The Knitting & Crochet Show: A Masterful Event in Portland
From May 15 to 17, 2009, The Knitting Guild Association held its Spring Knit & Crochet show in Portland, Oregon. This was the first time I’d attended, and I was looking forward to meeting members of TKGA and learning more about their organization and its events.
As expected, most of the knitters who attended the show were from the western part of the US and Canada. They’d learned about the annual Portland event in advertising in Cast On magazine, through their local yarns shops, and through local knitting guilds. These guilds are truly the core of TKGA, and if you haven’t joined one, I suggest you find one in your area because they are a treasure trove of information and advice.
Now, for those of you who aren’t familiar with TKGA, it’s a world-wide organization that began in 1984 and serves nearly 11,000 members and more than 290 affiliated guilds from 20 countries. Membership, which costs only $29 per year, provides terrific benefits: an annual subscription to the quarterly Cast On magazine, free patterns, correspondence courses, and eligibility for the Master Knitting program. Master Knitters are exactly what the name implies: these are the power-knitters, the experts, the ones whose work you admire and say, “I wish I could do that!”
When you speak to the ladies and gentlemen who’ve achieved this coveted designation, they insist, “You can!” and they encourage you to take the course.
Manufacturers, retailers and designers display their latest
items much to the shopping pleasure of TKGA members.
As I visited the exhibit area and walked around the facilities at the Doubletree Hotel where the conference was held, I could see that the TKGA members were having a wonderful time enjoying all the amenities that Portland has to offer. They took a free Light Rail train to the pretty downtown core. They ate at the terrific little restaurants nearby and enjoyed the locally brewed beer. And they walked over to the nearby mall that boasted everything from an enormous book store to Macy’s, Nordstrom’s and an ice rink where you could rent skates to go for a few twirls, if you were so inclined.
There appeared to be a regular stream of traffic between the hotel and the mall when the classes were not being held. And there was always a hotel lobby full of knitters, busily working on projects, or showing others their most recent accomplishments. Everywhere I turned, TKGA members were enthusiastically sharing their experiences and advice.
One thing that struck me immediately was that these were serious knitters – experts or experts-in-training. Those, like me, who are still honing our skills would find this show absolutely fascinating because you can learn so much from small, intimate classes taught by industry dignitaries like Lily Chin, Nenah Galati, Myra Wood and Melissa Leapman. The list of classes is extensive and impressive – everything from beginner’s lace to intarsia, fine finishing and disaster recovery (a class I wish I’d taken!)
I think that’s the biggest difference between the attendees of this show and those of some others I’ve attended in the past: the amazing level of skill of the attendees. There were lots of beginners who were absorbing every bit of knowledge they could, but the vast majority had many years of experience, a high level of expertise and a very serious commitment to the craft. The exhibit hall was not a crowded, frenzied race for bargain yarns – though shopping is a big part of the show. The knitters were there to learn, to share, to celebrate the craft they love. Some ladies told me they come each year to share time with friends who traveled from as far away as Australia.
Although there were too many booths to mention individually, several struck me as particularly interesting. Takako Ueki of Habu Textiles displayed some magnificent original creations that were very trendy. My favorite was a metal crocheted piece that used a very fine wire. Gita Maria displayed gorgeous hand crafted enamel knit sticks, shawl pins, buttons and jewelry. I bought a stunning little sheep pin and some pretty blue enamel buttons.
ADD PHOTO OF REDFISH WITH CAPTION: The brilliant display of colors by Red Fish caught many knitters' eyes.
The display by Fly Designs really caught my eye with their beautiful display of brilliant hand-dyed yarns, and Redfish Dyeworks also presented truly breath-taking hand-dyed silk and silk blend yarns and rovings.
For a tactile treat, I visited the Pacific Meadows Alpacas booth that displayed alpaca yarn, yarn kits and toy kits. I love the soft luxurious feel of alpaca so I spent a lot of time just touching what they showed.
One of the larger, well known manufacturers was very much involved in this spring’s show. Lion Brand Yarn not only had a booth there, they also provided a giveaway bag to every TKGA member attending the show.
I was happy to see charity organizations present and active at the show. Afghans for Afghans were there to increase awareness of their organization. This group sponsors humanitarian and educations projects, and contributors knit and crochet wool blankets and garments for the people of Afghanistan as a gesture of friendship and respect. To help raise money, they sold raffle tickets for baskets and a $100 Yarnmarket Gift Certificate.
Afghans for Afghans volunteers from L to R: Chris Motley, Maye
Thompson, Barbara Levin, Franny Heald. Franny made Afghan
cookies with pistachio and cardamom.
Also in the exhibit hall was the Helping Hands Foundation, the non-profit Needle Arts Mentoring Program that engages volunteer mentors to spread needle arts to the youth of America.
Many authors attended the Spring Knit & Crochet Show, giving classes and meeting with participants. Stephanie Bryant, the author of the Handknit Heroes series was there with her newest book, the second in the series. Each book includes patterns for fans of the superheroes.
This sweater that took only two different colorways of Shibui's
Kauni Effects was a big hit with the audience.
One highlight of the show for all attendees was the fashion presentation that featured many wonderful new designs modeled by TKGA members. It was great fun, and many of the garments received the expected “oooh’s” and “ahhhh’s” from the audience – plus the occasional chuckle when the members had fun a bit of fun in their temporary roles as runway models.
On Friday evening, I was lucky enough to be invited to a pizza party where the local guild from Millstream Knitting Guild of Salem, Oregon was given an award for 25 years of membership – the second TKGA guild ever to form. Now, these were dedicated knitters! And what was even more impressive was that one of the ladies had been with the guild from its inception. I would just love to see her stash!
Members of the Millstream Knitting Guild are (L to R):
Isabelle Ryan, Mary Blossom, Su Fennern. Penny Sitler
presents a certificate of achievement.
During the evening presentation, audience members were asked how many had completed the Master Knitter program. At least a dozen hands went up. And when they were asked how many are currently enrolled in it, I was amazed by the number of masterfully creative hands that suddenly, proudly were thrust into the air. Those who were not currently participating in the program applauded with admiration the knitters who, they knew, were among the best on the continent…or they soon would be.
When I asked Penny Sitler, Executive Director of TKGA, why the Spring show attracts so many Master Knitters, she told me, “This is the National Convention for TKGA, so of course the most dedicated members make the effort to attend. And participants in the Master Knitter program are indeed the most dedicated members – and knitters!”
For the days I attended the Spring Knit & Crochet Show I spent a good amount of time at the booth where winning entries for the TKGA and Yarnmarket Knitting Design Contest were displayed. Visitors to the booth examined each garment as if they themselves were judging the finalists, paying meticulous attention to the complexity of the pattern and the quality of its finishing. Unsurprisingly, they were impressed by the designs submitted by fellow TKGA members, and many vowed to enter the contest next year so they could win not only the valuable gift certificates that were awarded, but also the respect of their very talented peers. (http://www.tkga.com/resources/WinnersAnnouncement09MediaRelease.pdf for Design Contest announcement; http://www.knitandcrochetshow.com/gallery.asp for Design Contest photo gallery)
The TKGA Spring Knit & Crochet show was truly impressive: a wide array of informative classes taught by some of the most talented knitters and crocheters in America; an expansive exhibit hall that featured gorgeous yarns, embellishments, books and patterns; a highly skilled audience who eagerly shared their knowledge and experiences; and a great venue that offered lots to do after classes had ended for the day.
If you’d like to rub elbows with the elite knitting crowd, you’ll want to consider the upcoming Summer Knit & Crochet Show, August 7-9, 2009 at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in Buffalo, New York. It’s just a stone’s throw away from Niagara Falls, the Niagara Winery district, and the world-acclaimed Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Bring your knitting needles (and your passport!) because this show -- and its border-city location -- has lots to offer knitters from Canada, the US and throughout the world.
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