Interview with Nancy Thomas

posted on May 6, 2008

For more than 25 years, Nancy J. Thomas has been the editorial voice of the most popular knitting magazines, including Vogue Knitting, Family Circle Easy Knitting, and Knitter’s Magazine. She just published a book with Potter Craft called Tweed, which was written while she was the Creative Director of Tahki Stacy Charles. I caught up with Nancy to ask her about the book and to find out what she’s been up to lately.

1. What made you decide to write a book focusing on tweed yarns? What was your favorite part of the experience of writing Tweed?

Tweed yarns are so beautiful, I knew they would make a great subject. I really agonized about where to find information about the history of tweed yarns. Diane Friedman from Tahki Stacy Charles put me in touch with Francis Walsh, a yarn spinner who lives in the northern most county in The Republic of Ireland and works for a mill that makes tweed yarns. He sent me long emails with great information, and we carried on a fascinating email correspondence. It was such a wonderful experience to deal with him, even though we never spoke or met in person.

2. What is it like to have been part of so many different aspects of the knitting industry?

I feel privileged to have had so many dream jobs. I never imagined that I would be involved in so many facets of the knitting industry. I love to knit and crochet so I want to create projects that I would like to make or read about myself. I have always maintained this philosophy, and it seems to work for me.

3. You’ve recently become creative director of Coats & Clark. What’s your favorite thing about your new job?

Coats is a great company. I really love the challenge of making designs for inexpensive yarns that have a contemporary, upscale look. I also love that Coats is a global company so I get to interact with other staffers from all over the world. I’m involved in projects with people from the UK, Germany, New Zealand, and Australia.

4. What are you knitting right now, and what do you do when you’re not knitting?

I knit all the time! I just finished knitting my niece a baby cardigan with a hood and a cotton baby blanket. I also crocheted her a baby blanket. She’s my favorite niece and is having her first baby in June. I just started a tank in a Coats cotton blend so I’ll have something to work on in long meetings. I do love to travel and plane, train, and car trips give me an opportunity to knit. I also love to read and have belonged to a book group for 7 or 8 years: I try to keep up with reading a book a month.

— Melissa

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