1. hobbies and interests
2. needlework

NOTE FOR WEB VIEWING: Hyperlinks for Web sites and E-mail addresses are functional in this document, click to access.
Summer 2011
TNNA’s Business Innovation Awards
Recognize Outstanding Independent
Needlearts Businesses
By Libby Butler-Gluck, TNNA Publicist
The Red Carpet event at the TNNA Columbus
Show hit a high note when it was time to present
awards and prizes to the winners of the 1st annual TNNA
Business Innovation Awards on Friday, June 10th, cosponsored by Hart Business Research. The judges used four
main criteria to choose winners: innovativeness of business
initiative, measurable impact on business, usefulness of
application as a case study for others, and use of information
from The State of Specialty NeedleArts 2010 report.
The judges awarded over $20,000 in prizes
to the following winners in five categories:
Counted Thread and Embroidery Wholesale Winner: ICG Crafts
Team: Mark Miller, Troy Riegle, and pattern designers
Innovation: Print-on-demand chart distribution to retailers
Website: ICGCrafts.com
Needlepoint Wholesaler Winner: DMC Corporation
Team: Liz Saylor, Steve Mancuso, Jay Wolf,
Rosanna Gelpi-Houck, Alice Okon
Innovation: DMC Color Infusions Memory Thread Go 3D Campaign
Website: DMC-USA.com
Yarn Retailer Winner: Amazing Threads
Team: Bobbi Kreb, Tina Erickson, Angel Randall,
Judy Riske, Lindsey Johnson
Innovation: Knit Wits-Knot store makeover
Website: Amazing-Threads.com
Yarn Wholesaler Winner – Schacht Spindle Company
Team: Jane Patrick, Barry Schacht, Liz Gipson
Innovation: The Cricket Loom Program
Website: SchachtSpindle.com
Winners of the TNNA Business Innovation Awards were presented with
prizes and plaques at the TNNA Show in Columbus, OH
Open/Affiliate Winner – Handwork Studio
Team: Laura Kelly, Julia Yosen, Alisha Tillman, Melissa Haims,
Mary Kukowski, Megan Collier, Ilyse Shapiro, Danielle Lyons
Innovation: Needle Arts Camp Road Tour
Website: TheHandworkStudios.com
Award plaques, cash, products, and advertising went to the winners
and were generously donated by the following sponsors: TNNA,
Hart Business Research Trendsetter, Interweave, Needlework
Retailer Magazine, Point of It All? Designs, Westminster Fibers,
Lantern Moon, Bryson Distributing, Yarn Market News,
Needlepoint Now, DJ Designs, Spool Magazine and Kreinik
Manufacturing Company.
(Continued on Page 3)
In This Issue
President’s Message ...................................................................2
Executive Director's Message ...................................................2
TNNA Section & Group Reports ................................................4
PiPN Update ..................................................................................8
Stitch N’ Pitch .............................................................................12
Helping Hands Update...............................................................13
Member Profile ...........................................................................14
Maker Faire .................................................................................16
MISSION STATEMENT: The National NeedleArts Association advances its community of professional businesses by encouraging
the passion for needlearts through education, industry knowledge exchange and a strong marketplace.
President's Message
With great pleasure we welcome the
former Spinning & Weaving
Association (SWA) members as they
join us, becoming the Spinning and
Weaving Group of TNNA.
SWA was formed in 2001 with a mission
to promote and grow the hand spinning
and weaving industry. Joining forces
with TNNA will strengthen their portion
of the overall industry, simultaneously
offering the advantages of TNNA
membership to them, strengthening our
numbers, and exposing our members to
new and exciting products.
Looking towards our future, it is
apparent that diversification is
important for the success of our
members.
Maintaining our focus on needlearts
while uniting with related segments
strengthens the industry as a whole. In
recent surveys, it is clear that many
members, especially retailers, offer a
variety of needleart disciplines, and
market trends clearly show a renewed
interest in hand spinning and weaving.
As we offer different and new products
and services it increases the ability to
shop in one place and experience new
things. It also gives our wholesale
members access to segments of the
industry that they would not have had
the opportunity to otherwise reach.
Our goal is to create a win-win
situation for all.
As TNNA moves forward into a new
fiscal year (beginning October 1,
2011) we continue our commitment to
work in support of all areas of our
membership and the industry as a
whole to encourage the passion for
needlearts through education,
industry knowledge exchange and a
strong marketplace.
We ask that you continue your
commitment to TNNA by renewing
your membership (renewals will be
sent mid August) and supporting our
(Continued on page 3)
Executive Director's Message
Start making your plans for Phoenix
January 2012
are many places within a short drive for you
to consider.
We’re moving the show to a new location
and Phoenix is it!!! The TNNA Winter
Show will be held on January 21-23, 2012
at the Phoenix Convention Center and we
promise you it will be “THE PLACE” to be if
you are in the needlearts industry. Lots of
changes and new was experienced at The
NeedleArts Market in Columbus and in
Phoenix we guarantee you a similar
experience as far as new and change is
concerned.
We will once again plan a fun-filled Friday
night of activities, hold the Fashion Show on
the show floor, include special displays and
areas on the floor and have such an
exciting line up of classes that you will have
a hard time making up your mind which to
sign up for. We’re planning a special
speaker for the retailers at the Retail
Luncheon. For those of you who missed the
Columbus speaker, Jim Dion, we’re sorry
because he received rave reviews from the
retailers there. But, we will promise to give
you another great program that will be well
worth your attendance. So make sure you
plan to have a day and night of it on Friday.
First of all it’s a new location for the Winter
Show. Phoenix in January will be at a
comfortable temperature, full of good
restaurants and tourist attractions
whether you plan a short or extended trip.
We’ll share a link on our site with the
Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau
(www.visitphoenix.com) so you can see
what’s available and make plans. There
We invite you to attend your product
segment group meetings on Sunday night
as well as the annual member meeting on
Monday morning. It is the perfect way to
get involved and to keep on top of what is
happening in the industry and TNNA. At
the member booth on the show floor we
will have information on services that will
benefit you as a member. If you haven’t
checked out the UPS, Bankcard discounts,
and Insurance programs at the show is
the perfect time to get information or talk
to available representatives.
The show floor will be full of exhibitors
waiting to show you their latest new
products and how to use them and sell
them if you are a retailer and if you are an
exhibitor, plan now to exhibit and show off
the new products you have for sale.
(Continued on page 3)
2
www.tnna.org
(Continued from page 2)
services and trade shows. As you
read this newsletter you will see
the dedication of the board of
directors, committees, members
and staff, and all the effort
involved in making our industry
and association thrive. We thank
you for your membership.
In closing I would like to thank
all of you for the opportunity to
serve as president for the last
year. It has been quite an
experience to watch our staff,
board and committees work in
unison, pushing TNNA to ever
higher levels. Don’t be afraid to
jump in and help. As TNNA
thrives, so will we all.
Remember, It’s Our TNNA!
Matt Bryant
President, TNNA
(Continued from page 2)
We have a large number of rooms
available at our headquarters hotel,
The Phoenix Wyndham. All the
information is on our Web site for your
convenience. We will have a special
hospitality area for our members and
guests where you can relax, talk and
meet up with old friends and make
new ones.
Watch for more information on the
Phoenix Show as we finalize plans.
We are working with a local task force
of members to make this a perfect
experience for you.
Hope to see you there!!!
Patty Parrish,
Executive Director, TNNA
www.tnna.org
Business Innovation
Awards
(Continued from Page 1)
The Handwork Studio's,
Miss Julia, Miss Alisha and
needlearts camp kids hold
their winning Business Innovation Awards plaque.
Here are some key market information, marketing, and
promotions ideas to share from the winning applications!
Keep Customers Coming In! – This is a fantastic promotional idea for ANY RETAILER! The
store created a coupon book that will keep customers coming in to shop on a monthly basis.
The first version covered a 10-month period and the cost of the coupon booklet was $24. There
was a limited amount of booklets sold. Each booklet offered two free items, other coupons
like 30% off on your birthday, 25% off one-time sale, 25% off needle purchase, etc. Amazing
Threads noted all 100 booklets SOLD OUT and average sales for customers exceeded the free
item by $30.
Kids, Kids, Kids! – Kids are a huge and sometimes forgotten Market for needlearts. The
Handwork Studio used the following three key pieces of information from The State of
Specialty NeedleArts 2010 and has built a successful traveling children needlearts camp that
projects $1 million in revenues in 2012.
1) The earlier you begin needle arts the more likely you are to carry it into adulthood.
2) Education can be a profitable of business.
3) Parents value education and enrichment for their children.
Solve a Problem! – Needlearts retailers want “fresh and new” designs, patterns and leaflets
according to The State of Specialty NeedleArts 2010. M&R Technologies (ICG Crafts) took that
information and created an on-demand printing and distribution program for needlearts
designers. Designers upload versions of their work to the ICG Crafts website, and from there
they set their own descriptions, marketing images, pricing and descriptions. ICG Crafts is
responsible for production, fulfillment and delivery. Advantages for designers are reduced
costs, complete control, quicker time to market and no more “out of print” leaflets. Shop
advantages are quicker access to new designs, no back orders/out of stock and great
shopping experience on ICGCrafts.com
Create Excitement! – The wish for new threads and fibers for needlepointers and crossstitchers was one of the main pieces of information that DMC Corporation took from The State
of Specialty NeedleArts 2010 to create The Color Infusing Memory Thread, a soft copper wire
used to create a 3-D effect on needlepoint and cross-stitch projects. This product is a brand
new innovation. DMC Corporation launched a comprehensive marketing and promotion
campaign to support this new product using advertising, social media, You-tube demos,
provided free printed brochures to retailers/designers/teachers and projects sheets to
promote this product.
Strike While It’s Hot! – The State of Specialty NeedleArts 2010 said “shops should increase
spinning and weaving categories” and that is just what Schacht Spindle Co. helped retailers
do. Seeing a need for a smaller, more compact and affordable product, the Cricket Loom was
created. An easy-to-use product would appeal to the knitting specialty stores both to sell and
use in classes. Marketing, advertising and promotions initiatives and programs have helped
Cricket Loom sales increase by 40% between 2009 and 2010. Schacht reported 50% increase
in new dealer accounts, with similar expected gains in 2011. Much of this growth has come
from traditional knitting stores. They report weaving classes are filling up often because of
experiences with the Cricket Loom.
Read more about the awards, including the presentation and
winning award applications, at www.TNNA.org .
3
Designers &
Teachers
Section
Report
Counted Thread &
Embroidery Group
Debbie A. Rowley
Counted Thread & Embroidery Group Chair
Cynthia Thomas
Designer/Teacher Co-Chair
I was delighted to see so many people turn out for the
June 11 meeting. We had to bring in more chairs and
ended up with standing room only to hear the discussion
on social media. The “Teacher Meet and Greet” was
very successful this year.
The panel consisted of Audrey Wagner, shop owner with
interests in needlepoint, embroidery, cross stitch, from
Atlanta, GA; Gwen Bortner, designer, author and teacher;
Kimberly Reynolds, Director of Social Media for XRX,
inc.; Benjamin Levisay, Director of Sales and Marketing
for XRX, inc.; Sarah Bible, Community Support for
Ravelry; and Mary-Heather Cogar, VP of operations
Ravelry.
The discussion began with what social media presence
should you have? Have a blog, website, and be a Ravelry
presence. Start with one thing at a time. Don’t set
unrealistic goals about social media. You can start out
by reserving the same name on the different social
media sites but you don’t need to use them all at once.
How to use the resources? Look to see how others are
using the sites.
How do you answer questions, sent to you? Put in your
profile where you will reply to, put an auto reply
message on your social media site. Refer individuals to
on line resources. Some people have a rule that they
will respond within 48 hours.
Is there a business strategy behind social media? Use
Ravelry as a resource for connections. You could set up
a brag page “show me what you did with my pattern”.
The suggestion was made that if you write a blog you
might have someone check to make sure it sounds okay
and do a spell check.
Other suggestions, were to let people know when they
could expect your postings, for example, Monday,
Wednesday and Friday. Never make a sales pitch.
Share information.
If you have any suggestions for the January meeting
please contact one of us.
Laura Farson or Cynthia Thomas
Co/chairs Designer/Teacher Group
4
Ah, summer! The pace seems a bit slower, we relax a bit
– wait a minute, not for us! One market is just ended, another is looming on the
horizon, it’s fair season, and we’re gearing up for holiday season stitching.
The NeedleArts Market in Columbus opened with Red Carpet Events, including
Sample IT! And wow, it was the biggest one ever! We tied for the most exhibitors,
and I think we easily had the most buyers at the event. As I stood at the door
taking tickets with Judie Solomon (CTE Vice-Chair) and Penny Franz (CTE
Secretary/Treasurer), with a couple of other helpers, the line of buyers streaming
in seemed never-ending. We ran out of tickets and the registration desk was
hand-writing tickets, and we finally just said “never mind!” about the tickets. It
was a wonderful start to the evening’s events before market opened on Saturday.
Then we were all on hand to congratulate ICG Crafts, winner of the CTE
Wholesale Business Innovation Award. In addition to a plaque, Mark and his
company won a prize package worth more than $5,400 from sponsors
Needlework Retailer and Interweave Press. We would have loved to have given a
similar prize to the CTE Retailer, but no one entered. Be thinking now of ways to
use the State of Specialty Needlearts 2010 data to innovate in your business, then
tell us what you did – it’s that simple, and you may win a fabulous prize package to
go along with the benefits to your business. The initial Business Innovation
Awards program was a success, and we’ll be repeating it next year. So CTE
Wholesalers and Retailers, read the report and innovate!
Thanks again to Judie Solomon for coordinating the CTE Lounge for The
NeedleArts Market in Columbus. We do have a presence in at the convention
center shows, both as exhibitors and buyers. The show this year had a new look,
new excitement on the show floor, and new events, and we expect this
excitement to carry over into the Winter Show in Phoenix.
But first we’re looking forward to Fall Market in Baltimore! I’m excited about
showing in a new venue, and meeting new buyers who haven’t ventured to the
previous markets. I hear a lot of rumors, and I’d like to reiterate that I’m always
available to answer questions. The CTE Group meeting in Columbus (yes, there
was one) came up with some positive initiatives to bring about change. If you
have ideas, no matter how small or how far out they may seem, let me know. All of
us want to make things better, and the best way to do that is with open dialogue.
Let me know how to serve you, and I’ll see you in Baltimore!
Counted Thread and Embroidery Group
Mission Statement
The TNNA Counted Thread & Embroidery Group seeks to educate, connect to, and support members to increase awareness and appreciation of
the needle arts, promote industry growth and sales, and develop future
embroiderers.
www.tnna.org
Needlepoint Group Report
The View from Columbus, 2011
Trade Show
Committee Report
Warren “Pete” Poitras
Needlepoint Group
This year’s Summer Tradeshow in Columbus
Chair
presented a new face to the NeedleArts
community. The entire look and feel was greatly
improved. Everything from basic signage to a
new floor layout breathed new life into the
experience. While some members objected to
this honor on behalf of her team, the word
the Saturday morning fashion show on the show
“sparkling” readily came to mind.
floor, most exhibitors reported an increased level
Needlepoint Wholesaler Awards
of excitement among retail attendees. Steps will
Finalists included: Barbara Bergsten Designs,
be taken in the future to reduce the volume
The Collection and the DMC Corporation and
reaching the booths near the stage. The fashion
although only one could win, all three deserve
show moved along quickly and ended promptly,
recognition for their hard work and innovative
after which the stage area was devoted to
talents. The winner was the DMC Corporation
needlepoint instructional classes ensuring an
for its “Color Infusions Memory Thread Go 3D
equal opportunity for our market segment. Not
Marketing Campaign.” The company received
every wholesaler reported increased sales, but
a half-page ad in three issues of Needlework
many retailers expressed a greater level of
Retailer Magazine, a $2,745 value! DMV team
satisfaction with the show, an important
members include: Liz Saylor, Steve Mancuso,
consideration since retailers are the reason we
Jay Wolf, Rosanna Gelpi-Houck, and Alice
hold tradeshows.
Okon. Congratulations to each of them for a
Improvement was also on view at the
job well done.
Needlepoint Showcase Friday evening primarily
This year, Needlepoint participation in the
featuring finished pieces. Located in a foyer
Business Innovation Awards was limited to
adjacent to the appetizer tables and cash bars,
wholesalers. Although awards had been
our displays were viewed by a flood of excited
offered to retailers as well, none of our
buyers exiting “Sample IT!” Hungry for a nibble
members submitted applications. We have
and some liquid refreshment, attendees
MANY fine needlepoint retailers in our group
wandered through our displays. For some this
was the first time they had ever looked closely at who should be recognized so we hope to see
the flood gates open wide next year.
finished needlepoint, and our art form gained
several new devotees as a result.
Future Tradeshow Dates and Locations
In response to the desire for change expressed
Tribute to Excellence in
by our membership, the 2012 Winter Trade
Needlework (TEN) Award
We also heard from TNNA President Matt Bryant Show will be held at the Phoenix Convention
Center. This is a one year commitment so we’ll
who bestowed the latest “Tribute to Excellence
be returning to Long Beach in 2013. At the NPG
in Needlework” (TEN) Award to Amy Bunger of
meeting in June, a majority of our members
Amy’s Golden Strand in Memphis. Active in
voiced a desire to see the number of TNNA
Needlework for more than 32 years, Amy is best
trade shows reduced. Most felt the fall cash &
known for her unique approach to teaching. Her
carry show should be eliminated after this
boundless excitement and radiant smile
year’s run in Baltimore. You asked me to
continue to inspire countless new Needlepoint
convey this message to the TNNA Board which
devotees. And as everyone knows Amy has the
I did at our meeting after the show.
most infectious laugh in the Needlework
industry. Her caring spirit and creative talent
leave no doubt why Amy was selected as this
year’s recipient. Watching her graciously accept
(Continued on page 6)
Needlepoint Group Mission Statement
Comprised of wholesale design companies and retail stores, this committee is a
long-standing and well-established group which brings new ideas and concepts to TNNA’s
Board of Directors for use in marketing needlepoint throughout the country.
A forward thinking and positive-imaging group, members work endlessly to promote their
products to consumers and trade through advertising, marketing, education and special na-
Karen Rumpza,
Trade Show
Committee Co-Chair
The June market has just been completed
with many new improvements. The World
of Needlearts began with the Red Carpet
Event on Friday evening opening with
Sample IT!. Needlepoint companies
showcased their new products at tables
and teachers manned a table answering
questions and handing out brochures. The
theme came together with a “Town
Square” concept on the show floor
including streets signs like “purl lane.”
The Yarn Group’s Comfort Zone contained
“yarn-bombed” benches. The Yarn Group
fashion show was moved to the show floor
on Saturday morning and after, store
owners enthusiastically went shopping!
The stage area was utilized for
demonstrations thoughout the day which
were video taped and played along with the
fashion show on big screen televisions on
Sunday and Monday. Both the “Great Wall
of Yarn” and the “New Product Showcase”
were moved directly inside the show doors,
which allowed buyers to get a view of the
show floor before the market opened.
We also had sponsorships of water coolers
by our vendors. PiPN interns worked with
the local Ohio State University and
assembled a wonderful fiber display with
both historical and contemporary items.
You will see many of changes at our 2012
Winter Show in Phoenix, January 21-23. A
task force has been formed, and is headed
by Mary Arnold of Conjoined Creations to
work on events for this new and exciting
location.
The Fall Market will be in Baltimore this
year another new location for us to
experience. Classes have been scaled
back for this cash and carry focused
market.
Don’t forget, order taking is an important
part of this Fall market as well!
tionwide projects and programs.
www.tnna.org
5
Retail Section
Report
Yarn Group Report
Joel Woodcock
Yarn Group Chair
Penny Franz
Retail Section Chair
The Retail Council is working hard on the education for the
upcoming Phoenix show. We have recently surveyed the
needlepoint teachers and needlepoint retailers to see if we
could provide better classes to the retailers and help the
teachers with their class ideas. Some great information was
received via these surveys and we have already started to
implement some of the suggestions offered. If anyone has
ideas or suggestions for classes please contact someone on
the Retail Council.
It is with great personal sadness that we recognize the
resignation of Kathy Elkins from the Retail Council which will
be effective August 31. Kathy has been on the Retail Council
for four years and has served as the Chair and Board
Representative as well as the chairman of the Education
Committee. We will be welcoming a new member on the
Council very shortly.
The Core Business Curriculum had its first class at the
Columbus show with Basic Accounting 101. The two-hour
class is being followed up with a webinar in the near future.
We are currently looking at other topics that can be
presented to help retailers with their businesses.
Retail Section Mission Statement:
To provide retailers with support and
opportunities for growth through
education and business networking.
(Needlepoint Group report continued from Page 5)
Given the wide disparity of views on trade shows in general, few
Board members were prepared to support such a move at this time.
Further discussion will take place at the Board’s next meeting in
October and I will have more to report after that meeting is held.
Bottom line: This year’s cash & carry show in Baltimore will go on
as scheduled and NO decision has been made to change or
eliminate this show after 2011.
Needlepoint Group Website: (www.worldofneedlepoint.com)
We continue to offer members an opportunity to have their
company highlighted on our “Featured Designer” or “Featured
Shop” pages free of charge. This is a wonderful benefit for NPG
members, one that very few have chosen to use thus far. All we
need are a couple of photos, a short bio/description and few
minutes on the phone. We will do the rest.
Anyone with thoughts or suggestions on these or any topic is
encouraged to contact me anytime: E-mail:
info@weddingphotographercarmel.com or phone: (831) 659-3837.
6
Yarn Group Highlights
Here’s a fun fact: More retail shops attended this year’s show in
Columbus than did the year before! I have no doubt that all the hard
work and exciting new changes made to the show floor, Fashion Show,
and the Great Wall Of Yarn in Columbus helped bring them. The
Fashion Show was on the show floor, went off at a snappy pace, and
set the tone for a great show. You can view it now at yarngroup.org
Highlights from a very well attended and positive Yarn Group meeting:
• Check out the Beans for Brains scholarship fund webpage and see
the winners of the 2010 scholarship funds you appropriated at the
January meeting.
• Karen Kendrick-Hands (City Knits) brought forward a proposal, and
funds were appropriated to partially fund a one-day symposium to
consider establishing a National Knitting and Crochet Museum.
Contact Karen for more details.
• Knit Out Grants are available and now is the time to apply. Contact
TNNA for more information.
• The Guide for (new) Vendors and Reps is available and can be
downloaded from the TNNA website.
• Special thanks to Jim Bryson and all who helped organize the tribute
to Bev Galeskas.
Laura Bryant (Prism Yarn) brought another great fiber arts project to
our attention that is exactly the kind of thing that can create new
stitchers! Originating in California, the crocheted coral reef project
http://www.crochetcoralreef.org – unites math, science, and arts. A
creative group, Florida Craftsmen. is engaging the community to create
a Satellite Coral Reef which will be on display in Summer 2012. Contact
laura@prismyarn.com and see how you can help!
Thanks to all of you who help make the Yarn Group an active and
positive force for good in the needlearts community! See you in
Phoenix.
Best Regards,
Joel Woodcock, Yarn Group Chair
Yarn Group Mission Statement
An industry-encompassing group dedicated to promoting partnership among designers, manufacturers, publishers, retailers,
sales reps, and wholesalers working professionally in the yarn
industry to create awareness and appreciation of the craft, to
promote continued growth of the industry and yarn sales, and
to develop a new generation of yarn consumers.
www.tnna.org
Manufacturers Rep Section
Joanne Cole
Manufacturers Rep Section Chair
Vendor-Rep Connection
Vendor Rep
Task Group:
Ready to Implement!
For the past 2 years a dedicated group
of Manufacturers Reps and Vendors
have been working to improve
relationships between the two groups.
Vendors rely on the strong, long term
relationships that reps build with local
shops and the success of reps is
directly related to a company’s success
or failure.
The team created a document which is
neutral in language, describing issues
that reps and vendors need to discuss
as they establish a relationship. The
underlying assumption of the document
reflects the Task Group’s assumption
that all the players are ethical and
honest, and it attempts to have no bias
in favor of either vendors or reps.
This document has been reviewed and
approved by the TNNA attorney and the
TNNA Board of Directors. It will soon
be posted on the Yarn Group section of
the TNNA website, available for all
TNNA members to use.
Many thanks to the Task Group
Members for all their hard work.
They include:
Vendors
Brown Sheep – Peggy Jo Wells
Bergere de France – Vincent Glorion
Mango Moon – Sue Stuedle
Manufacturer’s Reps
Anne Bean
Art & Joanne Cole
Lisa Limber
Bonnie Lively
Elaine Mathas
And to Yarn Group chair Joel
Woodcock and to Patty Parrish and
Jane Miller from the TNNA staff.
www.tnna.org
The Vendor-Rep Connection meeting continues to be
very popular, with 30 reps and 20 vendors
participating. The meeting takes place on Sunday
morning during each TNNA convention. If you’re a
vendor and missed the meeting, you can reach the
TNNA reps by emailing the Rep Group Secretary,
Cindy Vogel, and asking her to send out a “Vendor
Seeking Reps” mailing. cvogelagent@gmail.com. If
you’re a rep and don’t already receive these
mailings, please make sure Cindy has your correct
email addy. Cindy is our new Rep Group Secretary,
replacing Lisa Limber – THANKS, FOR YOUR
SERVICE, LISA!
Process improvements continue to make the
meeting flowed smoothly. For future planning, WE
START THIS MEETING PROMPTLY AT 8 AM.
• Vendors: please be prepared to introduce
yourself, giving name, firm, type of product, and
region where reps are needed
• Reps: please come to the meeting if even your
car is full – you may find that new item that shops
will find irresistible.
Mentoring Program
Did you know that a mentoring program exists for
TNNA Reps? If you know a new rep or a person
considering a rep position, please let that person
know that Heidi Sunday (heidisunday@yahoo.com
pairs new entrants with possible mentors in other
parts of the country. She assigns experienced reps
as mentors, preferably from other geographic
regions to minimize concerns about reps training
potential competitors.
“Reps Meet Up”
The Meet Up was a hit again in Columbus. After
helping to set up booths, it was a welcome respite.
Reps seldom get to socialize with other reps since
our job is to work with retailers. Once again, we got
to share family and industry info. Look for us in
Phoenix on Friday night. No need to dress up for the
party!
Program Committee
Thank you to Linda McCleland for her service on
Program Committee. Anne Bean has volunteered to
join the Program Committee (nobody can replace
Linda!), joining Carrie Vermazen and Andrea
Marquis to plan programs for each rep meeting.
Safe travels -- See you in Phoenix.
Joanne Cole
7270 Warren Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
(734) 255-5343
joanne@edwards-drew.com
In
Memoriam
With sadness we note the
passing of these members of the
TNNA family.
They are sorely missed.
John Henley of Henley’s
Needlepoint, Edgartown
Maryland passed away in
January 17, 2011.
Jerry Kreinik of Kreinik
Manufacturing Company,
Inc., passed away on March
23, 2011, surrounded by his
loving family. Jerry was a blue
sky thinker, an inventor, entrepreneur, lecturer, futurist, loving husband, father and
grandfather. Using his imagination and creative juices and
helped along by Estelle, his
wife of 66 years, Jerry developed industrial standards of
excellence within the needlepoint and cross stitch industry
throughout the world.
Jean Leinhauser passed away
on Sunday, June 12. Jean, an
industry leader and publisher
extraordinaire, will be greatly
missed. Her dear friend and
business partner Rita Weiss expressed that Jean's lasting
legacy will be the hundreds of
books she authored, several of
which will be published later
this year.
May it make your sorrow
Easier for you to bear
Knowing there are others
Who understand and care.
7
update
By Sherry Mulne, Business Directions inc
TNNA Marketing Consultant and PiPN Program Directory
PiPN 2011 interns/ apprentices
and host companies
Kelsey Leib
as of July 8, 2011
Pathways into Professional
Needlearts: Extending our reach
and our impact
PiPN 2011 has welcomed the second largest
group of interns in its history. As of this year,
we have two hubs, Mississippi State
University in Starksville MS and our original
partner University of Akron in Akron OH. We
also reach students from more than 50
colleges across the country.
Sophia Adodo
Texas Woman's University, Denton
The Handwork Studios, Narberth, PA
Dania Carter
Mississippi State University
The Handwork Studios, Narberth, PA
Leah Chapman
Rhode Island School of Design
KnitWhits, Emeryville, CA
Necol Dattilo
Kent State University
Stitchgrrl, Akron, OH
Close to 40 TNNA member companies posted
opportunities online at TNNAPiPNBlog.com
this past spring. (Hosts include both
wholesale and retail companies representing
all of the needlearts disciplines.) In response
to our promotions and on-site visits to
colleges, we received numerous applications
from a wide range of candidates. After putting
them all through a rigorous screening
process, we placed more than half of them.
Sarah Ellison
Kent State University
Acorn Street, Seattle, WA
Because of the increased demand for interns
(both within our industry as well as in the
overall business community), and the number
of students still sending in their applications,
we’ve decided to make a few changes in the
structure of the PiPN program.
Kelly Kleiden
apprentice
Helen Hamann, Tennessee
Kimberly Esasky
U of Akron
SoHo Publishing, NY, NY
Alice Faye Huff-Idom
U of Akron
Business Directions inc,
Columbus, OH
Alice Koelsch
U of Akron
Craft Akron, Akron, OH
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
Rather than admitting interns only for the
summer, we now will be recruiting and
placing students during other times, as well.
So, if you’ve already put your name on the list,
but haven’t yet been matched with an intern,
don’t fret.
Within the next month, we’ll be contacting all
our hosts again to see if you’d like to re-up.
We’ll also be posting new positions, and
ramping up our student recruitment efforts for
the January term and beyond.
Many students have never considered a
career in needlearts and this program is
helping us open doors for the future of the
industry.
8
Sorting out samples for the new Yarn Resource Catalog — PiPN intern Rylee Tomlinson from Mississippi State University gets help from house-mate Ellyanna Kessler
(University of Pittsburgh, interning at The Ohio State University).
www.tnna.org
Emerging Talents
Renee LaCoste:
Best of Show in Hand Needle Arts,
Dallas Career Day
By Sherry Mulne, Business Directions inc
TNNA Marketing Consultant
As part of our PiPN student recruitment efforts, TNNA
has sponsored a booth at the International Fashion
Group's Dallas Career Day for the last three years. This
year I had the honor of presenting TNNA's first Best in
Show in Hand Needlearts Award to Renee LaCoste, a
student at Louisiana State University. Renee’s award
winning gown was absolutely stunning as it gracefully
draped the runway model. Created in 100% cotton –
hand pleated, smocked and embroidered, – the dress
truly made the audience gasp in awe.
I talked with Renee after the ceremony, and met her
mother, grandmother and sister. This was a shared
experience for them, from the initial concept to the
glamorous runway.
Renee will be graduating in December as an Apparel
Design major with a minor in Business Administration.
She lives with her family in Baton Rouge LA, and
exudes a youthful southern charm. So it’s not surprising
she chose to create a garment for the Dallas Career
Day inspired by the feel of old Louisiana.
She found the perfect fabric, a cotton cheese cloth, at
a local shop (Promenade). Because of the texture of
the fabric, she chose to embellish the dress with
crewel embroidery. Although she had some experience
in cross-stitch and embroidery, crewel was totally new
for her.
Her mother (a part-time sewing and handwork teacher)
and her grandmother (also experienced in hand
needlearts) both offered their support and inspiration,
but neither knew how to crewel.
Renee had to search for books on crewel. Finally
discovering one at her local library, she set out to
teach herself. After months of work, over 200 hours,
she had taken 15 yards of fabric and turned it into an
award winning design embellished with breathtaking
handwork.
She also pointed out the excitement of the instant gratification as the fibers
turned into the pattern. Renee enjoys sharing her passion for the art, as well
as the products she creates with friends, and knows they carry an extra
special meaning because they were made by hand.
She loves costuming and styling but her ultimate career goal is to operate her
own bridal store, featuring her own designs. She sees this as a niche not
being met.
Some of you may have had the opportunity to meet Renee and her mom
Charmain at TNNA’s recent NeedleArts Market in Columbus. As does her
award-winning gown, Renee exemplifies the remarkable talent of today’s
young needleartists, as well as the vision for our industry's future.
About Dallas Career Day:
Fashion Group’s Career Day Dallas is the longest running and largest fashion career
event of its kind in the country, attracting more than 1100 students and faculty. The
full day of seminars, exhibits, and keynote speakers culminates with a spectacular
runway fashion show featuring the winners of the fashion design scholarship
competition in several categories.
TNNA was one of ten major sponsors offering a total of more than $30,000 in awards
in fashion design, merchandising and fashion illustration. Students from 42 colleges
and universities across 12 states submitted more than 450 entries.
Other sponsors included: the Fashion Group International of Dallas Foundation Fund,
the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), Dallas Market Center, DAVACO, FourLegged Fashion Fund, Brad Hughes & Associates, Lori Veith Sales, The National
NeedleArts Association, Neiman-Marcus Willow Bend and Cure Couture.
Clockwise from
bottom right:
Renee LaCoste
with her awardwinning dress,
opposite side view
at left, and at top,
detail from the
handworked sash.
Renee explained to me she likes to take old techniques
and make them new. She loves the handwork itself
(both the pleating and the embroidery). In spite of the
effort and time, she found it relaxing. Unlike her
experience with other hand needlearts, she explained
the embroidery allowed her to easily pick it up and put
it down whenever she wanted without getting lost.
www.tnna.org
9
Snaps from
Columbus
2011
10
www.tnna.org
Snaps from Columbus 2011 continued from page 10
Join us in Phoenix!
www.tnna.org
11
tIme to catch a StItch N' PItch
Sm
By Libby Butler-Gluck -TNNA Publicist
For the past five years, TNNA has
partnered with Major League and Minor
League Baseball to host Stitch N’ Pitch
events for women, men and children who
love baseball and love to knit, crochet,
cross-stitch, embroider and needlepoint.
The goal of these events is to create buzz
and excitement around a consumer
outreach program that would have the
potential and appeal to our members, the
general public and gain media attention
for TNNA and the needlearts. This
program has become one of the most
popular needlearts events in the country,
attracting thousands of “Stitch N’ Pitch
fans” every year.
Stitch N’ Pitch has gained worldwide
media attention, set a new Guinness
Book of World Records for “Most People
Crocheting Simultaneously,” received
awards and industry recognition, been
honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame &
Museum with the acceptance of a
Colorado Rockies “Stitch N’ Pitch” sock
into their permanent collection and even
had several MLB teams commission
special edition “Stitch N’ Pitch
Bobbleheads” for their events. This year,
Mets Citi-Field will allow Stitch N’ Pitch
to yarnbomb 25 areas of the stadium
before the baseball game. Over 40,000
people will get a chance to see this
amazing yarn display.
TNNA encourages members to get
involved in this fun consumer outreach
program! The Specialty Survey of the
NeedleArts 2010, states “store events”
as one of the top best promotional
practices across all needlearts
categories. This is an opportunity to host
another store event that will get
customers through your front door. Over
the past five years we have heard of
some fantastic promotions that shops
have done and we would like to share
some of the best!
Make It Fun and Easy – Rent a bus and
make everyone meet at your store for a
“pre-party”! Give discounts and specials
for “Stitch N’ Pitch” ticket holders!
Partner Up – This is a great chance to
work with one of your favorite
wholesalers! Create a special Stitch N’
Pitch pattern and promote a “knit-a-long”
or “stitch-a-long” with customers. Now
you have something fun to work on and to
bring or wear to the game, show shop
and team spirit!
Meet –Up – Host a party at a restaurant
close to the ballpark! Get your customers
to meet up for some food and drink and
stitch before the game.
Not so Minor – Being a part of
Stitch N’ Pitch doesn’t have to be a big
commitment. Find out the closest Minor
League team that is hosting an event and
take just a small group from your
business or shop! If there isn’t an event
close to you, consider hosting your own
Stitch N’ Pitch. Tickets are always very
affordable and planning is a breeze.
Stitch N’ Pitch continues to raise funds
and awareness for Needle Arts
Mentoring ProgramSM (NAMP), NAMP
volunteers teach and mentor children,
grades K -12, needlearts skills. Stitch N’
Pitch also supports Needle and ThREAD:
Stitching for Literacy, which promotes
literacy and needlework. Stitch N’ Pitch
fans will be asked to stitch bookmarks at
games. The bookmarks will be donated
and delivered to libraries and schools
across the country.
There are still plenty Stitch N Pitch
games this season! See you at the
ballgame!
Follow @StitchNPitch.com
For StitchNPitch merchandise go to
www.cafepress.com/StitchNPitch
For info go to www.stitchnpitch.com
Questions? e-mail info@stitchNpitch.com
Save the Date!!
It'S StItch N' PItch!
maJor LeaGUe
Aug 1
Aug 12
Aug 19
Sept 10
Sept 13
Sept 15
Sept 25
San Francisco Giants
Los Angeles Dodgers
Colorado Rockies
Chicago White Sox
New York Mets
Cincinnati Reds
Detroit Tigers
mINor LeaGUe
July 27
Aug 1
Aug 3
Aug 5
Aug 6
Aug 6
Aug 13
Aug 16
Aug 20
Aug 24
Aug 26
Binghamton Mets
Lake Erie Crushers
Lowell Spinners
Akron Aeros
Columbus Clippers
Kannapolis Intimidators
Memphis Redbirds
Blueclaws
Tri-City Dust Devils
Modesto Nuts
Frederick Keys
schedule as of 7/11
check for aDDItIoNS at
www.StItchNPItch.com
(Continued on page 13)
12
www.tnna.org
We’re gearing up
for a grand time
in the Grand
Canyon State!
TNNA’s Winter Market will
debut in a new location, the
Phoenix Convention Center, from
Jan. 21-23, 2012 (education
begins Jan. 19). In addition to
hundreds of booths and dozens
of classes both inspirational and
practical for business and
needlearts techniques, the
Market will continue to
showcase such highly
anticipated events as:
• the Retailers' Luncheon,
focusing on issues facing
retailers from all needlearts
disciplines;
• the Discover What's New and
Great Wall of Yarn, offering
glimpses into the latest
products and fibers;
• the Needlepoint Showcase,
the perfect time to network;
• the Fashion Show, highlighting
the best and the brightest new
fashions, colors and trends;
• Sample IT!, which lets
attendees
“test-drive” some of the
newest products on the
market; and
• the Silent Auction, providing
opportunities to acquire some
wonderful treasures and great
bargains.
So saddle up, partner, and head
West toward the Arizona
sunshine this January.
Visit TNNA.org and click on the
Trade Shows tab to get
registration, hotel and travel
information today!
www.tnna.org
NeedleArts
Mentoring Program Update
Penny Sitler, Executive Director, Helping Hands Foundation, Inc.
psitler@offinger.com
The adults and youth involved in the Needle Arts Mentoring ProgramsSM (NAMP)
are going gangbusters. Following are just a few of the projects and observations
from our young participants and the adults who mentor them in the needle arts.
Volunteer Coordinator Sharon Brandt from Lasalle Intermediate in South Bend, IN
says, "This year's students were really engaged! We added the 'Super Scarf' project
to the mix to get some of the boys more intrigued. Some of our scarves will be
wandering around the 2012 Super Bowl!" They're already planning for next fall's
NAMP.
Crocheters from Canal School in Westbrook, ME created a castle afghan for Project
Linus. It was entered in an exhibit in the student category where locals could vote
for their favorite.
In Asheville, NC, members of Mission Hospital's Junior Volunteer Program will learn
to knit so they can make purple caps for babies as a visible reminder to parents to
never shake their babies as part of Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness.
At one of our school programs, one boy's grandmother doesn't speak English; he
hasn't learned Spanish so they don't communicate well. But both of them crochet
and it changed their relationship. They spent hours communicating with yarn,
making doilies, some from his own
designs. Picture them together
speaking different languages but
understanding each other perfectly.
This program works!!!
Doesn’t it make you feel great to
know that you’re having such a
positive impact on young people,
and giving them a skill they’ll have
for a lifetime?
If you have needle arts supplies that
you’re no longer using – perhaps the
packaging of hooks or needles is
outdated, or you have worsted
weight yarn in light colors that you’ve
discontinued – let me know and I can
probably take those items out of your
storage space and get them in the
hands of young people eager to learn
how to use them! Of course, I always
accept financial donations as well!
This program couldn’t reach out to
the 6200+ children in 260 programs in
39 states we currently serve without
the generosity of TNNA’s members.
Please keep us in mind any time that
you have extra supplies or funds that
you’d like to be put to good use.
TNNA Memorial
Scholarship Award Winner!
Tara McGregor, daughter of Tom and
Lea-Ann McGregor (Knitting Today,
Wolcottville, IN). Tara will attend Glen Oaks
Community College this fall majoring in
Communication Arts and Graphic Design.
13
TNNA Member Profile
Member Name:
Company Name:
Address:
Amy Bunger
Amy's Golden Strand
3008 Summer Ave.
Memphis, TN 38122-3702
Phone: (901) 458-6109 FAX: (901) 323-4701
E-mail: amys3808@aol.com
Web: www.amybunger.com
Length of time in business: First retail shop, 32 yrs.
Started her wholesale business 12 years ago.
Type of business : Needlepoint retail “brick and mortar”
shop and her wholesale business is next door, across the
driveway.
Q. How did you first become
interested in the needlearts?
All of the women in my family do needlework
of some kind on both sides of the family. My
maternal grandmother worked as a
professional weaver in New York, but I
believe that is the only other person to get
into needlework as a profession. At the
present time my mother, both sisters, and
both nieces do needlepoint and I am hoping
that my great niece will learn as well.
Q. Did you have a mentor?
There were many people that gave me
advice and help along my needlepoint
journey. Pat Embry, owner of The Stitching
Post in Nashville, TN, was very helpful when
I opened my first store. Marj Hunter, owner of
Damarj Designs, took me under her wing to
help me develop my commercial stitch
guides, and I seem to recall Claire March,
owner of Tapestry Tent, writing my first
teaching contract on a paper napkin while
my head was spinning from the fact that I
was going to be traveling and teaching all
over the country. I try to learn from every one
that I meet. I believe that I have avoided
some blunders (unfortunately not all) along
the way by listening and watching those
people that I admire in this business.
non-existent at first. I almost had to drag
someone into the shop and teach them how
to stitch to have a sale. It took time to grow
but that little shop was my college course in
business. I was able to learn as I grew
without breaking the bank. I'm afraid that
option isn't open to people in this day and
age.
Q. What brought you to where you are
now? [what business practices have you
found work well for you?]
I was blessed with a talent for telling a story.
When I was a child my family would have
told you that this was a curse, but
somewhere along the line I learned to turn
this talent into teaching and designing rather
than fabricating fairy tales. If you can make a
subject interesting and have enough
patience and imagination you can help
anyone learn anything. I do not design
painted canvases but I do design stitch
guides. I love to figure out the details of a
canvas; where is that figure standing, what
are they doing, what fabric is that, what
texture would those leaves have, and from
which direction is the light coming. All of
these questions run through my mind when I
plan a stitch and thread guide for a painted
canvas. I don't hit the nail on the head every
time, that is for sure, but my experience,
visual imagination, and impressive library of
reference books all contribute to a high
percentage of success with the selections.
[Amy kindly made a note for us to add:] More
business practises that work well for me – a
monthly E-newsletter – lots of hard work but
well worth it to catch the interest of
customers and have them check in on store
regularly. And, our Website. It's like another
room added onto the store, and has been
very successful
Q. What do you like to do when
you’re not working?
Luckily I like to do most of the things that
need to be done for my business as leisure
time activity too. I LOVE to needlepoint.
Movies – I love them in the theater, on TV, on
my computer, anywhere. I also love to read.
Last year I got a Kindle for my birthday and I
am scared to death that I am going to wear it
out – I'm hooked on reading and also on the
electronic device. At first I felt a little guilty
about giving up the familiar feel of the
beloved books but I like trees too, so at least
maybe this is saving a tree or two. Travel is
wonderful as long as you are doing it for
vacation and not for work. The stress of
travel these days has made the actual
journey less enjoyable but the destination is
soooo much fun.
(Continued on page 15)
Q. What prompted you to go into business?
I moved from Nashville, TN to Owensboro,
KY and found to my horror that there were no
needlework shops there. I couldn't even find
the full range of any cotton floss brand. I
worked at a job that was a bit boring and I
wanted something more. At the
encouragement of my family, I scratched
together a small bit of money and opened a
Counted Thread Shop. The rent was low, $200
a month, luckily because customers were
Amy and some of the Super Staff of employees/friends.
(Continued on page 15)
14
www.tnna.org
(Member Profile continued from page 14)
2012 TNNA
MARKETS
www.TNNA.org
Amy's Golden Strand's inviting, hospitable classroom and shop entrance
Q. You’ve been very active in the TNNA organization, and, speaking for the
Association, it is much appreciated. Why did you choose to get more involved?
Frankly, I was surprised when Bill Brinkley called me and asked me to serve on the
Board. I thought that my business was too small and that I didn't know enough about
our industry to be of much help. I remember my embarrassed reaction the first day
when everyone introduced themselves. I was glad that I went first, because I was
overwhelmed by the credentials of others in the room. Slowly I came to realize that my
voice was important in the room, as I most closely represented the size and scope of
the greater majority of our constituency. Using the perfect British phrase, "I was gob
smacked" with the details of everything that our organization does. I had no idea the
range of subjects, charities, investments, committees, planning, and work that goes into
running the TNNA organization. I am very proud of the six years that I spent on the
Board and the one year that I was privileged to be a part of the Transitional Retail
Council. It was a good investment of my time for my business and personally.
Phoenix Convention Center
Phoenix, AZ
Education begins January 19
The Nashville
Needlework
Market
February 25 – 26, 2012
Embassy Suites South/Cool Springs
Franklin, TN
Education February 24
Q. How did you feel when you received
the TNNA TEN award?
Pride is a sin, right? The emotions that
ran through me are hard to describe but
probably right up there with the feelings
of the Oscar Award winners. Being
recognized for your achievements by an
organization made of people that do the
same thing that you do is a most
exhilarating experience. This was the
ultimate "pat on the back" and means so
much to me that Jill Wilensky, a woman
Classroom study with Amy
that works with me in my shop, took the
time and effort to look into the TEN Award,
research, and send in a recommendation
which caught the brass ring for me.
I am truly blessed to be surrounded by
incredible people that work with me. I say
"with" instead of "for" because the people
that work in my businesses have truly
taken ownership of the jobs that they do
without the credit that they deserve. I am
honored to have them with me.
TNNA Winter
Trade Show
January 21 – 23, 2012
TNNA Summer
NeedleArts
Market
June 23 – 25, 2012
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Columbus, OH
Education begins June 21
TNNA STAFF – AT YOUR SERVICE!
tnna.info@offinger.com
Patty Parrish, Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . .pparrish@offinger.com
Risé Fulmer, Event Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rfulmer@offinger.com
Melanie Denton, Education Coordinator . . . . . . .mdenton@offinger.com
Jane Miller, Member Services Coordinator . . . . .jmiller@offinger.com
TNNA.org
www.tnna.org
15
Maker Faire - Making a BIG impact
As July heats up, we have been in the process of gathering
volunteers for the Detroit Maker Faire at the end of the month. This
will be the second time we’re in Detroit, and our seventh Maker
Faire. All in all, we estimate we’ve produced well over 5,000 new
stitchers, and helped paint a positive image of the needlearts within
a large, active and growing creative community.
Last May, in San Mateo CA, TNNA’s Needlearts Zone was definitely
the happening place, so we’re anticipating the same experience at
the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. If it’s anything like last year,
we can be sure of it.
In California, we were overly full for 10 hours on Saturday and 8
hours on Sunday, most of our teachers having multiple students all
the time. Jorel Thomson, one of our fabulous crochet teachers (and
luckily a veteran of two prior Maker Faires) had 9 students at one
point, all in different stages. They all learned and all left happy!
Last year we estimated teaching1200+ in the two days; this year,
we’re sure we topped1500+. Considering the attendance at the fair
exceeded 100,000, there’s no question . . . It was fabulous! We heard
the faire was totally sold out!
Frederikka Payne of Aurora Yarns, our self appointed “Chief Beggar
for Supplies” noted “The biggest draw this year was crochet.
Several of our knitting teacher volunteers spent their entire shifts
By Libby Butler-Gluck -TNNA Publicist
teaching crochet. Interest in needlepoint was also way up from
the past two years in San Mateo. One of our needlepoint
teachers said she’d taught many more this year than in the last
two years combined. Knitting was still pretty hot, but a
significant number of our students already knew how to knit
and wanted to learn another needleart. We had several return
students who brought finished items to show off their skills
since we’d taught them last year or the year before.”
Last year in Detroit, on the other hand, we found a greater
demand for needlepoint than knitting or crochet. This year,
we’re not quite sure what to expect. We do know, we’ll be
teaching thousands of excited and eager new stitchers.
Since TNNA’s been sponsoring the NeedleArts Zone, our booth
has been awarded multiple honors. The first year, we were
given two blue ribbons for our display design, and this year
our booth won four education awards. One of the writers from
Make Magazine is planning an article just on our booth!
For those of you who don’t know, Maker Faire donates the
booth to TNNA, all the teachers are local volunteers, and all the
supplies are contributed by our TNNA members. At all the
Maker Faires, we offer on-the-spot lessons. The new stitchers
go home with their projects in hand, basic “how-to”
information, as well as listings of local TNNA retailers.
(continued on page 17)
16
www.tnna.org
Maker Faire (continued from page 16)
Thanks to the following companies for
their continued generosity:
Alice Peterson Co.
Associated Talents
Aurora Yarns
Beth Gantz Designs
Boye/Simplicity
Brown Sheep Yarn
Bryson Distributing
ChiaoGoo
Colonial Needle
Crystal Palace
DJ Designs
DMC
Kraemer Yarns
Lantern Moon
Muench Yarns
Needle in a Haystack
Plymouth Yarn
Presencia
Skacel
Tahki/Stacy Charles
Trendsetter Yarn
Universal Yarn
Westminster Fibers/Coats & Clark
All of our supplies from each Faire are
saved and passed on to the next, so
we’re always looking for more supplies
to fill in. Those items leftover from
Detroit will be used at the New York
Maker Faire in Queens (Sept. 17-18).
If you want to contribute materials, we are
always happy to receive them.
We usually need crochet hooks: S sizes H
through N, most especially K, L, M and N.
Knitting needles (preferably short, no
circulars): US sizes 8, 9 and 10
Yarn: Smooth yarn (not easily split) in
worsted, Aran, slightly chunky, or bulky
weights in any fiber, in light to medium
colors (multi-color is great), balls only (no
hanks).
Please send donations directly to
TNNA addressed:
TNNA (MAKER FAIRE)
1100-H Brandywine Blvd.
Zanesville OH 43701-7303
If you want more information on the Maker
Faires and how you can get involved,
please email tnnamaker@gmail.com.
www.tnna.org
Amy Bunger of Amy’s Golden Strand
honored with TNNA’s 2011 TEN Award
During the eight years it took to complete
the 24-chapter “cookbook,” Amy wrote
countless articles for Needlepointers and
Needlepoint Now. In 2004, she also started
the Home Study guides, essentially a series
of needlepoint classes in a box. Just two
years later, she ventured into a new
dimension in education in her Pet Project
Videos, with six canvas-work instructional
DVDs available, and one on the way.
Amy at the TEN Award Ceremony
Our hearty congratulations to this year's
TEN Award winner, Amy Bunger. Amy
has been in both wholesale and retail
needlework for over 32 years. She’s best
known, however, for her unique
approach to teaching, her acclaimed
stitch guides, her boundless spirit, as
well as her infectious laugh.
After selling her first counted thread
store in Owensboro, KY (1979 – 1982), she
started a second shop in Longmont CO.
This was soon followed by the third, and
“final store,” as she says, opening in
1984, and offering a combination of
counted thread and canvas work. In the
last five years or so, she’s decided to
dedicate the entire shop to needlepoint.
In 1993, Amy started a second career
writing commercial stitch guides for
painted canvas with Damarj Designs.
This endeavor quickly lead to teaching
nationally for retail shops, guilds,
seminars, trade shows, manufacturers
and individuals.
With the help of her husband, the
Bungers started a wholesale needle arts
supply business in 1999. This was the
beginning of Amy’s first venture into
publishing a new type of educational
program. Inspired by the idea of creating
a series of portable,“a’ la carte” minibooks that could be easily carried along
with any current project, she developed
the three-volume set of Amy’s Cookbook
for Stitchers.
The American Needlepoint Guild
recognized Amy’s accomplishments in her
compilation of educational books, guides
and videos by bestowing upon her ANG
Literary Award in the Fall of 2009.
Having retired from travel teaching in the
last two years, Amy now teaches only in
the Memphis area. People come from all
over the world to attend classes on
needlepoint.
She says she finds immense satisfaction in
teaching other guide writers, teachers and
shop owners. “To be able to share my
experience and ideas with other people in
the business or wanting to start a business
has been very exciting,” she explains.
Amy’s excitement continues to engage and
inspire countless people – both consumers
and other professionals – from around the
world. Her giving spirit, creative talents
and gifts, as well as the poise she radiates,
makes her a well-deserving recipient of
this prestigious award.
Amy gets a bouquet of flowers and a
hug of congratulations from TNNA
President Matt Bryant.
17
Handling the Irate Customer
By Nancy Friedman, the Telephone Doctor
If your job entails taking calls or
working with unhappy, irate customers,
you've got your work cut out for you.
Employees who work with this type of
situation are especially vulnerable to
outbursts from customers who are
going through an emotional, stressful
time. Handling this type of customer
takes time and training, but it can be
accomplished effectively. Here are some of the Telephone Doctor's
best techniques for turning this situation into satisfied customers.
Get Off on the Right Foot Realize that upset angry customers are not
Ron Rosenberg's "Business Self Defense"
The Problem Is...
When times are tough, businesses have to become creative. Relying on
tools, techniques, and strategies that used to work even six months
earlier are no longer effective.
The concern is this: how far will people go when things get really
desperate? Let me explain...
We have a maintenance contract on the heating and air conditioning
(HVAC) systems in our home, and we also have an annual-inspection
plan for our termite protection.
This means that the HVAC guy comes out twice a year - once in the
spring and once in the fall - to check that the A/C is all good for the
summer and that the heating system is ready for the winter. The termite
guy comes out once a year to check for any warning signs that there
may be termites getting ready to invade the house.
unhappy with you, but with the situation. Don't take a customer's hostility personally. You are merely the rod that redirects the violent lightening. You can do a great deal to diffuse the anger before you get to the
customer. How? By smiling before you answer that call. You can really
"hear" a smile over the phone. It's very difficult to be rude to someone
who is warm and friendly.
But a strange series of events took place over the last 18 months that
caused some concern. During one of the HVAC inspections, the
technician told us that everything looked good, but that there was a part
that should be replaced on the unit in the attic. It didn't necessarily need
to be done right then, but it would be a good idea to take care of it while
he was already on site since winter was approaching, and it would cost
around $1,000.
Anatomy of a Hostile Call There are four basic steps to handling an
irate customer. Telephone Doctor calls them our ASAP techniques.
We decided to wait and see what happened and take care of it if the
problem arose.
A Acknowledge the person's feelings and apologize for the inconvenience the customer has encountered. Make an effort to be sincere. In
today's impersonal society, it's incredibly rare to hear the words, "I'm
sorry that happened. Let me get the ball rolling to fix it." Those are
MAGIC words. You'll probably spend about 80 percent of your time
massaging the caller's feelings and 20 percent actually solving the
problem.
S Sympathize and empathize with the caller. Phrases like "I can understand why you're upset" can help soothe ruffled feathers. Pretend it's
you calling. Then get busy solving the problem.
A Accept 100 percent responsibility for the call. OWN IT. This is probably the toughest part. Chances are excellent that you had nothing to
do with the problem. However, it's your job to take the responsibility
and help initiate a solution.
P Prepare to help. Begin by re-introducing yourself - callers don't usually remember your name. State that you will be able to help. Use the
caller's name, if possible. This helps to diffuse anger. A willing attitude is essential, because if the caller senses insincerity or indifference, it will cause them to stay angry. It's exasperating to file a
complaint with someone who obviously doesn't care.
Excuses - When to use them.
About the same time, the termite guy came out to the house, and
informed us that the initial treatment that was applied when the house
was built eight years ago was running out and that we'd need to
completely retreat the house at a cost of...you guessed it...around $1,000.
Again, we wanted to research this a bit before we shelled out that kind
of money.
As it turned out, our decisions were the right ones: the heating unit
worked perfectly all winter, and, after checking with some friends who
know about these things, were convinced that the termite treatment was
working fine and that nothing needed to be done.
But here's the interesting part: when they sent out the HVAC technician
six months later, he didn't find anything wrong with the upstairs unit. And
when he came back again six months after that, he gave the very same
system a clean bill of health.
And in case you're wondering, when the termite guy came back a year
after his last inspection, he made absolutely no mention about us
needing to do anything special, other than pulling the bark mulch six
inches away from the foundation of the house.
In both cases, in the midst of the worst economic climate since The
Great Depression, people found problems requiring costly repairs,
which, by their own subsequent assessments, turned out to have been
unnecessary.
All these tips work in a face-to-face situation as well!
The ASAP technique works! Try it and see!
Now, I understand that these recommendations can be the result of
subjective analysis, and that two people looking at the same situation
can legitimately come up with two different conclusions, but this just
seemed a bit suspect.
Tough times call for creative solutions; just be very careful about the
messages you send to your team; offering incentives for add-on sales
from service calls is a great strategy...unless the technicians are tempted
(or encouraged by their managers) to recommend service that's not
actually necessary.
Reprinted with permission from Telephone Doctor, Inc. Based in St. Louis,
Telephone Doctor is a customer service training company offering DVD courses,
web-based training, keynote presentations and on-site workshops. Contact
them at www.telephonedoctor.com
Reprinted with permission. Ron Rosenberg is a nationally recognized, award-winning
expert on marketing and customer service. Get more free business growth tips at
www.RonsBusinessCoaching.com, or for more information on our speaking and coaching
programs contact us at 800-260-0662 or by e-mail at info@qualitytalk.com.
NEVER. Never make an excuse to a complaining caller. No one wants
to hear "The computer is down" or "I'm the only one here." That is your
problem, not the caller's. When you give an excuse, the caller
automatically hears "I'm not going to help you."
18
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• Insurance Program
In partnership with Association Health and Insurance
Plans TNNA offers members the opportunity to enroll
in a variety of insurance programs including health
insurance, long term care, life insurance and more.
Association Health Programs promises to provide the
very best insurance options available on the market.
They will compare your current insurance policies to
options available.
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Visit www.TNNA.org, (internet readers can click on the live link below),
click on Membership, then Benefits for details or call 1-800-889-8662
Visit https://netforum.avectra.com/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=TNNA&WebCode=Benefits
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19
The National NeedleArts Association
1100-H Brandywine Blvd
Zanesville, OH USA 43701-7303
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TNNA Board of Directors
TNNA Retail Council 2010 - 2011
2010 - 2011
MATT BRYANT
DALE J. LENCI
KAREN RUMPZA
KAREN AHO
DEBRA KOCH
President
Prism Arts, Inc.
3140 39th Ave N
St. Petersburg, FL 33714
Phone: (727) 528-3800
E-mail: matt@prismyarn.com
DJ Designs
PO Box 27573
San Francisco, CA 94127-0573
Phone: (650) 615-9992
Fax:
(650) 615-9995
Email: DJ@designsdj.com
KIRSTIN MUENCH
Secretary/Treasurer
Acorn Street Shop
2818 NE 55th St.
Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: (206) 525-1726
Fax:
(206) 525-2960
E-mail: acornstreet@msn.com
Stitches N Things
14288 N Fenton Rd.
Fenton, MI 48430
Phone: (810) 629-3333
Fax: (810) 629-3313
E-mail: stitchinmoose@aol.com
BETH CASEY
Lorna’s Laces
4229 N Honore St
Chicago, IL 60613
Phone: (773) 935-3803
Fax:
(773) 935-3804
E-mail: beth@lornaslaces.net
Muench Yarns, Inc.
1323 Scott St
Petaluma, CA 94954
Phone: (707) 763-9377
Fax:
(707) 763-9477
E-mail: kirstin@muenchyarns.com
Secretary/Treasurer
Needlework Unlimited Presents
4420 Drew Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55410
Phone: (612) 925-2454
Fax:
(612) 253-0013
Cell: (612) 229-3718
E-mail: krumpza@aol.com
JIM COLLINGHAM
HAL OZBELLI
The Colonial Needle Co.
74 Westmoreland Ave
White Plains, NY 10606
Phone: (914) 946-7474
Fax:
(914) 946-7002
E-mail: jim@colonialneedle.com
Universal Yarn, Inc.
284 Ann St
Concord, NC 28025-4680
Phone: (704) 789-9276
Fax:
(704) 789-9222
E-mail: hal@universalyarn.com
PENNY FRANZ
PETE POITRAS
Retail Council Representative
Ewe Count
819 Randall Ave.
Cheyenne, WY 82001
Phone: (307) 638-1148
Fax:
(307) 773-8529
E-mail: penny@ewecount.com
Needlepoint Group Chair
JP Needlepoint
13 Via Las Encinas
Carmel Valley, CA 93924-0449
Phone: (831) 659-3837
Fax:
(831) 659-1134
E-mail: info@wedding
photographercarmel.com
SHARON GARMIZE
Vice President
Sharon G
27 Yorktown Rd
Mountain Top, PA 18707
Phone: (570) 868-8447
Fax:
(570) 868-8446
E-mail: Sharon@sharong.com
DEBBIE A. ROWLEY
Counted Thread &
Embroidery Chair
DebBee’s Designs
27 White Oak Dr
Conway, AR 72034-3443
Phone: (501) 730-0642
E-mail: debbie@debbeesdesigns.com
DAVE STOTT
Past President
Norden Crafts, Ltd.
502 Morse Ave Ste K
Schaumburg, IL 60193
Phone: (847) 891-0770
Fax:
(847) 891-0976
E-mail: dave@nordencrafts.com
JOEL WOODCOCK
Yarn Group Chair
Lantern Moon
7911 NE 33rd Dr Ste 140
Portland, OR 97211
Phone: (503) 460-0003
Fax:
(503) 284-6230
E-mail: joel@lanternmoon.com
SANDY MCKEE
KATHY ELKINS
Vice Chair
Webs – America’s Yarn Store
75 Service Center Rd
Northampton, MA 01060
Phone: (413) 584-2225
Fax:
(413) 584-1603
E-mail: kathy.elkins@yarn.com
PENNY FRANZ
Chair & Board Representative
Ewe Count
819 Randall Ave.
Cheyenne, WY 82001
Phone: (307) 638-1148
Fax:
(307) 773-8529
E-mail: penny@ewecount.com
The Top Drawer
6880 Wooster Pike
Cincinnati, OH 45227-4348
Phone: (513) 271-6691
Fax: (513) 271-1037
E-mail: topdrawer@fuse.net
RANDI L. NELSON
The World In Stitches
256 Great Rd #16
PO Box 1285
Littleton, MA 01460-4285
Phone: (978) 486-8330
Fax:
(978) 486-0551
E-mail: twisinc@comcast.net
DONA ZIMMERMAN
The Web-Sters, Inc.
11 N Main St.
Ashland, OR 97520
Phone: (541) 482-9801
Fax:
(541) 488-8318
The National NeedleArts Association
1100-H Brandywine Blvd, Zanesville OH USA 43701-7303
Phone: 740-455-6773 or 800-889-8662 Fax: 740-452-2552
tnna.info@offinger.com
www.TNNA.org
This newsletter is produced as a service to members of TNNA, and, although every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, neither Offinger Management Co., Inc. nor
TNNA can be held responsible for any errors or omissions. [The views of the individual authors of articles submitted to this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of
TNNA, its Board or its members, who cannot be held responsible for its content. We invite the lively exchange of views, and realize that discourse is the key to success.]
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