The Event

What a hotbed of creative folks this trade show is! There are so many big names, approachable talent in my (knitting) industry all here in one small spot for most of a week. It’s incredibly exciting to be here.

For most people attending, this is a buy/sell show, though nobody goes home with bags of merchandise. This is where retail yarn shops order their fall yarns and accessories. In a business heavy on wool, it’s the big deal of the year.

There are also classes and a fashion show. Friday there was a luncheon (where Stephanie Pearl-McPhee/Yarn Harlot was the keynote speaker… I missed it).

The People

I am going to drop names here for the knitters who read ColorJoy. Many of these folks are friends and colleagues, some have taught me, and some I just know who they are and we have never spoken.

(I am guaranteed to forget a percentage… if I hugged you and then didn’t list your name, please be kind, it is just the sort of chaotic environment that one can not remember everything.) They are not all my best friends or anything, but it sure shows you the powerhouse that is the TNNA show.

I have run into or at least seen across the room (in approximate order of seeing them):

Jillian Moreno
Annie Modesitt
Kristi Porter
Margaret Radcliffe
Sally Melville
Lucy Neatby
Kristin Nicholas
Amy Singer
Shannon Okey
Melissa Leapman
Rick Mondragon, Knitter’s Magazine
Franklin Habit
Vicki Howell
all three authors of Knit So Fine (Lisa R. Myers, Laura Grutzeck, and Carol J. Sulcoski)
Beth Brown-Reinsel
Cat Bordhi
Cookie A.
Chris DeLongpre of KnittingAtKnoon
Chrissy Gardiner
Anne Hanson/Knitspot
Mary Moran of KnittingZone and Hiya Hiya knitting needles
Cheryl Potter (of Cherry Tree Hill Yarn)
Casey, Jess and Mary-Heather of Ravelry

From Lansing:
I am traveling with Rae and Cindy of Rae’s Yarn Boutique,
had dinner with Nancy McRae (Woven Art) and Sarah Peasley/Handknitter,
chatted with Lindsay and her mom from Yarn Garden/Charlotte, and
waved and chatted with Rob and Matt from Threadbear as we were proceeding between evening engagements.

(For the record, I know who all these people are, as do many people in my industry… but if you dropped the name of a young actor I typically would not know who you were talking about. I don’t “do” movies or TV because I don’t enjoy them, so I’m totally out of touch in that realm. If you feel out of place here with my list of names, I understand.)

This is the 3rd TNNA show I’ve attended. It’s fun to finally know some of the folks and really feel connected.

The Best Part

The most exciting thing today was finally meeting Kristin Nicholas. We have corresponded for perhaps a year, maybe more, thanks to her blog. We have tried four times to meet up in person, in three different states. Finally this time we made it work. She’s a wonderful color-talent in many media (knitting, embroidery, painting/illustration, author of lovely books, etc.), and a lovely person.

It was also a thrill to meet Carol Sulcoski. We have been corresponding a lot lately by email because of the Knit So Fine blog tour. She just lit up when I walked up to the author-signing table. It is always great to be greeted that way!!!

Next post, photos. I had written too much this morning and deleted several over-detailed paragraphs just now (since I’m finally awake enough to focus). Just suffice it to say that days are busy here and it’s all good.