Conference 2013-Concord

CGOA conference last month was a wonderful experience.  I was able
to be there almost the entire week.  I attended Professional Development
  Day, took 2 classes, went to many functions and met more new friends who love
  fiber arts both crochet & knitting.

One of the highlights of the conference is the dinner and fashion show.  Rita Weiss was the key speaker after the show and was so entertaining and fun.  I had a photo opportunity with her after the show.

Rita Weiss and Jean Leinhauser are two women who have invested their entire adult lives in the needleworks industries and have been instrumental in promoting the world of crochet.  Jean a schooled journalist, started her journey as Design Director for Boye Needles Co.  and from there went on to found Leisure Arts.  (I think we all have books in our library published by Leisure Arts!)  She went on to found another publishing company and was the editor & publisher of Crochet! magazine.  Not to mention she is the author of MANY crochet books.   Rita, an author, designer and teacher also has a list of credits to her name:  Founder & head of Dover Publications needleworks division, Executive Vice President of the American School of Needleworks, served as President of the International Quilting Association, Chairman of the Craft Council, and also served as President of the CGOA for a spell too!  WHEW!  Then to top it off these two amazing women formed 'Creative Partners, LLC'.  They are truly an inspiration.  Sadly Jean is no longer with us; she passed away in June of 2011.  But she leaves a true legacy and heritage behind her.  Rita is still going like a
spit fire.  I had the privilege of meeting her at the CGOA conference in Concord, NC in October.  The CGOA - Crochet Guild of America is a wonderful organization started almost 20 years ago by Gwen Blakley Kinsler and has bounty of information and is a
treasure to those of us who have discovered this organization.  I encourage any of you out there who crochet - no matter what your skill or age - to check it out.  Click HERE to jump to CGOA.

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