Dear Ann,
This weekend marks the return to New York City of one of the biggest and most festive gatherings for knitters, Knitting Live! by Vogue Knitting.
I’m excited! I’m anxious! I’m anx-cited!
If the past is a predictor, the marketplace floor at the Marriott Marquis will be thronged with joyful knitters. Here’s hoping it’s a safe and fun time for all, that the sweater-peeping is phenomenal, and that the fashion shows are as lively and gorgeous and well-attended as ever.
You and I will be there, with bells on (and also skeins of Atlas for curious knitters to pet).
In fact, you’ve already arrived and set up the Offices of Ann Shayne in my daughter’s old room for the duration. I hope you’re enjoying the amenities, which include dusty (but still sparkly) copies of the complete Twilight series, plus a private collection of rare vernacular photography from the 2010 b’nai mitzvah circuit. If you forgot to pack anything, rest assured that an archive of formerly cherished Buffalo Exchange hauls is at your disposal, perhaps even encroaching on your space. I know you love vintage!
Where to Find Us This Weekend
On Friday evening, we’ll be toasting Kidsilk Haze at a 20th birthday party hosted by Rowan. We have it on good authority that the entire palette of this legendary mohair mousse—80 shades!—will be in attendance.
On Saturday, we’ll be roaming the marketplace, popping up when you least expect us. You can most expect us in the audience for these three Saturday events:
11 a.m.—a fashion show hosted by Shirley Paden, the legendary designer and master teacher of designers.
12:15 p.m.—the Rowan fashion show, which will feature a few MDK Field Guide favorites among the latest and greatest Rowan designs.
4:15 p.m.—the Kaleidoscope fashion show, featuring Brooklyn Boy Knits (Louis Boria), Bretony Boheme (Bre Sells Seashells), Cairo Romaguera (Cairo Designs), Nancy Ricci (Getting Purly With It) and the finalists of the Kaleidoscope Fashion Show Competition. At the last Knitting Live, this show was not to be missed, for over-the-top, eye-popping creativity and fun.
4:45 p.m.—a panel discussion moderated by our friend (and MDK Knitting Getaway alumna) Cecilia Nelson-Hurt: Black History Month: Honoring the History and Legacy Through Crafting, featuring Vincent Williams, Safiyyah Talley, and Amanda Solomon.
On Saturday evening, we’ll be at the event’s gala dinner listening to keynote speaker Joji Locatelli, the featured designer for MDK Field Guide No. 22: Grace. It will be our honor to talk with Joji after her keynote speech.
On Sunday morning, at 10:15, we’ll again have the pleasure of talking with Joji, this time on the special events stage on the 6th floor. If you’ve got any questions for Joji, drop them in the comments below! You never know: we might not be able to resist the urge to pile all the samples from MDK Field Guide No. 22 onto Joji, who is always the best model for her own designs. For those who won’t be in New York this weekend, we’ve linked the recording of our last chat with Joji up top.
How to Keep Track of All This Fun Stuff
Some of the events mentioned above are ticketed, most are included with marketplace admission. Here’s a handy PDF of all the events scheduled for this weekend. Clip & save! You won’t want to miss a thing.
Love, Kay
Looking forward to this weekend.
Will there be Atlas available for sale ?
Sadly, no! We will have some projects and skeins to show, though.
See you there! (At the airport now!)
Leaving in 5 minutes for a class with Franklin Habit!
Damn! You two have ALL the fun!
Looking forward to reading all about it. Have fun!
Wish I could go! Can’t wait to hear about it!
See you there! I’ll be in a CocoKnits workshop. So excited!
Oh. I wish I could be there! I attended the very first Live! filling my Big Apple dance card with wonderful classes, but since then multiple events have intervened. If I had known you’d be there in advance I might have worked something out. Maybe next year! I know you will have a fabulous time!
Of course I could have looked at the offered classes but it is always so painful to see what I am missing so now I avoid it. Now I see that along with you guys and Joji I will be missing Cocoknits and lord knows who else (don’t tell me!).
Can’t wait, boarding the Hampton Jitney at 12:30!!
Enjoy that good jitney knitting! See you soon!
I would love to see/feel Atlas in person. Where will I be able to do that?
The twilight books only sparkle in the sunnnnnshiiinnnnnnne.
Unbelievably, my daughter has determined herself still not quite old enough for them.
I wish you and all the attendees LOADS of fun this weekend.
What a great interview! I didn’t see it first time around but it’s so great to see all three of you come alive after years and years of admiring Joji’s designs and following Kay and Ann. I’m very proud to be a knitter and love being immersed in the knitting world. So wish I could be in New York this week. Enjoy every minute.
One of my favorite things for years now has been admiring how well knitting designers model their designs. Those who model their designs are often my first choice. So enjoyable.
Coupon code is not working
I so wish I could be there! I had bought a ticket to a Franklin Habit class, but ended up having to cancel. Huge day out in NYC does not mix well with having a tiny baby and needing to pump every couple hours. It was supposed to be my 40th birthday present to myself. Maybe next year! (I am soothed by my local community college’s offering of a natural yarn dyeing workshop this weekend, so I still get to take a fun class. And it’s a 20 minute drive instead of a 2-hour train trip. so that’s good.)