Posts tagged ‘Kristin Nicholas’

My last weekend of September appropriately ended in the wonderful area of Western Massachusetts. I had been spending the last of the week in Springfield and Northampton, and was now at the Franklin County Fiber Twist to see various friends and the latest offerings in the woolen world for the autumn season. Some of the key items to check out were the Twist Collective Fashion Trunk Show hosted by Julia Farwell-Clay of the “Moth Heaven” blog, Kristin Nicholas‘ “Color by Kristin” which is her latest book, Barbara Parry’s lovely “Foxfire Fiber” yarns, Debbie’s incredible works of art at her “Glastonbury Glassworks” booth, Leslie Wind’s beautifully made tools (she had gifted me one of her fabulous needles!), and Gayle’s hand-painted yarns. But here is where the day was most fun…

A few months ago I broke down and purchased a project bag from my friend JessaLu‘s Etsy shop. I had fallen in love with the fabric because the colors had a positive vibration. While Tweeting about coming to the Franklin County Fair, I discovered that she was going to be there too. We met up when the Twist Collection Fashion show began, and checked (in her case, re-checked) out the various booths. While at Kangaroo Dyer’s, we chatted with the ever-so-hoppy Melissa Morgan-Oakes about knitting two socks at a time, and how it would be cool to have a bag that was at the perfect size for them.

When we finished browsing, we decided to drive up to Northampton and visit WEBS. I mean, how could one NOT be in Western Massachusetts and NOT go to WEBS? We both made a couple of purchases (souvenir yarn does not count as stash) for particular projects, and had a great time. If only every weekend could be this fun and wonderful!! =:8

Like all hobbies and interests, the knitting world has its rockstars and celebrities. One of our most famous is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka author and writer of “The Yarn Harlot” blog. I have a little journal that I use to jot down notes, ideas, and patterns that roam around in my head. The front page of that journal contains signatures of 3 people who have inspired me to become the knitter that I am today: Stephanie, Franklin Habit (see my “It Itches” piece September 2008), and Kristin Nicholas.

Kristin learned how to knit as a child, and when she entered the yarn manufacturing industry, her experience in the fashion world helped her to create a formidable presence at Classic Elite Yarns in Lowell, MA. Not only did her team’s patterns offer intricate details of cabling and fair isle, but the written instructions became a standard still used today. What drew me to Kristin was not just her talent, but her personal side. (Yes social media folks, I consider her a Trust Agent in the knitting world!) Ten years ago, she and her husband Mark had Julia. Because Julia was born with excess fluid in her brain, multiple surgeries were done for the next couple of years. To spend time with Julia and Mark, Kristin gave up her esteemed Creative Director position at Classic Elite. For my romantic self, anyone who gives up a career for whom they love has my admiration.

Though Kristin stopped working at Classic Elite, she did not give up her passion for color and fabrics. She has written a number of books which incorporate color combinations and embroidery. On Friday night, September 11th, I was privileged to be invited by Common Cod Guild president Guido Stein to have dinner with the officers, Kristin, and her guests – Julia her daughter and Cathy, a former employee at Classic Elite. We laughed over past ideas that went nowhere, gushed over the pizza, and talked about upcoming events. At MIT’s Stata Building, she gave a lecture on how she uses a color wheel and nature for inspiration. She described how adding a touch of embroidery can make a piece of clothing pop with excitement. During the door prize announcements, I won a set of postcards which were photos from Kristin’s farm and collection. Kristin also allowed everyone to fondle the pieces she designed for her upcoming book, “Color by Kristin: How to Design Your Own Beautiful Knits” which were knitted in her Julia yarn.

Afterwards, a dozen of us headed out to The Friendly Toast for a late night snack. My meal of choice was the Caribbean Waffle paired with a pot of tea. Once again our conversations were full of liveliness ranging from our daily observations to Kristin’s lecture. Food, drink, and fun — what more could a knitting social media technology geek like me want? (Please, we know what the answer is, and that unfortunately is not going to happen.) Until I write again, feel free to check out the photos of the evening! =:8