WeChat Group of the Week: Beijing Guild

WeChat groups are a vital resource for Beijing’s international community, not only providing information but bringing together people with shared interests. Each week we’ll be highlighting a thriving group chat, so whether you’re new to town or just looking to expand your networks, you can find your people.

It’s not always possible to describe Beijing’s international community as “close-knit”, but here’s a group that definitely measures up! Beijing Guild is a group for people who love a good yarn. We asked Sharee Hebert, who is a teacher at Yew Chung International School Beijing (YCIS Beijing), to tell us more.

Sharee Hebert

Tell us about yourself, and how you became admin of this group.
I learned how to knit in 2010, shortly before moving back to China. I saw an ad on theBeijinger for a knitting group, so I contacted the woman in charge and started attending meetings. I have made so many great friends through this group, and also learned how to make beautiful projects with yarn! Now I run my own knitting club at school and am sharing the craft with as many students as I can.

We’ve had more than 100 women come and go over the years. I’m not the official admin, but am sort of the “assistant admin,” as I take over when it’s time for a clean-up. It sort of happened by default, since I’m one of the longest running members. There are about three of us left from the original meetings way back in 2010.

Who’s in the group and what do you talk about?
The group consists of mostly women, with the occasional man, who knit, crochet, sew, or embroider. At our regular gatherings, we chat about everything, but the WeChat group mostly talks about knitting projects, yarn questions, our upcoming meetings, and daily life in Beijing. We are from all over the world.

Do you meet up in real life?
We meet regularly in various locations in Chaoyang, Tuesday afternoons from 1.30-3.30pm, and Thursday evenings from 5.30-8.30pm. There’s also a Shunyi group that meets on Fridays during the school year. Sometimes we do special workshops for specialized projects. Last year we knitted and crocheted hats and socks to donate to the babies at Dew Drops. The location changes weekly, and an email is sent out on Sunday with the address and details. We welcome any kind of crafter to come join us, and don’t require any sort of commitment.

If you’d like to join Beijing Guild, contact WeChat ID Shareehebert to be added to the group. You can request to be on the mailing list at www.beijingguild.com.