I met Lucy Neatby!

World Renown Knitting Celebrity

Lucy Neatby

I met Lucy Neatby!

Yes, Lucy Neatby the internationally acclaimed knitting designer and teacher arrived in Sacramento last night. Lucy is in town this weekend for a two day workshop for my knitting guild,
The Camellia City Stockinettes.

I went to a guild retreat meeting last night and Lucy came by after her airport arrival. What a delight she was and not one sign of jet lag from travelling all over the US from Nova Scotia.

It has been three years since my guild has been able to get Lucy back for a workshop. Being a new guild member, I am thrilled to be taking a workshop from Lucy. I signed up for her Intarsia and Fringes, Folderols and Furbelows classes. I can't wait!

I told Lucy that I am a newer knitter. I loved what she told me next about knitting (in her lovely British accent) "set your heart to it, try it and you can knit it". I love her advice and I will follow it!

Lucy is originally from the south of England. I asked her who taught her to knit and it was her grandmother. Lucy says "I was 11 when my grandmother bribed me into knitting". Lucy remembers the project, vividly too, a blue acrylic "Reggie the Rabbit" knit from a British Woolcraft booklet.

Lucy did not knit again until she was 17 yrs old and then it was of her own volition. Years later while visiting her sister in England she spotted that "Reggie the Rabbit" pattern book and now it is back home in Nova Scotia with her. I loved hearing her "who taught me to knit" story!

Lucy's Mermaid Socks

The Knitter Magazine Issue # 4

I asked Lucy if she had seen the UK's new magazine The Knitter. 

Lucy said "yes and my Mermaid socks are in it"! 

I had just picked up issue 4 yesterday from Borders earlier in the day. 

As soon as I got home from the guild meeting,
 I opened up The Knitter and there were Lucy's Mermaid Socks!

Lucy Knitting Away

(working on a charity hat)

Chatting with Lucy was wonderful. She was knitting away while everyone chatted. Lucy has been very busy back home in Nova Scotia editing her three new DVDs for her A Knitter's Companion series. She says the new DVDs will be released very soon. They are: The Brand New Knitter, Knitting Venus 1 and Knitting Venus 2 (both inspired by a cardigan).

It was really wonderful to hear Lucy talk about her wonderful film and sound crew. They are now in their fourth year of filming DVDs together. Lucy credits her talented team as the reason her DVDs are so professional. When her crew isn't filming Lucy knitting they are off travelling the world filming shows like Globe Trekker and Planet Earth. Wow!

KuKu Dolls

Lucy is also pretty excited about the Dolly-Mama's KuKu dolls. KuKu dolls are multi-cultural knitted and felted dolls (in Cascade 220 yarn) that come in a kit. A portion of all their profits are donated to women's and children's causes.

Coming soon is a new DVD Knit 'Em and Felt 'Em presented by Lucy on the KuKu dolls. Lucy is the voice, hands and the knitter for the DVD. Congratulations Lucy and what a wonderful cause!

Lucy said it best during our conversation:

 "knitting, craft, community"!