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Canadian Society for Creative Leathercraft
1950–2026
CSCL·The People·Biographies·Muriel McKnight
Who’s Who in Leathercraft · Spring 1981

Muriel McKnight

← Biographies · by Hope Drysdale · printed Spring 1981

This page is a biography of Muriel McKnight. The Society’s own record of Muriel McKnight — the offices held, the standings conferred and the awards won — is on the register page.

The Society's newsletter ran a column, "Who's Who in Leathercraft", profiling one member at a time. This is the profile of Muriel McKnight, printed in Spring 1981 and transcribed here from the original.

Mrs. Jack McKnight is a grandmother with four sons and four grandchildren. As an excellent supporter of the Hamilton Branch she has held office ever since joining the Guild. She has been President, Secretary, Exhibition and Programme Convenor during her years with the group, as well as being on the Executive Council, C.S.C.L. for approximately five years. Muriel has held the position of Publicity Chairperson for the past three years, and has succeeded in having the C.S.C.L. mentioned in "Make It With Leather" twice.

Muriel started her Leathercraft studies in 1963, spending seven years at Westdale Secondary School studying with the late Irva Ford. In 1965 she joined the C.S.C.L., and by 1969 she was able to attain the status of Associate, receiving the highest marks for the year, thus qualifying to receive the Zalitis Pin.

Pen-and-ink sketches of three prize-winning leather pieces, each captioned with the maker's name and standing: a wedge-shaped, hinged box with a knife or blade laid across its open top (Nan Astley, Fellow), a monogrammed tote bag (Gladys Riddell, Associate), and a hinged, three-compartment card box (Muriel McKnight, Associate).
Headed “1969 Prize Winning Articles.” Muriel McKnight's card box is captioned with the Associate standing she reached that year, named in the paragraph above; the same plate also shows Nan Astley's box, captioned Fellow, and Gladys Riddell's tote bag, captioned Associate, both raised to those ranks at the same Annual Meeting. Autumn 1969, p. 11.

In 1970, Muriel started teaching Summer School with the Hamilton Board of Education, educating others in the craft of leatherwork, a programme she continued until the end of 1978. She has also taught Senior Citizens groups including one at Caledonia. Another project was teaching Evening classes for Adults at Delta Secondary School in Hamilton, as well as managing to find the opportunity to conduct private lessons in her home for a number of years.

Muriel has attended workshops with the C.S.C.L. Also amongst her many credits is her work as a student of design (a twenty week course) at Mohawk College, a day course, plus numerous weekend workshops at Mohawk, and a week-long course in the craft at the Haliburton School of Fine Arts. These have all contributed to her skill, leading to her success in attaining many ribbons for her fine work. As early as 1968 she won a Salon ribbon for her entry of a Jewellery Box at the International.

From the "Who's Who in Leathercraft" column in Canadian Leathercraft, Spring 1981, written by Hope Drysdale.