Aubrey and I heart Cat Bordhi. How can you not love a knitting genius who is a little eccentric (in a good way)? You have to be a little eccentric to be obssessed with knitting and trying to figure out new techniques and problems all the time.
At last year’s TNNA, we both took some of her sock classes. I don’t particularly enjoy knitting socks and after taking Cat’s class last year, I do have some slightly increased interest in it. I just have so many other things in my head that socks are in the very back of the queue.
SATURDAY, January 17, 2009
Aubrey, Cat Bordhi and Me
This year, Aubrey and I took a Cat class together. It was more business oriented, and she talked about writing and kitting up patterns. After showing her a Handicraft Café pattern (Threesome) and one of my Crafty Diversions patterns (Twister), I felt all warm and fuzzy because she complimented me on the layout and layout design. However, really can’t take all the credit because the very talented Anna of Anaphase Studios did the logo and layout design.
Saturday was the first Market day. So, after our class and photo-op, Aubrey and I headed to the exhibit floor. We first made a beeline to get a ticket for a book signing. In some of the booths, in order to get an autographed copy of a book, you have to get a ticket an hour prior to the scheduled signing. The tickets are limited in number and the rule “you snooze, you lose” definitely applies.
On the way down to the market floor, the extraodinarily talented Stepfanie Japel of Glampyre Knits, and author of Fitted Knits and Glam Knits, was in front of us on the escalator and she commented on my Morgan. She said that she hadn’t see one made as well as the one I was wearing. Well, I had to fess up that though it was my pattern, the sample I was wearing was knit by a good friend of mine. (I had Zona knit my orange Morgan in a medium size. The one I made and was shown on Knitty was a large and a little too big for my head.) Nonetheless, I felt lots of warm fuzzies after the escalator encounter.
One of the book signings we attended was for Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard of Knit and Tonic. As she was signing my book, she said “Hey, I recognize that hat,” and proceeded to tell me that she had my hat in her queue. As a new designer, I cannot express how exciting and wonderful it feels to have established and well-known designers like Stefanie and Wendy compliment your work. Squeeee!
with Chrissy Gardiner
A must-visit booth on our list was Gardiner Yarn Works, the booth of fabulous designer Chrissy Gardiner, who has designed for yarn companies and has been published in many magazines such as Interweave Knits. Kristie, who also tests and sample knits for Chrissy finally was able to meet her in person. We purchased some of Chrissy’s new patterns for the shop, such as her Kiwassa shawl, to add to some of our other favorite Gardiner Yarn Works patterns, such as the Autumn in Oregon Socks and Ballerina Slippers. One of the more exciting developments is that Aubrey will be working with Chrissy to see about getting her patterns and other patterns from her pattern line on our site as downloadable PDFs!
One of the cutest things in the Gardiner Yarn Works pattern line is this cutie:
Whoot! Whoot!
I am happy to announce that I think I am still on cloud 9 from all the positive feedback I have received thus far regarding 
