Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale 2012 in review

Crafty Wonderland this past weekend was absolutely great. Erik and I had an awesome time meeting so many wonderful people! Torie and Cathy announced that attendance was up by 2,000 attendees from last year: 18,000 people came through those doors! 10,000 on Saturday, and another 8,000 on Sunday!

We had some awesome neighbors (Michele Maule, Pepe & Ale from Muluk, Natalie Joy, Lark Press, Amy from Little Bright Studio, Karyn from Pirouette, and others!), ate some superb handmade treats (lollipops from This Charming Candy, truffles made by Nicole from DotShoppe), and made a fun trade (Adrienne from Neeka Knits). It was also super fun to go around and visit/meet a lot of the amazing makers I've had on this very blog in the series We Make Portland Awesome: Sofia from Buttonlandia, Telle & Rex from ISWAS+WILLBE, Denise from DKruegerBotanicArt, Brooke from Little Canoe, Amy from Ohlnu, and others!

And I got nearly all of my Christmas presents there... though if I reveal where I got those, some certain people may be able to guess what they're getting! ;)

We make Portland awesome: NeekaKnits

"We make Portland awesome" is a weekly series. I’m interested building our community of artists by helping us all find out more about each other.

This week: NeekaKnits

Who are you?
My name is Adrienne and I live in Southeast Portland with my husband and our dog, Annie. I moved here 10 years ago on a whim, looking for something different after college. A born and raised New Yorker who always hated the city, I love the creative, quiet, laid-back attitude here. Hmmm, what else do you need to know about me? I'm kind of a combination of a grandma and a toddler - I like to knit, worry, feed people and complain about my joints, but I'm also petite, hyperactive, constantly singing silly songs, spilling things on myself and obsessed with candy.
 

What do you make?
I knit stuff. A lot of stuff. I pretty much started knitting about 7 years ago and haven't stopped since. I'm also a dabbler in all things crafty - painting, drawing, sewing, playing with clay, taking pictures, coming up with new recipes. My brain is constantly bossing my hands around.

Besides making things, what do you do?
I spend a ridiculous part of every day fawning over my dog. Seriously, it's a little off the hook how much attention she gets.
 

What inspires you?
All the creative people in Portland! I'm always in awe of all the amazing art, illustration, and all-around style exuding from my fellow Portlanders. I get a lot of the ideas for my knits from my stylish friends, as well as my own need to feel cozy in the rainy winters.

Where can your work be found?
You can find my knits and patterns on my Etsy shop, www.neekaknits.etsy.com. My knits are also available in a bunch of lovely Portland stores like Crafty Wonderland, Tender Loving Empire, Little Things, Etcetera and Knack. I'm also particularly in love with custom orders and working with people to design their perfect knit!

What do you love about Portland?
I love the cloudy weather, the craftsmen houses, the cute dogs, the amazing food, and the veggie gardens in people's front lawns. I love the fact that it's city-ish and country-ish at the same time, and I love that people here take comfort and coziness, in their many forms, very seriously.