Just a heads up . . . we've extended the deadline for student registration in PiPN 2010 until March 20th due to the wonderful response we've had from schools across the country. 

Since the change in format this year, Career Counselors and Professors in Fashion Merchandising and Design, Textiles, Retail Management, and others, are opening the doors of their classrooms to PiPN.  

In the last months, I've presented PiPN to students at six colleges including West Virginia University, University of Alabama, Colorado State University, Carnegie Mellon, Kent State University, University of Akron and also met with the Art Institute of  Colorado in Denver.

I'm on my way to talk to students at the Art Institute of California in San Francisco and the California College of Arts, then on to Moore College of Art & Design and Philadelphia University. 

We're also receiving inquiries and applications from students attending Bryn Mawr, Georgia College & State University and East Tennessee State University.

If you're a student who is interested in participating, you can download the host information by going to clicking here. 

You can also download a student application by clicking here. 

If you're a TNNA member interested in being a host company, it's never too late to add your name to the list. 

Contact me at bdirect @ columbus.rr.com for more information. (remove the spaces when emailing, please)

Thanks to the help of Kristi Schwechheimer, the PiPN Alumna from 2009 who has taken on the role (and I might add, lots of responsibility) of PiPN Alumnae Group Director, we now have more complete information about the vast array of host companies offering internship experiences through PiPN 2010.

PiPN 2010 now includes more than 35 unique internships in more than 30 companies and organizations, across the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Peru.

For students looking for valuable, hands-on experiences in companies involved in fiber, textile, fashion, design, and more, PiPN is it.
The complete list includes:
Bagsmith, Shaker Heights OH
Barbara Bergsten, Chagrin Falls OH
Be Sweet, Sausolito CA
Cestari, Ltd., Churchville VA in partnership with Hand Painted Knitting Yarns
City Knits, Detroit MI
CNS Yarns, Montreal, Canada
Coats & Clark, Charlotte NC – filled
Colonial Needle, White Plains NY
Cowgirl Yarn, Laramie WY
Crooked Fence Alpacas, Mona UT
Fiber Arts Yarn Shop, Cape May NJ
Fine Points, Cleveland OH
Handworks Studios, headquartered in Narberth PA (5 positions)
Knitgrrl, Cleveland OH
Knitting on the Square, Chardon OH
Kreinik Manufacturing, Parkersburg WV (2)
Maria’s Knitting & Crochet, Chula Vista CA
Misti International Alpaca, Arequipa Peru (2)
Plymouth Yarn Co., Bristol PA – more information to come
Red Barn Yarn, Pasadena CA – more information to come
SOHO Publishing, New York, NY (2)
Stitches Etc., Cleveland OH
Tanglewood Fiber Creations, St. Helens OR (2)
The Needlepoint Boutique, Collingswood NJ
The Stitchin’ Den, Estes Park CO
Yarn Designers Boutique, Big Bear City CA

More detailed information is available now at http://tnna.org/Outreach/College/tabid/154/Default.aspx

Thanks to Dr. Holly Lentz and Dr. Barbara McFall of West Virginia U. . . and another thanks to Doug Kreinik of Kreinik Manufacturing, for enabling PiPN to visit this amazing college. It seems the Fashion Design and Merchandising Program is undergoing a major change, and in doing so, are formally including the hand needle arts in their curriculum. This fall, they’ll be offering a knitting course, and are planning other classes as well.

I had the chance to speak to a large class of juniors and seniors, many of whom are looking for internships for this summer. The students were more than welcoming . . . and after my presentation, were eager to put their names on the PiPN interest contact sheet.

The opportunity to intern in a small business makes PiPN a real find for many students. Rather than spending the summer with a large company where experiences may be limited, PiPN students really get involved in their placements. In addition, they truly learn what it means to have a small business . . . so besides needlearts, they acquire true business survival skills.

We’ll be posting the updated lists of opportunities, with explanations, soon. So check back!

A multitude of new internship opportunities have become available for PiPN 2010.

The National NeedleArts Association’s Winter Trade show gave us the perfect place to talk directly with many of TNNA’s members. And the members responded enthusiastically.

We are still in the process of putting together more in-depth information about each of these companies and the experiences they offer. We appreciate your patience . . . as we have so many new ones to add now. (And I expect more companies will also come on board . . . so if you don’t see what you’re looking for, let us know.)

Here’s the whole list of interested companies. Please feel free to check out their web sites, but, again, please don’t contact them directly.

Complete Listing:
Barbara Bergsten, Chagrin Falls OH
Be Sweet, Sausolito CA
Cestari, Ltd., Churchville VA in partnership with Hand Painted Knitting Yarns
CNS Yarns, Montreal, Canada
Coats & Clark, Charlotte NC
Cowgirl Yarn, Laramie WY
Crooked Fence Alpacas, Mona UT
Fiber Arts Yarn Shop, Cape May NJ
Handworks Studios, headquartered in Narberth PA (3 positions in various locations in PA)
JoMar Threads, Culver City CA
Fine Points, Cleveland OH
Knitgrrl, Cleveland OH
Knitting on the Square, Chardon OH
Kreinik Manufacturing, Parkersburg WV (2)
Maria’s Knitting & Crochet, Chula Vista CA
Plymouth Yarn Co., Bristol PA
Red Barn Yarn, Pasadena CA
SOHO Publishing, New York, NY (2)
Stitches Etc., Cleveland OH
Tanglewood Fiber Creations, St. Helens OR (2)
The Fibersphere, Valencia CA
The Needlepoint Boutique, Collingswood NJ
The Stitchin’ Den, Estes Park CO
Yarn Designers Boutique, Big Bear City CA

I know most of you are busy traveling or enjoying the company of friends and family. But some may already be seriously looking for summer internships now, before the rush sets in.

We’re pleased to add several new companies to our list for PiPN 2010.

The entire list as of 12.22.09 is:
• Barbara Bergsten, Chagrin Falls OH
• Be Sweet, Sausolito CA
• Cestari, Ltd., Churchville VA in partnership with Hand Painted Knitting Yarns
• CNS Yarns, Montreal, Canada
• Coats & Clark, Charlotte NC
• Fine Points, Cleveland OH
• Knitgrrl, Cleveland OH
• Knitting on the Square, Chardon OH
• Kreinik Manufacturing, Parkersburg WV (2)
• Stitches Etc., Cleveland OH
• Tanglewood Fiber Creations, St. Helens OR (2)
• The Needlepoint Boutique, Collingswood NJ

We anticipate more companies coming on board during next month as we’ll be all together at TNNA’s upcoming winter trade show in Long Beach CA.

We also are planning to put up more extensive information within the coming few weeks. So CHECK BACK SOON!

And don’t hesitate to email if you have any questions.