Archive for the 'events' Category
Hi from TNNA!
Saturday, June 2nd, 2007
Mom and I are in Columbus!!
Last night I taught my class, and there was a *great* group of students. We chatted the whole time, it was so fun!
Today, we got up at the crack of 11 when Yahaira called us to tell us that her room wasn’t ready yet! So she came up and we all sat around chatting about books and publishers until we decided to go over and set up the booth. After lots of climbing on tables and safteypinning of tulle…we finished the booth and went to lunch. At lunch I met Leah, who always makes my patterns look so amazing.
After lunch, we decided to take it easy and rest up until the fashion show. I had one garment from the book in the show…it’s always fun to see my sweaters on PEOPLE, instead of the mannequin.
For supper, we (me, Mom, Cathi, Lauren, Yahaira, and Leah went to Zen. Yum! Tempura rice bowl. Fried tofu! Green tea!
OK, tomorrow I start taking photos.
Posted in Trips, events | 1 Comment »
Hey Girl, Party!
Thursday, May 3rd, 2007
There was a guy in my freshman dorm who whenever he saw me (or any girl) would shout out, “Hey Girl! Party!” in a really strong southern accent.
It’s hard to imagine TODAY, but apparently ‘partying’ IS on the horizon.
It’s been feeling like a long-long-long time away, BUT:
On Saturday, I’ll be in Albuquerque for a book signing at Village Wools from 12-3.
Cinco de Mayo! Woo! (Psst:It’s NOT Mexican Independence Day.)
Posted in events | 1 Comment »
The Needle Arts Studio
Friday, April 27th, 2007
Hello from ROCK CITY!!
So you probably thought I’d never fly again after LAST weekend, but LOOK! Here I am in DETROIT! With Shay Pendray!
We’re taping a segment on the Needle Arts Studio, a PBS program that reaches 60 MILLION households in the US and Canada.
Here’s me and Shay on set:
The yarn we’re fondling is the new Cash Vero from Cascade yarns. It’s a blend of Cashmere, Merino, and Microfiber, so it’s soft and shiny and economical at the same time. You can pretty much sub it for anything you’d use 220 for. The ball band wants you to use a bigger needle, but I think I’ll be using it in worsted situations.
I’m going to be updating this post today with more photos, but want to get this posted! I neglected to post right away about the book fair, and now the photos are on the other computer…
The trip started out like any normal trip that I go on alone…very very iPod-zone out and knit…THEN. In Dallas. I’m in line to get on the plane and am approached by a gorgeous blond woman who seems to know my name! Guess WHO! Tina Whitmore of KnitWhits!! You’ve seen her work on her own site, at Stitch Diva, and all over the country in yarn shops. Tina and I rode to the Inn together and had dinner and dished until 10 pm. (Then I had to go finish my project!)
Tina on TV:
This morning, we all got up to go to the studio, and who’s in the lobby? KRISTIN NICHOLAS! She’s published EVERYWHERE, and you probably recognize her work by its use of color. She has a new book coming out (I got a sneak peek at the projects but swore not to post photos, so I didn’t take any.) Her projects are colorful and playful and when she laid them out on the table, every single one of us was over there swarming her. She’s amazing. And just generally really awesome to talk to. She’s got a BLOG! YAY! (She also has her own yarn line and the colors are just gorgeous. Deep and rich.
Kristin, Shay, Me:
I also met the Chicks with Sticks! These ladies are so much fun! The projects they showed use crochet in situations where we’ve gotten used to using knitting, like the potato-chip scarves and even in felting. Their work is very brightly colored and fun. Loved meeting them! I heard that they’ve even sold their knitting kits on QVC! Now *that’s* national coverage!
Lisa Daniels of Big Sky Luxury Yarns and Muench Yarns was there to do three segments. She was showcasing the “Touch Me” chenille with wool core that I used in my Spring 07 Knitscene pattern. Really enjoyed meeting her.
Heather from Monsterbubbles was there. She cross-stitches on alternative surfaces. She sells kits for jewelry and art wall hangings that use window screen as the base for the stitching, instead of cloth. These are so gorgeous, funky, and modern. I really like them. You should check out her site gallery.
Group Photo:
L to R: The Chicks, Heather, Me, Tina, Kristin, Lisa, and the really sweet Borgello needlepoint woman.
PS: Tina’s saying, “We’re suddenly all scrunching down.” and we were. We were. lol.
Posted in yarn reviews, events | 6 Comments »
Bluegrass Festival of KNITTING
Thursday, April 26th, 2007
WOAH!
(photo courtesy of lotus knits)
Was this ever a fun thing to do!
On Saturday, we (me, my editor Jessica Gordon, several charming women who work on the Writers Digest books, and our publicist Greg Hatfield) went to Lexington, Kentucky for the Bluegrass Festival of Books.
When we arrived at the convention center, we were met by show organizer Rachael Ray, the person who invited me to be on the discussion panel. She led us to the table, where we were met by Diane MacDonald and Jane Homeyer, the owners of Magpie Yarns (Because the Yarn Harlot already posted, I borrowed the link from her.) These women are so amazing, as soon as we all got there they started taking a coffee order! AMAZING hostesstes.
On one side of me was Susan Anderson, author if Itty Bitty Hats (which I’m sad that I forgot to ask her to sign.) Itty Bitty Hats is a really sweet and innovative collection of baby hats. On my other side was Ann Hood, author of The Knitting Circle! I’m just starting my copy, but after meeting Ann and hearing her speak and spending time with her…I know that I will learn a lot from this book. On Susan’s other side was Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, author of (ok, I know you already know.) 
So after we all signed books a while, it was time for the knitting panel. Susan, Ann, and I were on the panel, and my editor Jessica was the moderator. It was really interesting to hear from the other knitters, and in-person get their perspectives on knitting and what it means to them. Susan is one of Wisconsin’s leading entrepreneurs, and Ann has written like 7 novels, so I was the noob in the room of experts!
After the panel, the Magpie Mavens invited all of us knitting people to lunch! So we all piled into the minivan and went to a restaurant downtown. I’m secretly glad that the food took so long to arrive to the table, so that I could talk to everyone longer. We were discussing things like the slang words that you can and can’t say in different countries, and blogging of course, and book-writing, and traveling…I’m so lucky to have had the chance to talk with these women. It was really, really great. I can’t say enough about how fun that lunch was.
After lunch, I signed a few more books and we went home at 5. I totally had to miss the Yarn Harlot’s talk, but I had a lot of fun meeting people at the table. (Who am I kidding, while the Harlot was speaking, every knitter in the building but me and Ann were in the lecture hall.)
I met a lot of really fun knitters when Stephanie was done, though!! I’ll post photos when I get home from Rock City, I promise!
Posted in Book Talk, Trips, events | 6 Comments »
Bluegrass Festival of Books: Books Signing times
Wednesday, April 18th, 2007
I will have 2 book signings at the Bluegrass Festival of Books on Saturday.
Signings will be at 9 am and 1 pm in the F&W booth.
And don’t forget the panel discussion:
A Good Yarn — Knitters, Fiction, and More!
Thoroughbred Room 8
11 a.m.
Moderator
Jessica Gordon
Editor, North Light Craft Books
Authors
Susan Anderson
Stefanie Japel
Ann Hood
Description
Join author of Itty Bitty Hats, Susan Anderson, Fitted Knits author, Stefanie Japel, and fiction author Ann Hood, The Knitting Circle, for a panel about knitting hats for infants, fashionable knitting, knitting in fiction and more.
You can get a signed book, see the panel discussion, and still have time to go see the Yarn Harlot at 2!
Posted in Trips, events | 1 Comment »
The Weekend / Cranking
Monday, April 9th, 2007
…this past weekend was SO SO fun!!
Friday night was the book signing/fashion show at Unravel.
We had the show in the courtyard outside and Cyndi A’s son let us borrow the P.A. from their band. (I was the M.C.) The girls got ready in the new classroom upstairs, and then came around the balcony and down the stairs and around the front through the crowd and then back up for a quick-change.
The courtyard is *perfect* for fashion shows, and we’re trying to think of reasons to have another one. My next book isn’t out for a YEAR!
I am so proud of the models! Everyone did extremely well and looked gorgeous.
We had all sizes and age groups represented, and it went really well!
We had such a good time that we did the fashion show part TWICE. AND…we completely sold out of books.
The only bad part: I FORGOT MY CAMERA!! Fortunately, Michelle has told me that she’ll put her photos on a CD for me, so I can still post some later on.
Saturday, I taught a class on the drop-stitch lace tank from the book. There were ~10-12 students, and it went pretty well, I think. I had fun! (Thank you Cindy for your help with the class!) (AGAIN: NO CAMERA!)
The Cindy (there are THREE at Unravel) who helped me with the class had on the eternally cute “Ballet Tank” by Teva Durham (from the book Loop-d-Loop.) I was so enamored of hers, I cast on and made myself one. It took about 3.5 hours of cranking. (I’ve been calling knitting ‘cranking’ lately for some reason.) It uses Blue Sky Cotton, held double on 15s.
I’m serious, you guys…I need to take more pics!! We were so good about it in Germany…everything was so once-in-a-lifetime, we took tons of photos of everything we did. But NOW that we’re HOME…we haven’t taken many.
Posted in just chit chat, events | 4 Comments »
Bluegrass Festival of BOOKS
Monday, April 2nd, 2007
I just finalized plans to attend the Bluegrass Festival of Books in Lexington Kentucky April 21, 9am - 5pm.
I’ve been invited to appear on a panel called “A Good Yarn: Knitters, Fiction, and More!” on Saturday, April 21 at 11:00 am.
I’ll also have a book signing sometime on Saturday (TBA).
I’ll be in Cincinnati most of the weekend, driving down to Lexington just for the day on Saturday. F&W(my publisher)’s headquarters are in Cinci and so I’ll get to meet the whole team. I’m looking forward to it. This means, though, that NOW…instead of needing LEXINGTON yarn shop info…I need CINCI yarn shop info!
(OH! I know! I’ll check my guidebook!)
Posted in events | 14 Comments »
BOOK SIGNING / FASHION SHOW / CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION
Tuesday, March 27th, 2007
This is part of the Historic Downtown Mall “First Friday” gallery walk, and is open to the public. Even if you don’t want a book, come for the cute girls in the fashion show and CHAMPAGNE! (WOO!)
Posted in Book Talk, events | 2 Comments »
Knitty Gritty
Wednesday, March 21st, 2007
My Knitty Gritty episode is airing already!
(April 5!)
Posted in events | 2 Comments »
OSW class at TNNA
Thursday, March 15th, 2007
I’m teaching a class on the OSW at TNNA. My class is Thursday, May 31, 2007 · 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, and costs $25 (cheap!)
(Class description is here and my ‘teacher bio’ (hee hee) is here.)
I’m teaching the class to shop owners, to that they can teach the class to their customers. I think it’ll be fun. Everyone can either bring their OWN skein of yarn or purchase one from me. I’ll have some fun custom hand-dyed yarns from pureknits to choose from.
We’re going to go through the basics step-by-step, and I’ll share some of the most common questions that people have had about the pattern and construction.
We’ll talk about some tips and tricks to helping your students visualize what it is that they’re making while they’re making it, and you’ll get to see some examples of how this pattern has been customized in various ways.
You can sign up when you register for the show.