’ve been to some locations more than once, so then we don’t have to make those special trips. I work with an Event Manager who helps select locations and plan our shows and conferences.

KnitchMagazine: Is that the best part of your job?

Penny: The best part of my job is being exposed to everything new that happens in the knitting world. I see the books before they’re published because the publishers hope I’ll review them for Cast On. Yarn, needles and other knitting supplies are sent to me for possible product reviews, and I really do knit with them to truly get a feel for them. I get my hands on so many wonderful things, I’ve gotten really spoiled!

When I complete my reviews, I share these items with our conference attendees as door prizes. I also get to wear the most incredible knitted garments when I represent TKGA at fiber events. I decided several years ago that I should be a living mannequin in our booth at those shows, so I pick the designs that fit me best and wear them at the events. People always ask if I’ve made them – I have to say, “I didn’t, but I could have” as I go on to explain I’m wearing a model from Cast On.

Through my travels, I get to meet so many wonderful people who are passionate about knitting. I’m so lucky to get to work in the midst of something that is a personal favorite activity.

I’m not sure what my job would be if I didn’t work with TKGA but I’m sure I’d be organizing something!

KnitchMagazine thanks Penny Sitler for teaching us more about TKGA and what it offers its members. When Penny isn't knitting or working on behalf of knitters, she serves as President of an amateur baseball team in her hometown.