Inspiration
Postcard from a Trade Show
Dear everybody,
Kay and I were in Rosemont, Illinois last week for the h+h Americas trade show for the craft industry. Hundreds of companies were there, representing knitting, quilting, needlepoint, cross stitch, embroidery, weaving. A few thoughts:
Thought No. 1: Anxiety. Yes, I heard conversation after conversation about tariffs, trade issues, mergers, chain store bankruptcies, companies shutting down. Yikes! What a mess!
The current economic situation definitely affects everybody at this convention: hundreds of booths, all offering products and services to people in the knitting world, everybody watching and waiting and cooking up contingency plans and Plan Bs and alternate places to source stuff.
The global nature of the craft industry was on full display: it’s all intertwined. “Made in the USA” was a rare thing to see. “Partially made in the USA” or “Conceived in the USA using imported things from China” was common.
I invited one vendor to move their gigantic mill to Nashville, and it’s looking pretty promising really. Just a couple of things to sort out. Like: moving a gigantic mill. (Don’t worry, Kay, I’ve got this.)
That said, I was struck by the general calm among vendors. Even as the path forward is not clear, the only way through all this is through it. “Keep calm and carry on” was definitely the vibe from some of the folks we visited.
Thought No. 2: The Business of Creativity. A trade show like this is nothing like a fiber festival. There is no bluegrass floating in the air, no apple cider donuts. You see a yarn shop owner (us included) sitting at a table with a yarn company rep, and you know that serious decisions are being made, right there.
How much? Which colors? Every order is a bet.
And every order depends on customers liking whatever it is the yarn shop is ordering. It’s an imperfect art, for sure. And nerve wracking in an environment that is eternally shifting its course like the Mississippi River. (Yes, I’m reading Mark Twain right now. We are all steamboat pilots.)
Most buying happens outside of this show—the internet has altered the rhythm of commerce forever. But it’s still important and fruitful for a shop (ours included) to spend time with yarn makers, large and small. In the years we’ve attended these gatherings, we have come away with something new and wonderful every time.
Like: our amazing pal Anna Hrachovec was doing her mochimochi magic, here a puppy making either pancakes or, knowing Anna, a Dutch baby.
Thought No. 3: The People. We spent a morning walking the show with Manvee Vaid. Manvee is amazing. She lives in Chicago, is developing beautiful natural-dyed yarns with a group of women high in the Himalayas north of Delhi. Lofty Peaks is what they’re calling this yarn, and Kay and I were struck by the vibrant saturation she’s getting from natural dyes. Manvee laughed and reminded us that in India, dyeing is a thing they know how to do.
She invited us to visit the village where these women are making these yarns. Anybody want to go to India with me? This is why I love going to a trade show.
You never know what will happen.
Like, when the elevator door opens and hello! This is Valerie, headed off to the cosplay fashion show where she had a strong alternate Elphaba storyline cooking.
Thought No. 4: Old Home Week. I guess this is the part that seems obvious: seeing friends. When you’ve been doing something for two decades, you end up in the lobby bar of a convention center Hilton, knitting and catching up with the photographer (Gale Zucker!) who took a chance and photographed your book, twenty years ago. Babies are grown; deep philosophical topics are discussed; but mostly, it’s a comfort and a joy to see familiar faces amid the circus of an event like this.
And sometimes you bump into the most interesting people.
Thought No. 5: What It All Means. The vicissitudes of the yarn industry aren’t anything I can analyze with any skill. What I do know, sitting here in this fortunate and weird position where we are in close touch with all you fascinating, surprising, daily knitters, every day? We’re all going to be knitting, all the time, no matter what. Knitting is forever.
Love,
Ann
I would love to bump into you, Kay, or Kaffe Fassett. Or pretty much anyone; I love meeting people and getting new ideas.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s wondering, who are the prize winners for the shop name contest? I haven’t seen it posted yet. There were a lot of good suggestions. I thought of another one after I already submitted a comment, of course: MDK2tog, representing the sense of community.
Oh I like that one!
Sure, I’d go to India with you to see yarn making in a small village…and so many other things!
Ditto! I think you should all make a plan for this.
I would be as chuffed as Kay and Kaffe. What fun! And the adventure of yarn in India…there is the material of a Twain-worthy adventure! You raise some classic narrative themes here. Though my knitting has taken a well-deserved hiatus, I look forward as always to the Further Adventures of Anne and Kay.
Those last words: “Knitting is forever” brought tears to my eyes… what an important story. The tenous business of fiber, in and of itself is fraught, now more than ever. I can’t think of a more universal endeavor around the world than the benign act of knitting and the fiber arts. I’m hoping for best days…
Ann, just a little hug of appreciation for all you and Kay and your MDK pod do/are doing during these weird times to help us keep our chins up. The throughline of your post, which you guys prove every day, is that our knitting and the virtual community it sustains are the engine that will pull us through this.
XOXOX
Thanks for your impressions. Our LYS is closing and this feels real.
Thanks for sharing, Ann. As makers, it’s so important to better understand and support the industry that is a true lifeline to so many of us!!
Love this essay and love MDK. Thank you always
What a wonderful postcard narrative. You have made my Tuesday!! Nothing better than starting the day with a warm heart. Thank you for all MDK does for the craft and for its makers. I so appreciate it all.
Hear, hear! Knitting is forever, indeed. Well said.
Thank you for attending, and bringing all the crafty goodness to us!
Adventures abroad! That sounds marvelous.
And we will all continue to be ambassadors of Yarn! Whether it’s wool, cotton, acrylic or my favorite- blend of all! I’m so happy that in northeastern Kansas we now have a fiber shed that is sponsored/run by Liz Bonnie in Lawrence Kansas! As we grow our fiber sheds so grows our knitting, crocheting, weaving, Crosstitch, felting, and quilting habits.
I’ll come along to the Himalayan village in India. I can translate! You always need an extra person or two who speaks the language. 🙂
It sounds like this was a marvelous trip. I would love to have walked the aisles and talked to the vendors with you.
I bumped into Kaffe Fassett a couple of decades ago in my LYS. I well understand your elation!
And yes, “we are all riverboat pilots”. Thank you for putting it so beautifully – you’ve made me feel a bit better about life now.
Why did I miss all this fun stuff??