Dolores says “Gimme.”

I got Franklin to draw this for me at the Interweave party. Dolores has her badge holder on — the fun thing about TNNA badge holders is that by the end of the weekend, we are all wearing about a million buttons and other decorative thingies — and a TNNA bag full of schwag. More on this in a minute.

The two best posts about TNNA so far? The Yarn Harlot and Franklin Habit.

TNNA is a magical land for knitters, one where (as several people have now noted), no one shoots you funny looks for hauling out your knitting during dinner, and everyone knows what SSK means, and when you say “Did you see that new yarn at Louet?” they all glaze over and swoon and it’s totally normal. (Speaking of, “that new yarn” is some insane combination of bison and magical fairy dust and a few other things that may in fact be dangerous to your health if you are prone to fainting. Mama want).

Franklin paid Jillian, Amy and me the Very Highest Honor. Dig it. Quote first, then what he drew:

Here is something I noticed about three famous people I met at the show.

It’s true. After all, as we left the TNNA party to go fetch Amy, Jillian said something to the effect of “C’mon, we’re going to Amy’s hotel room to see her in her underwear.” Which I repeated to someone else who asked where we were going, very matter of factly. And then we all laughed and laughed. But when we got there, not only did we get to see Amy in her underwear, but Kristi put a clear plastic yarn protector (think hamster ball, or Dale Bozzio in this Missing Persons video) on as if it was a bra.

Speaking of Jillian, today is her birthday. Happy birthday, Fairy Knitmother! Amy has a comments thread going if you want to say it to her, too, along with one of my fave photos of the divine Miss J.

If you wanted to give the birthday girl and the rest of us a special present, you could write down this link and give it to your LYS: stitchcooperative.com. Tell ’em you want them to order our patterns. Cough cough. Was that a little too self-promo? Speaking of, the wholesale ordering site (sorry, just for stores, not individuals) will have the rest of the patterns for sale up soon.

High points from TNNA:

• Drooled over Kristi’s handspun shawl in progress
• Put Casey‘s giant beer can in Lexie Barnes’ son’s stroller as he slept and took photos of it with Miriam Felton‘s camera
• Manicures + expedition to Target with Amy O’Neill Houck and Annie Modesitt
• Lily Chin as my roommate. ‘Nuff said.
• Franklin not only drew the above Dolores sketch for me, but he was a constant ball ‘o fun.
• Everyone was so nice to my summer intern Carrie. Find any other industry as kind to its newer members as ours — you just won’t.
• Manning (well, technically, “womanning”) the Stitch Cooperative booth with all my friends. I love them.
• Being just around the corner from Bonne Marie, who I adore, and other friends such as Kate and Meredith.
• Finally meeting Kate Gilbert in person for the first time. So awesome. As is her new project, Twist Collective.
• Actually taking orders from real, live shops for Stitch Cooperative. THEY LIKE US. THEY REALLY LIKE US. *sniff sniff*
• Jeni’s Ice Cream at North Market. Oh. My. Golly. I’m taking a cooler full of ice down this weekend to Knitter’s Connection. Not dry ice like Cat Bordhi and the Harlot, but still…
• Finally meeting Cosy in person! She is awesome, and so is her new book. Which, by the way, you can buy autographed in her Etsy shop here.

So that was TNNA in a nutshell.

Ring ring. Hold on a sec, there goes the phone.

I just talked with Joan Goldstein, who was also staying with the Hartwells when we taught at the Snake River Fiber Festival. She had an accident shortly after and is recovering / will be for some time, poor thing. Fortunately, her doctors are not stupid and have not cast her the way mine did when I broke my elbow. Falling 14 feet off a ladder = not fun.

However, meanwhile I need to tell you about her Custom-Fit, Sideways-Knit Garter-Stitch Gloves. Here’s a link with photos to someone who’s knit them. The pattern is available from Joan Goldstein, PO Box 2556, Bigfork MT 59911, h-jgold(at)bigsky(dot)net, for $8. They’re like those garter stitch gloves from Spin-Off a while back, but BETTER. I have never in my life felt such fabulous fit in a pattern (I tried on a pair at the show). And she customizes your pattern for you! You need a pair. You do. And I need enough time to knit myself about a million pairs, ’cause I love them. Regular length! Opera length! Handpainted! Whee! Tell her Knitgrrl sent you.

Tagged with: Knitting