Whats Going On

It looks like the second half of 2010 is going to be even more hectic, exciting, and fun than the first half—The recession may be on but knitters are still knitting away.

My book “Knitting A Kiss In Every Stitch” has been doing very well. My new book for Aslan Trend Yarns, “Enchanting Collection” was just introduced at the TNNA in Columbus, to tremendous enthusiastic response. And I am so excited, having just seen the galley of my “blockbuster” book “Knitting Block by Block” to be released in November—It’s beautiful and there are features in it that have never been done in a knitting book before.

As to my traveling (check my schedule on nickyepstein.com)…I leave for Seattle on August 4^th—I’ll be at the “stitch and pitch” Mariner’s game. teaching and doing book signings at 7 different yarn shops up and down the Washington coast, visiting my good friends Chris and David, and of course, enjoying the local  cuisine and wines, which have been thoroughly researched by my personal culinary advisor (and husband) Howard. Jean Dunabin, the intrepid and funny force behind Cascade Yarns, has set the whole thing up in beautiful fashion.

In September I will be in Rotterdam, Netherlands. with Aslan Trend Yarns, for book signings, and teaching event at the big yarn show.

In mid October it’s over to Italy for the Vogue Knitting Tour (sorry..they’re all sold out) to Milan, Florence, Biella and Rome, along with Vogue’s Carla Scott. The incomparable Barbara Spohn, of Tavelling Together has, once again, set up an amazing schedule. I’m already salivating over the yarn venues that we’re going to visit, to say nothing of the pasta, olive oil and vino.

Two days after that I’m on a plane for Buenos Aires….Robin Turner, the delightful dynamo of the five Great Balls of Yarn Shops in Florida, and Angelo Fernandez, the charismatic and yarn innovator of the fabulous Aslan Trends Yarn Company have co-sponsored an amazing knitting tour for me to Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay.(Sorry again…it’s all sold out, but there is a waiting list. They’ve set up an amazing knitting tour, and I’ve been practicing my tango for weeks.

For those of you, who may have missed these tours, as we speak, 2 knitting cruise tours are being set up for 2011…one to New England and Canada, and one to the Mediterranean. Come sail, knit and party with me.

While all this preparation is going on, I am still designing knitwear, working on a new book, and creating new additions to my best-selling button and clasp lines (to be released shortly), knit-related greeting cards and artwork, and selling some of my Vogue Knitting and Knit simple pattern, on line( they tell me that in the first week, sales were so brisk, that the website crashed—Thank you, America). You can find all these items on my, soon to be revised, website (nickyepstein.com)…as well as on JHB Buttons and VK websites. I would really love to get feed back from you on these items, so feel free to write.

I still am a big fan of Ravelry and delighted to see all the innovative knitting that is going on and the camaraderie of knitting that they promote.

I had a wonderful visit from my Dad,, nephew Scott, niece Dana, and incorrigible and incomparable  great nephew Mason (age 5 going on 21). We rode the Shark boat in New York Harbor, saw the real Batmobile being filmed in lower Manhattan, and ate like Astor’s Pet Pig (especially in my favorite restaurant Patricia’s in Brooklyn).

It is hot here in New York but knitting and crocheting keep getting hotter! Happy Knitting and keep in touch.

Nicky Epstein