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Alice Huff-Idom Says Farewell . . . and Hello

admin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 18:21:24 +0000

Alice Faye Huff-Idom and the Yarn Resource Catalog

Alice Faye Huff-Idom, a student at University of Akron, recently completed her Pathways into Professional Needlearts (PiPN) internship with my company Business Directions inc. As part of her responsibilities, Alice has helped create the Yarn Resource Catalog. Thanks to her, Barry Klein of Trendsetter Yarns, TNNA’s Yarn Group, as well as one of TNNA’s PiPN interns Rylee Tomlinson, the catalog is near completion. I’ve now contracted with Alice to complete the mock-up. So good-bye to Alice the intern. Hello to Alice the sub-contractor!

Here’s what she had to say:

Working as a PiPN intern this summer far exceeded my expectations. I not only learned about the characteristics of unfamiliar yarns, but I learned more about the creative side of marketing and how to create a yarn catalog.

Creating a catalog allowed me to become more comfortable with Excel and how to collaborate with a professional such as Sherry Mulne. The experience with Sherry gave me a preview of what it would be like having a career as a creative marketing consultant and made me recognize my strengths and weaknesses.

I also learned that it is important to meet deadlines for clients including Sherry, to have an open mind and to show that I was willing and able to get the task done no matter how hard I had to work.

Finally, I would like to thank Sherry for welcoming me into her home and sharing her knowledge with me throughout the summer.

A PiPN Success! Sarah Jo’s at SoHo!

admin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:16:01 +0000

As I was just about to email all our 2011 summer interns and host companies, when I received this wonderful letter from Sarah Jo Mosbeck, an apprentice from PiPN 2010. I felt I had to share it with you. It’s great to know PiPN is making a real impact.

Sarah Jo Mosbeck modeling original knit skirt

Hi Sherry,
I was in the PiPN program last year, as an apprentice, and you were a tremendous help to me in the application process, and while I was in Columbus for TNNA. You had me give a talk on how adding the apprenticeship option had helped me, and as a result I was approached by Trisha Malcolm the next day, and she gave me a copy of Vogue Knitting’s Lace Stitchtionary to aid my designing dream.

My summer with Shannon Okey was amazing – informative and fun, and I came away having learned a lot and made a great friend. She wrote me a glowing reference letter for the job I have now.

I am currently filling Renee Lorion’s place as yarn editor here at SOHO Publishing in New York City while she’s on maternity leave for 3 months, and I feel that my participation in the PiPN program is responsible for me having the job I’ve wanted since I learned to knit. I’m also doing a couple of designs for them (one for Knit Simple Winter and one for Vogue Knitting Winter), which has been a long-held desire of mine.

So, thank you – the PiPN program, the addition of the apprenticeship option, and all of your kind council and advice has helped me to achieve my dream.

Sincerely-
Sarah Jo Mosbeck

PiPN 2011 Summer Interns on the Job

admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:14:23 +0000

This year, we placed the second largest group of interns in the history of the PiPN program. From California to Peru, the new recruits have already begun their on-site stints. If you’ve been watching, we’ve posted several blogs from a few of them already, and hope to have more as the summer wears on.

PiPN’s Pathways Open Up Even further

We are continually receiving applications from both host companies and potential interns, so we’ve decided to open our process to matching students with hosts throughout the year.

We’ll still focus our student recruitment efforts towards positions in the summer months, but will maintain an active matching process for fall, winter and spring placements.

If you’re a TNNA host company who did not match with an intern this summer, we’ll be contacting you soon to see if you would like to keep your position active. If you’re thinking about having an intern in the future, feel free to go to the Host Application and send it in now. We will be updating the opportunities available on a quarterly basis.

PiPN 2011 interns and apprentices to date

Sophia Adodo
Texas Woman’s University, Denton
The Handwork Studios, Narberth, PA

Dania Carter
Mississippi State University
The Handwork Studios, Narberth, PA

Leah Chapman
RISD
KnitWhits, Emeryville, CA

Necol Dattilo
Kent State University
Stitchgrrl, Akron, OH

Sarah Ellison
Kent State University
Acorn Street, Seattle, WA

Kimberly Esasky
U of Akron
SoHo Publishing, NY, NY

Alice Faye Huff-Idom
U of Akron
Business Directions inc, Columbus, OH

Kelly Kleiden
apprentice
Helen Hamann, Tennessee

Alice Koelsch
U of Akron
Craft Akron, Akron, OH

Kelsey Leib
Kent State University
Stitchgrrl, Akron, OH

Mary Markeshewski
University of Alabama
Tanglewood Fiber Creations, Seattle, WA

Elli McHugh
Eastern Washington University
BeSweet, Sausalito, CA

Christina Musich
Carnegie Mellon University
Colonial Needle, White Plains, NY

Crystal Spann
Mississippi State University
TNNA, Columbus, OH

Heather Stanco
Carnegie Mellon University
Misti International Alpaca Yarns, Arequipa, Peru

Brigitte Tijerina
SCAD
Misti International Alpaca Yarns
Arequipa, Peru

Rylee Tomlinson
Mississippi State University
TNNA, Columbus, OH

Kelsey Tucker
U of Akron
Stitch, Piece ‘N Purl, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

My Summer as a PiPN Intern by Alice Faye Huff-Idom

admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:22:20 +0000

As a senior majoring in Fashion Merchandising at the University of Akron and only two semesters left before graduation, I was not exactly sure where I would complete my internship. Becoming more nervous about finding an internship in the retail industry I began to search elsewhere, so this summer I decided to take a fiber arts class that teaches embroidery, crochet, knitting, cross-stitch and needlepoint. Learning these techniques helped open my eyes to a skill and profession that could benefit me in the future and prepare me for a PiPN internship with Sherry Mulne. Sherry Mulne has a marketing and creative services business called BDi (Business Directions inc), and acts as TNNA’s marketing consultant as well.
Although I have only assisted Sherry for a week, my experience has been fun, interesting and educational. It has also allowed me to use the skills I have learned in the past as a Fashion Merchandising major. So far, this internship is focusing on creating a yarn resource catalog to help professors recognize the elements of the yarns created by the wholesalers within this industry. Besides assisting Sherry with the resource catalog, I will also assist her with other BDi activities. I may also be able to attend Maker Fair in Detroit at the end of July 2011, where I’ll gain even more knowledge in the world of needle arts.

Kelly Kleidon — telecommuting with Helen Hamann

admin — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:03:49 +0000

Hi everyone! I’m Kelly Kleidon, and I’m apprenticing for Helen Hamann. I’m telecommuting while I help with her marketing, build a social media presence for her company, and work on the website.
I was lucky enough to get to come to the TNNA June show and help out in her booth. I had an amazing time while I was there, I learned so much more than I could have expected. I had the opportunity to network with many awesome industry folks and Helen had me working on everything from customer service, processing invoices, to fetching coffee like a good intern.
The accommodations at Sherry’s house were cozy and stocked with good company. I enjoyed my fellow interns immensely and I left with an impression that all of the people involved in TNNA, as well as the general public of Columbus, are all incredibly nice.
Before the show I was actually honest-to-god, bored. So much so that now I find myself referring to things in a before-and-after sense. Like, “before I went to Ohio I would have done xyz, but now I’m doing zyx.” Since I got home I have had plenty of tasks to keep me busy and I am greatly enjoying working with Helen. Before TNNA I had barely spoken with her yet, so it felt as if I was on the outside looking in. Since I was able to help out in Helen’s booth, she has put her trust in me, and my internship duties have exploded. She has been cramming my brain with requests for marketing and administrative help, and ideas for finding inspiration and building skills to become a designer.
I am ecstatic to have an apprenticeship with potential for a more permanent position, as well as being an amazing learning opportunity. I’m also looking forward to my future with the organization; I hope to take advantage of all the opportunities that PiPN has to offer, like attending TNNA shows in the future!

PiPN Interns — Itching for the opening of TNNA’s Trade Show

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:11:11 +0000

May 31, 2011

Rylee Tomlinson, Mississippi State University, interning with The National NeedleArts Association

Hola mi amigos!

The TNNA trade show is almost here and I cannot tell you how excited I am! We are doing so many things to get ready like calling people and working on displays. Speaking of displays, I think y’all are really going to like what we are working on. It has a past, present, future theme and we have some help from Ohio State University’s Historic Costume and Textile Museum…but I am not giving away any more than that. You will just have to come to the show and see it for yourselves.
By the way, on a more personal note, all of this has been done while battling a medium level case of poison ivy. I would post some pictures but you would be too grossed out. You know, if it stayed concentrated to one area, like my arm, I would be okay. But no! It spread to my stomach, my other arm, and the front and back of both legs. I look just awful. Oh, and the itching is so much worse than the way I look. I have found, for anyone looking to relieve itching, that ice packs work wonders. Benadryl does too but, alas, I am now immune to it.
But I digress. The real point of this update was to let you know what we interns have been working on here at TNNA. If you’re coming to the show, and I hope all of you are, don’t forget to stop by our display (to be on the show floor, in the “Fashion Show” area) and see what we have accomplished. You will not be disappointed, I promise!

2011 PiPN Intern Recruitment in Full Swing

admin — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 20:06:51 +0000

Although we’re still adding a few internship positions, and getting more information from others, recruitment for TNNA’s Pathways into Professional Needlearts 2011 is officially underway.

Rebecca Cross teaching fiber techniques at Kent State University

In the past few weeks, we’ve visited the University of Akron, our first hub for the PiPN Summer Scholar Program, as well as Kent State University where our hands-on needlearts class originated. Over 50 students attended our presentations, and we’ve already heard from quite a few interested in internships.

Recently, PiPN hosted a group of award winning student designers in Nashville at TNNA’s Needlecraft Market. The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association sponsors a fiber arts design competition yearly. This year, AOBA staff and volunteers got a peek at how a TNNA hotel show works, the world of stitching, as well as the PiPN program.

In the coming months, PiPN will be at career days at the Savannah College of Art & Design, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Fashion Group International in Dallas, where we will be awarding a Best of Show in Needlearts to one of the student participants.

We’re also making plans to visit several of the Art Institutes of America in California, and hoping to work more closely with them in the coming year.

If you know of colleges offering programs in arts, textiles, fiber arts, crafts, fashion design & merchandising, marketing or entrepreneurship (or others). . . or a student who simply loves to create, let them know about PiPN.

With the addition of Mississippi State University as a second hub, we anticipate many more applications this year, so positions will fill rapidly.

Deadline for applications is March 30, 2011. After matching all applicants at that time, we will continue to accept applications for any other open placements.

Knitwhits, Emeryville CA, joins PiPN list of hosts

admin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:00:33 +0000

Knitwhits is a knitting and crochet pattern company located in Emeryville CA. Recently, the company has expanded its offerings by adding a line of hand-painted knitting yarns, as well.

Located between Berkeley and Oakland and across the bay from San Francisco, this internship offers a great opportunity to learn all the basics of hand-dyeing yarns from prepping to post-dyeing yarn care, packaging and shipping. You’ll be assisting with marketing and promotions as well.

Knitwhits is a great place to work and a great place to learn. Check out more by downloading their information here.

PiPN Announces New Internship and Apprenticeship Opportunities for 2010-11

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:14:38 +0000

PiPN is happy to announce our new, exciting opportunities for internships or apprenticeships for the coming year.

Host companies include retailers, wholesalers, designers, retailers and manufacturers of products for the needlearts and crafts industries. Many of these companies are open to having someone either this fall yet, or during the winter months, as well as during the summer.

Download a pdf document with each company’s information and requirements by clicking on their names below.

Then, just fill out the intern/apprentice application on this site.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Anzula

Be Sweet, Inc

Barbara Bergsten Designs

Colonial Needle

Craft Akron

French Knot

Knots – Knitting on the Square

Lovelyarns

Stitchgrrl/Knitgrrl Studio

The National NeedleArts Association

The Stitcher’s Muse

The Yarn Shop

Apply online to become a PiPN Host for 2010 – 2011

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:35:41 +0000

It’s time to sign up again to become a PiPN Host for the coming year (2010-2011).

NEW this year.

Hosts and applicants can now choose any time period during the 2010-2011 academic year, as well as throughout the summer.
Association members can now easily and quickly apply online. Click here for the Host Application.
Applicants will also be able to register online.

Previous Hosts have applauded the program, and have commented that the experiences were enjoyable and rewarding.

Our interns have echoed those sentiments. Visit PiPN Lane to see more of what our interns have said about their experiences this year.

If you’ve never been a host, please consider participating this year.

It doesn’t take much . . . just a willingness to mentor a young, enthusiastic fiber arts lover, to share your knowledge and experience and love of this creative industry.

For more information, please visit TNNA.org College Outreach

There you will be able to download a quick overview of the PiPN program, as well as a more complete overview of the 2010-2011 requirements and schedules.

If you have been a PiPN host in the past, please complete the online application as well, so we have all your updated information.

Click here for the Host Application.