TightSweater Press was knitted in 2002, while illustrators Lauren Gardiner and Nina Bays, college friends and former animation studio co-workers, were working hard at being unemployed. Lauren doodled mysterious drawings on the back of unemployment checks. Nina scribbled nonsensical messages in Uzbecki take-out menus. This was not why they went to Art School. Both knew that it was up to them to change this current state of affairs, so they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Armed with a new short story, Nina proposed that Lauren do the illustrations and then they could self-publish their efforts as a book. They would be in total control! They would answer to no one! So, after several sketches of squat, tubby girls, Nina and Lauren gave birth to ANNABELLE FRUMBATT~ A Gastronomically Ghastly Tale. And with it came the dreamy notion that it WAS possible to create for creations sake, to finally justify those BFA's in Illustration, to become rich and famous enough to have their own glam-rock band following them around while singing their praises in the form of a power ballad...(Okay, they still need to find that fine line between optimism and delusion.)

And THAT my friends, is the pair of baby booties we proudly call TightSweater Press.