So much TNNA madness, my skull implodes

Why? Two things: my mind was blown by all the cool stuff I saw this weekend, and unfortunately I had to leave earlier than planned thanks to a wicked, wicked migraine.

I stopped at Wholly Craft on the way down to see Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching give a presentation. What a cool store! Check it out if you’re ever in the neighborhood. I bought a pink shoulder bag with “CRAFT PUNK” spelled out in black buttons on one side, but it’s not lined — maybe one of these fabrics would work? At left, Jenny is signing a fan’s sewing tomato. How rockstar is that?

The photos I managed to take are all here.

Kim was there, of course. We got to see the cover of Get Hooked Again — so cute — but even better, there was a bound printout of the Crochet Me book (previously seen here on Knitgrrl). You have no idea how beautiful it is. No idea at all. The only thing I can say is “order it right now!” because it’s the most beautiful book Interweave’s ever put out, and that includes mine! Robyn, Amy, Kristi, me… I can’t even remember how many of us were standing around oohing and aahing and generally blocking the way for anyone else who wanted to have a peek.

This needlefelted bag was so amazing, it made me want to cry. The artist, Tracy Clark, was featured in a Savannah Morning News article — interesting stuff! I would have bought it straight off her arm if it hadn’t already been spoken for, it was that great. Here’s Tracy in the South West Trading Company booth.

There were great new yarns from SWTC at this show, including one with sequins called Vegas that looks super-sharp paired with one of the matching plain yarns. One of the colors is a super-deep greeny teal I adore, too.

One reason everyone loves TNNA is because there is much swag to be had — one of my finest scores was a Skacel backpack with a limited-edition super-top-secret Addi Turbo needle inside. It’s a cross between an Addi lace needle and a Turbo, quite nice. I’ll take a photo of it when I get the rest of my stuff unpacked. Thanks to my favorite Skacel rep (she knows who she is)!

I barnstormed the natural fiber yarn booths and the plant-dyed yarns in preparation for an upcoming project. One of my editors and one of our summer interns from Stitch Cleveland walked the show floor with me for a while, which was nice. I think they got a super hands-on introduction to my everyday life — it’s all about talking to the people you want to work with and keeping in touch with existing friends so you stay in the loop. Except at TNNA, you get hugs instead of emails.

Of course, some Certain Other People who shall remain nameless accused me of not actually being human. The working theory is that I am actually five robots, and all of us are working separately on different projects, which is why I am so productive. Man, I wish. I bet robots don’t have half the hair woes I do!

Guess what? Interweave has an entire special issue devoted to felt. It hits newsstands next month. I’m with Robyn, that bag on the cover is fun.

In the starstruck department, both Amy Singer and I both had OMG IT’S AMY BUTLER moments. She is so nice — and her booth was beautiful, just as you’d expect. I was having serious booth-swoon. Plus it was packed with pillows, and when you’ve been on your feet all day, a giant stack of pillows looks very, very appealing. Related: I ordered Soak’s limited-edition Amy Butler “Sola” wool wash for the shop. Soak is utterly swoonworthy, too, and it’s the only wool wash I use now. I’m spoiled for anything else.

Confidential to Jacqueline at Soak: if you wanted to do a Knitgrrl limited edition, it would probably need to smell like Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s “Alice”, one of my favorite scents out there. Rose + carnation, or bergamot has been the basis of almost everything I’ve worn since high school, and this one’s got all three! Does anyone else remember Roma, the old Body Shop perfume oil? I still have at least one bottle hoarded away somewhere.

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