Posts Tagged ‘TNNA’

We recently emailed all the PiPN 2010 interns and apprentices to see how their summers have been going.

To share just a few . . . Trekina Miller from Mississippi State College first found out about PiPN at the Dallas Career Day in 2009.  As I recall, she made a beeline to the PiPN booth the next year (this past April), excited to see we were there again.

Handwork Studios in Narberth PA was Trekina’s first choice.  She recently wrote “I just wanted to thank you again for helping me find this awesome internship with the Handwork Studio. I love it and everyone that I am working with. I look forward to going to work everyday. I am also working with the Fashion Bootcamp program in Rosemont, PA for the Handwork Studio. I can not thank you enough for this great opportunity!!”

Earlier in the summer, I heard from Laura Kelly, owner of the Handwork Studio.  Laura was instrumental in connecting us with the Philadelphia area schools.  She commented that Trekina was a terrific addition to her team.

Erin Rice from the Art Institute of California – San Francisco was placed at the Yarn Designer’s Boutique in Big Bear CA.  She’s been updating the shop’s blog throughout the summer, and thought that might be the best way for everyone to see what she’s been up to.  It starts out with “My first week in Big Bear is coming to a close and it has been nothing short of beautiful, educational, and just what I needed to dive into after graduation.”  Check out all her postings at http://www.yarndesignersboutique.com/blog.html.

We’re also getting emails from PiPN alumnae who are looking for jobs within the industry. We’ll be posting their resumes as they come in.  Please consider these PiPN veterans if you have an opening of any kind.  They’ve certainly proven themselves and have demonstrated a true commitment to the needlearts.

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.

PiPN 2010 is proud to welcome the largest internship class to date. 

This year, with the new format, close to 40 students registered for PiPN 2010.  More than half have been placed, with several still pending.

Congratulations to the following:

• Bagsmith
  • Ashley Schweikert – University of Akron
• BeSweet
  • Caroline Moore – State University of NY at Geneseo
• Blue Ball Mountain Spindle
  • Amy Church – Western Kentucky University
• CNS Yarns
  • Helen Cosgrove-Davies -  Bryan Mawr
• Coats-N-Clark
  • Samantha Lever – East Tennessee State University
• Crooked Fence Alpacas
  • Alyssa Edlund – University of Utah
  • Kimberly Trusken – Kent State University
• Handworks Studio
  • Trekina Miller – Missouri State University
• Knit Knack
  • Julia Rhoden – Colorado State University
• Knitgrrl
  • Abra Forman – apprentice
  • Sarah Jo Mosbech – apprentice
• Knitting on the Square
  • Alice Koelsch – University of Akron
• Loopy Yarns
  • Jacqueline Shunnara – University of Alabama
• Royal School of Needlework
  • Justin Campbell – University of Akron, graduate student
• SoHo Publishing
  • Claire Kersey – Georgia College & State University   
  • Amanda Montgomery – University of Akron
• Stitches Etc., Beth Gantz Designs   
  • Diane Capuano – apprentice
• Tanglewood Fibers
  • Mariel Snetman – University of Alabama   
  • Emily Sidle – University of Akron, graduate student
• Yarn Designers Boutique
  • Erin Rice – Art Institute of California-SF
• Yellowbird Yarn Room
  • Jennifer Weiland – University of Akron

There are still a number of opportunities available for this summer:

• Barbara Bergsten, Chagrin Falls OH
• City Knits, Detroit MI
• Cowgirl Yarn, Laramie WY
• Fiber Arts Yarn Shop, Cape May NJ
• Fine Points, Cleveland OH
• Kreinik Manufacturing, Parkersburg WV (2)
• Maria’s Knitting & Crochet, Chula Vista CA
• Red Barn Yarn, Pasadena CA
• The Needlepoint Boutique, Collingswood NJ

My time spent working at Knitgrrl Studio this summer with Shannon Okey has been a terrific learning experience. Shannon does a wide variety of things in her business; she is an author, magazine editor, designer, teacher, and more. She recently opened her own studio space, so I got to see firsthand what it takes to start a small business from the ground up. She works with a wide variety of fiber arts; not just knitting but also spinning, felting, dyeing, and sewing.

Shannon has been a great mentor, including me in her meetings and in the general planning of her business so that I could really see what it takes to run a small business in the art and craft world. I’ve gotten to do a little bit of everything while I’ve been here. I’ve worked on knitting patterns and knit samples, and I researched and wrote an article for Yarn Forward, the UK knitting magazine that she edits. I’ve gotten to meet other local artists and business people that she works with on a regular basis. It’s been really useful for me to see what kinds of opportunities, both in business and the arts, are available in this area and might apply to me back home. One of the big projects that I took on this summer was working on her new online store; she sells a wide variety of fiber arts supplies as well as knitting, crochet, embroidery, and cross-stitch patterns from a wide variety of designers. Tech-savviness is not one of my strengths, so it has been really useful for me to learn to work with some of the on-line software that she uses.

It’s been a great summer; I’ve gotten to help Shannon start really interesting several long-term projects in different areas. The hardest part about the internship ending is that I won’t get to see all of these cool projects that we started continue to develop first-hand.

We are proud to announce our 2009 student interns:

• Justin Campbell, University of Akron; hosted by Dr. Susan Kay-Williams, Royal School of Needlework, London
• Kari Capone, University of Akron; hosted by Jessica Cepek and Doreen Connors, SoHo Publishing, New York
• Kathleen Guanciale, University of Akron; hosted by Becca Smith, Bagsmith, Shaker Heights, O
• Cynthia Hartline, University of Akron; hosted by Nancy Thomas, Coats & Clark, Charlotte, N
• Lori Henry, University of Akron; hosted by Liz Tekus, Fine Points Inc., Cleveland
• Jennifer Lynn Kennedy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; hosted by Francis Cester and Joann Walus, Cestari, Ltd., Churchville, VA, in partnership with Hand Painted Knitting Yarns
• Erin Scheiner, University of Akron; hosted by Ann Forquer, Wool and Willow Needlepoint and designer Barbara Bergsten, Shaker Heights OH
• Kristi Schwechheimer, University of Akron; hosted by Jessica Cepek and Doreen Connors, SoHo Publishing, New York
• Sothea Soum, University of Akron; hosted by Heidi Massengill, Stitch Cleveland, Lakewood, OH
• Zoe Valette, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI; hosted by Shannon Oakey, Knitgrrl, Cleveland

The newest class has already been immersed in needlepoint, embroidery and counted thread, and are loving it!  Their first week was capped off with a study tour . . . or what we used to call a “field trip” . . . Whatever the name, it was a wonderful opportunity for our students to visit some of the local host companies, as well as enjoy the amazing exhibits at both Kent State and Stan Hywet.  Check out the slide show at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRPY7R58-SQ

This week, the students will be attending The National NeedleArts Association’s June Needlearts Market in Columbus OH.  They’ll get a chance to meet the people who make up our industry, attend the Teacher Meet & Greet, Needlepoint Premier and Yarn Group Fashion Show.  Then they’ll be able to roam the floor of the show . . . something only open to the professionals in the field.

Some of the students will also be offering their own products for a Chinese Auction to help raise funds for their summer internships.