Monday, January 25, 2010

(More than You Need to Know) About Me





When I posted my first blog Saturday, I intended to add the following to my profile. But the profile only allows 1200 characters. Rather than chop out about 50% of what I wrote, I decided to just post the entire profile here. Thanks to Joe Hancock for taking photos of a very unwilling subject.

The youngest of four children, I was an unremarkable child and would have no story to tell if my father (see him in my first post) hadn’t dragged us all to Switzerland in 1968 when he had a one-year sabbatical. During that year, I attended the village elementary school where girls and boys were separated for a few hours each week to learn gender-specific skills. The boys learned woodworking, technical drawing, and mechanics; the girls learned needle arts and housekeeping. I knew precious little German, but I quickly took to the language of knitting. (The housekeeping part never stuck, although I did learn the proper way to sweep a floor, make a bed, and organize a drawer of socks and underwear.)

Rejecting anything that might be considered a traditional “woman’s” career in the 1970s, I studied science in college and ended up with a MS in geology in 1983. I worked in my local yarn store for a year while I looked for a “real” job. As it turns out, this temporary job was a pivotal part of my life—I learned to weave as well as alter and write knitting patterns for customers.

I finally got my “dream” job as a geologist for a research company, but continued to knit and weave in my spare time. The recession of the late 1980s hit the oil industry hard and in 1989 I married, reconsidered my career choice, and decided to pursue a job opening for an editorial assistant for HANDWOVEN magazine at Interweave Press. Not believing that I could be serious, Interweave put off hiring me for four months—I suspect they were hoping for another applicant.

I stayed with HANDWOVEN for a few years, then worked part-time in the book department editing knitting and weaving books while I had three boys (over the course of 17 months!). When INTERWEAVE KNITS premiered in 1996, I had the uncommonly good fortune to turn my favorite hobby into a career. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was designing projects for KNITS and writing my own books.

I now keep busy as a freelance editor, author, designer, and teacher. You can find all of my books and many of my designs at www.interweavestore.com (search for Ann Budd).

18 comments:

KV said...

Love this post and the "unwilling" photos! So glad you have started this blog -- it just may become my jumpstart to knitting again.


Kathy V in NM

Heidi said...

Oh Ann, welcome to the blogosphere. I am thrilled to see you here and can't wait to read all the little tidbits I know you will share. You probably don't remember me but you published one of my Fair Isle designs in Knits(Winter 01-02) and I always thought you were one of the nicest people I ever worked with. Thank you for the encouragement you gave a rank amature.

Heidi Kozar
www.embraceablewe.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

So it was your geology training that prepared you to be a rock star? Oh har har har....

Sara said...

Love the fact that you have started a blog...Have some of your patterns and one of your books - plus the yarn requirements for knitting. It has been a life saver for me when I've been on vacation and found just the "right" yarn - I could get the right amount!

Ali P said...

I confessed to my friend Veronik one evening over tea and yarn that in the knitting world I have two guiding lights and heroes(heroines). Elizabeth Zimmermann and Ann Budd. She teases me dreadfully by showing me Ann Budd treasures like her autographed Ann Budd books (Oooh! Her handwriting!") and telling me stories of having met you. I am so happy you have a blog now! Thank you Clara letting us Facebookers know!

Margaret said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Margaret said...

Congratulations on the new blog!

I've been a fan for years (I started knitting the same year Knits came out) and treasure your books. It was nice to meet you this past fall at the KR Retreat (I sat next to you in Melissa's class). I'm looking forward to your posts.

Margaret http://www.afewsheepshyofafarm.com

Unknown said...

I'm glad you're here, Ann, and I hope you enjoy writing for the internets.

mathiemom said...

So glad to see you here, Ann, and to have met you at the KR retreat.

Reading your post made me wonder how many of us are out there who came of age in the '70s and heard the message of feminism as "don't do anything women have traditionally done," regardless of our interests and temperaments. I was a math major and went to law school, and went through many mental gyrations about my heart's desire to stay home with my preschoolers. I ended up staying home for a few years, but felt like a traitor to the movement.

BTW, I love your patterns & books and own a number of both. Keep up the fantastic creative work!

Wendy

--Deb said...

I'm delighted that you're blogging! Keep it coming, we want to know everything (but, you know, not in a scary, stalkery way).

Sheri said...

So glad you didn't stick with geology. Knitting is so much more interesting. I'm a big fan.
Sheri in GA

Deborah Robson said...

Okay, I have to laugh at the four-month delay at Interweave. More likely that everybody was too busy to call and tell you that you had the job.

Anonymous said...

Hooray! Welcome to the world of blogging, may it treat you well and bring you joy!

PS- "OMG, I hugged Ann Budd!"

Annie said...

Yay! Welcome to blogging!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Ann! Great to see you here in the blogsphere. I think I speak for many when I say I'm glad that whole rock and dirt thing didn't quite work out. lots of love, Tara

Virginia G said...

Hmm... Interesting trend. Both of my parents were geologists and ended up doing very creative things after their geology careers ended. My father did woodworking and became an excellent photographer. My mother crocheted, quilted, painted, danced, played classical guitar, (and so forth). Fortunately she instilled in me a love for crocheting (and sewing to an extent), which led to a love of knitting.

AsKatKnits said...

The Divine Ms Clara said it best...

I am 0 and 3 for teaching my kids to knit, but I see my failure. I needed to get a sabatical in Sweden and have them learn that way!

Again, another case of too soon old, too late smart!

Lynne Brotman said...

It's wonderful that you have been able to turn your love for textiles into a career. I have accomplished the same and consider myself very lucky.