A Look Back at TNNA

For all the years (now more than five!) that I’ve been part of the knitting world I still haven’t made it to any of the major conferences or conventions in the world of knitting and needle arts. I really wanted to go to TNNA — The National Needlearts Association — summer meeting this year. It’s held annually in June in Columbus, Ohio, and it is the place to learn all about what’s new that’s going to be hitting the yarn shops for fall and winter knitting. For someone who knits and writes about knitting for a living, it’s also a place to meet up with other designers and make connections in the industry.

There were a few reasons I didn’t end up going (and it happened that my daughter’s first-ever performance in front of people, at her preschool’s end of the year party, was that weekend, so I’m glad I was home) but I really, really want to and intend to go to at least one of the shows next year (there’s a winter one in California, which sounds pretty nice).

But thanks to the Internet, all of us who weren’t there can get a little taste of what the convention was like. My go-to source for these sorts of things is Clara Parkes, who runs the excellent Knitter’s Review and just logged her 13th TNNA. I know she’s on the lookout for the best yarns because reviewing yarns is what she does, so I know if she mentions something in her roundup it’s going to be a big deal in the coming months.

She noted that novelty yarns are coming back, but they’re better this time because so many are made with a higher percentage of natural materials than those all-synthetic yarns we had the last time novelties came around. Color is also a big story, as it has been all year, with more indie dyers in attendance. One yarn she talked about that I’m excited to try: Koigu Bulky! It looks like a beauty.

Have you ever been to a big yarn show or industry event? Spill it!

Adding a bit of knitting to your fall decor is a lot of fun, whether it’s knit pumpkins or a bunch of adorable knit ghosts like these.

Knit ghosts can be super simple like this free ghost knitting pattern from Trixie Zynch on Ravelry. Using about 50 yards of worsted weight yarn, they’re worked from the bottom up and are super cute as a pair.

This fuzzy little ghost from Forest Knitting Toys is holding a pumpkin and wearing a witch hat, though of course the accessories are optional, as is the fuzzy yarn. The main yarn is chunky and the ghost measures about 10 cm/4 inches tall. It’s worked in the round.

Another fuzzy ghost in more of a Pacman style is this ghost plushie form South Stitch Girls. It’s worked in the round with bulky yarn and includes a sweet little bow you can make in whatever color you like.

The ghost doll from Edith Grace Designs has little arms and a curl at the top of its head. The body is worked flat using DK weight yarn and you could also work it in glow in the dark yarn for extra fun. The body and head are worked in one piece with the arms knit separately.

The Grim Grinning Ghosts from Susan Claudino are super cute and you can knit them in any yarn and gauge you like to make ghosts of different sizes. These are worked in the round with the body done in one piece and the arms are knit separately. The ghosts shown were knit in sock yarn, DK and worsted weight yarn. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Make a ghost with funny striped legs with this ghost shelf sitter design from Claire Fairall Designs. It’s worked in three colors of DK weight yarn, and the letters spelling out boo are made with strips of garter stitch sewn into shape.

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