Posts Tagged ‘needlearts’

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

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!

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!

Just a quick update . . . the PiPN internship applications have been coming in, with more students having applied this year . . . by this time . . . than ever before.  But, this year, we have more positions than ever before . . . So if you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time.

I’m also happy to announce three new opportunities posted just a few days ago.  Y2Knit, an amazing yarn company located in both Funkstown MD and San Francisco CA is offering a great internship for someone looking to eventually have a full time job. (Who isn’t looking for a full time job!) This company is run by two sisters who have more talent than I can even begin to describe.  They’re looking for help with marketing, as well as design . . .

I’ve also just posted two positions with Misti Alpaca in, of all places, Peru!  They’re offering room and board (but you do have to get there yourself . . .)  These positions require skills in knitting and crochet, as well as a good grasp of Spanish.  The interns who were placed there a few years ago had an incredible experience.  I’m sure this year will be no different.

So, again, if you already haven’t registered . . . or if you have and one of these positions appeals to you, let us know.  We’re getting close to our match date (early April) so you have no time to waste.

If positions aren’t filled after that date, we will continue to accept applications, but you may not be able to get the placement of your choice.

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.