Friday, May 22nd, an e-mail arrived with the force of a bomb.  John Levisay, CEO of Bluprint (formerly Craftsy) sent instructors notice that NBC/Universal was going to be closing the platform over the next few months.  I have lots of feelings about this, and it is going to be difficult to process.  I have the similar feelings that I had when we learned that there was not going to be a Sock Summit 3. Endings are very difficult.

Mostly, as with Sock Summit, I am grateful that I was part of the absolutely AMAZING stable of instructors at Craftsy (My classes were all developed and filmed before the sale to NBC, so I still think of it as Craftsy). What an honor and a privilege it has been.  I’ve loved all of it.  Developing classes, knitting samples, writing scripts, filming with the phenomenal crews, anticipating class launch.  Then, communicating with students, answering questions and seeing what they knit. After the sale, that stopped, which was tough, and I could see things starting to change.  But the quarterly checks kept coming, so I knew people were still learning. I’ve been a happy customer, loving the Cloudborn yarn line and ordering kits designed by friends of mine and delighted to be supporting them with sales.  I designed an argyle cardigan named for my mother, “Peggy Sue” and saw the kits sell out time after time.  I may be putting that pattern on Ravelry, soon, so knitters can still access it, but it uses Cloudborn yarn, which won’t be available anymore.  Yarn substitution will be easy, as other light worsted weight wool is readily available, but I don’t like publishing patterns with discontinued yarn.  Sigh.  I really liked the Cloudborn lines.

Will we still have access to classes we have bought? I have many of them, and I actually have faith that they will not be erased.  I know the people who work at Craftsy, and they are smart and dedicated.  I have confidence that they will find a way to keep their word that our classes are “forever”.  Now, the internet is an ephemeral thing, and nothing is permanent on a streaming platform (which is why I really value my book library), but they will do the best they can.  So, don’t panic, yet!  Also, my book, “Annetarsia Knits” is still available, and can be ordered here 

While we wait for more news, I will raise a glass to the fabulous memories of my time filming at Craftsy.  Later, as I process my feelings, I will share more.  Right now, I’m in the first phase of grief.  Looking at these photos brings a smile to my face.  The hairstyles! The sweaters (which were all from my closet, every one of them)! the sets! I never expected anything like Craftsy to happen to me and it was great.  The future will be different, but who knows what new adventures await?