Archives for March 2016

Vendor Spotlight: Resheeped 4 Ewe, Mondo Mojo

March 17, 2016 by Lindy Leave a Comment

Resheeped 4 Ewe is a new name on the vendors list, but the wares — and the face behind them — will be familiar to longtime attendees. Formed by Carmen of The Green Yarn Company, Resheeped 4 Ewe continues to offer reclaimed yarns that might otherwise have gone to waste. Carmen’s added new products to the lineup, too, including her own handspun!

Mondo Mojo debuts at YarnCon with glass buttons, some of which are truly tiny works of art. Like little jewel decorations for your own handcrafted beauties.

Resheeped 4 Ewe
http://www.resheeped4ewe.weebly.com/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
Resheeped 4 Ewe is a company started up by Carmen Ballman after The Green Yarn Company closed. Carmen brings customers the same great recycled yarns and fair trade items as before, but now offers hand-spun and dyed yarns, along with a few of Carmen’s favorite yarns.

Any special or featured products you want to share?
Reclaimed and then hand-dyed 100% wool sport:

My own handspun (shown here in Mesa):

Mondo Mojo
http://www.mondomojo.net/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
I make glass buttons.

Any special or featured products you want to share?

Filed Under: Vendors Tagged With: mondomojo, resheeped4ewe, vendors, yc2016

Workshop spotlights: Make your yarn!

March 16, 2016 by Natalia Leave a Comment

Learning new stitches and techniques is grand, and I highly recommend it! Yet, there is more to learn about yarn than how to use it, what about how to make it and how to customize it? We are here to help with a number of fabulous workshops!

Let’s start at the beginning (well, not quite the beginning, we cannot bring sheep into the Plumbers Union Hall!) We have some great spinning instructors that can take you from learning to spin your spindle and draft your fiber, all the way through making amazing art yarns that will be like no others out there.

Vera Videnovich is well known to many YarnCon regulars, and even taught yours truly how to spin on a spinning wheel. She has been teaching DIY Handspinning since our second YarnCon, and we are always happy when she can join us (this woman is seriously busy teaching and organizing craft shows all over town, so I am not kidding about being lucky!) In her class you will learn to use, and even make, a drop spindle, and the basics of wheel spinning. If you have ever been curious about spinning, but not sure where to start, start with Vera.

Vera teaching DIY Handspinning at YarnCon 2009

This year we are introducing a spinning class for the kids, so bring them along for a fun and hands on introduction to spinning with Susan Eiseman Levitin in her Spinning for Kids class.

For those who already know the basics, and are ready to learn to make new kinds of yarn we have classes by two more of our YarnCon veterans, Emily Wohlscheid and Renée Jones. Emily will be teaching Spinning from Fleece & Locks and Handspun Enhancements.

Renée will get you to work your core in Work Out Your Core! aka Corespinning 101. In these classes you will learn so much about all those interesting fibers and locks, and how to make core-spun yarns and bee-hives, and so many other cool and lovely things! Bring your wheels and your imaginations!

Maybe you already have the yarn, but it needs color! We are always happy to welcome back the ever popular Samantha Lynn! On both Saturday and Sunday she will take you through the basics of acid dyeing (not scary, I promise! think Kool-aid!) in Dyeing I: Kool-Aid Dyes and in Dyeing II: Acid Dyes. These classes sell out every year, so hurry up and register. You will not be disappointed. Plus, thanks to a generous donation by Wool2Dye4 the yarn for the class has already been provided! How Kool is that? (see what I did there?)

Samantha teaching Intro to Dyeing at YarnCon 2013

All this and more, at YarnCon 2016!

Filed Under: Crafting, workshops

Vendor Spotlight: Dragonfly Fibers, Cottage Stitches

March 15, 2016 by Lindy 1 Comment

Two more first-time YarnCon vendors to introduce today!

The first will be no stranger to many of you; Dragonfly Fibers’ gorgeous colorways are beloved by designers and crafters alike. But we are thrilled to welcome them in person this year, making the trek from Maryland to meet all of you!

Cottage Stitches brings their cute vintage style to YarnCon, with an assortment of finished home accessories, plus tools for your own fibery endeavors.

Dragonfly Fibers
https://www.dragonflyfibers.com/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
At Dragonfly Fibers we create bright, vibrant, rich colors on scrumptious yarns and fibers. We hand paint every skein using all the colors of the rainbow. You’ll find bright greens, rich purples, and variegated yarns in sometimes shocking color combinations.

Any special or featured products you want to share?
“Masterpiece Knits: The Modern Collection,” published in February, is the first publication by Dragonfly Fibers. Fifteen bold new patterns in exciting new yarn colors based on modern works of art. The Dragonfly team started by selecting paintings that represent the full color spectrum of modern art. We created colorways and challenged a talented group of knitwear designers to create new pieces inspired by both the paintings and the colorway. The results are a fabulous new book celebrating the intersection of color and modern art. A fractal shawl designed by Toby Roxane Barna inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s poppies, a pair of Rothko-inspired hats by Rosi G., Picasso-esque socks by Fatimah Hinds, Tanis Gray’s colorwork cowl that is an homage to Warhol and Marilyn Monroe and more!

Cottage Stitches
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CottageStitching

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?

I crochet and knit handmade decor and accessories as well as sell supplies for crocheting and knitting, all in a vintage, whimsical style.

Any special or featured products you want to share?
Hand Painted “Toadstool” Knitting Needles:

Knitting Needle Gauges:

Filed Under: Vendors Tagged With: cottagestitches, dragonflyfibers, vendors, yc2016

A Damn Fine YarnContest: FAQs & Rules

March 14, 2016 by Lindy 7 Comments

Hey, yarn friends! We’ve already had an enthusiastic response to the contest announcement for the Damn Fine YarnContest, and folks have raised some good questions. Thanks, all!

Here are some things you might want to know about the Damn Fine YarnContest:

Everyone is eligible to enter, excluding judges and organizers. It would be hard to explain if we made off with all the prizes.
You may enter up to three items per category (let’s not overwhelm our awesome judges!).
Items may be entered in more than one category (i.e., a toy made out of handspun yarn could be entered in both the Toy and Handspun categories).
Entries may be knitted, crocheted, woven, or felted.
The Handspun category must be made of yarn spun by the entrant. No restrictions on yarn used in any other category.
Sorry, no photos accepted. Judges have to be able to see the quality of your work in person.
Entries must be brought in person to the contest table at YarnCon on the designated day for your category:
- Saturday 4/2, Drop off from 10am-2pm:
  - Best Twin Peaks Prop
  - Best Accessory
  - Best Use of Handspun
- Sunday 4/3, Drop off from 10am-12pm:
  - Best Garment
  - Best Toy
- Note: Entries in Sunday categories may be dropped off Saturday, but must be picked up Sunday after judging (see below).
Pickup:
- Best Twin Peak Prop, Best Accessory, Best Use of Handspun entries: may be picked up Saturday 4/2 between 3pm and 5pm.
- Best Garment, Best Toy entries: may be picked up Sunday 4/3 between 1:30pm and 3pm.
- All entries must be picked up by Sunday at 3pm, when YarnCon closes. Any entries not picked up by then will be held until 4/17 at YarnCon sponsors:
  - Knit 1, 3856 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago
  - Yarnify!, 47 West Polk Street, Suite G2B, Chicago
  - Any entries not claimed by end of day on Sunday 4/17, will be donated to an appropriate charity.
Entrants agree that pictures of their work may be posted on social media; winners’ names may also be posted.
There is no fee for entry; this is all purely for fun. You will have to fill out a small form for each item entered and be OK with us pinning it to your entry, though.
All judges’ decisions are final.

Still curious about something? Let us know!

Filed Under: Community, Contest, Crafting, Uncategorized

T-shirts & Bag Pre-order

March 13, 2016 by Lindy Leave a Comment

Not everyone wants to stand in line just for the chance to get a YarnCon goodie bag. Good news; you can get your hands on this year’s tote bag by pre-order for $12! Work + Shelter made us these cute organic cotton totes, screened with a HUGE YarnCon logo and with a boxy bottom to help it stand up when it’s full; you know, like when you’re stuffing it with your YarnCon purchases.

(If you want goodies IN the bag, you’ll still have to score one of the first 50 places in line at opening on Saturday and Sunday for the variety of vendor coupons and treats included. No shortcuts there!)

For more information on Work + Shelter’s program to empower women and alleviate poverty with fair trade job training and personal support, check out their website.

We’re also making another limited run of YarnCon t-shirts, which you can order until Saturday, March 19 for pickup at YarnCon. Two styles, with sizes from XS-4XL. We’ll have limited stock at the event, so if you want a shirt, get your order in!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Vendor Spotlight: Posh Fibers, Hopkins Sewing Studio

March 10, 2016 by Lindy Leave a Comment

Not one, but TWO vendors new to YarnCon to introduce to you today!

Posh Fibers makes its fiber show world premiere, with a line of alpaca and alpaca blends sourced and spun domestically. Penelope is an alpaca farmer herself, so really knows how to get the most out of this super-soft fiber!

Hopkins Sewing Studio is bringing project bags with panache. Emonieiesha knits and crochets as well as sews, so she makes bags that she would want to use to stay organized, as well as stylish.

Posh Fibers
http://poshfibers.com/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
Making the shift from alpaca farmer to dyer of fabulous alpaca yarn! All of my yarns are 100% sourced and spun in the US, and dyed in my Michigan home! Each yarn is a carefully thought out blend of alpaca and other natural fibers, like silk, bamboo, mohair, wool and nylon, spun into weights from lace to DK.

Any special or featured products you want to share?
This is our debut show! Free gift with every purchase of $50 or more: a project bag and links to patterns that have been tested with our yarns!

Hopkins Sewing Studio
https://www.etsy.com/shop/HopkinsSewingStudio

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?

Unique fabrics, and project bags that feature:

Snap Yarn Guides so you can remove your project (Snap Yarn Guides allow you to keep the project *inside* your bag)
Pocket for your iPad or pattern
Pocket for Pen or pencil
Attached snap pockets for your notions

Any special or featured products you want to share?
Here’s a look at my large project bag:

Filed Under: Vendors Tagged With: hopkinssewingstudio, poshfibers, vendors, yc2016

A Contest, YarnCon-Style!

March 8, 2016 by Lindy 16 Comments

Ready to dig out your best work, or whip up a little something new, and win prizes for it? In partnership with Great Northern, the upcoming release of knit patterns inspired by the evergreen Twin Peaks TV series, we invite you to enter a Damn Fine YarnContest.

We have five categories to enter, with outstanding judges in each category:

Best Twin Peaks prop, judged by Great Northern author Leah Coccari-Swift
Best Accessory, judged by Midwestern Knits author Allyson Dykhuizen
Best Toy, judged by Anna Hrachovec of Mochimochiland
Best Use of Handspun Yarn, judged by Vera Videnovich, spinning instructor and proprietor of Atelier Videnovich
Best Garment, judged by Yarnbox creative director Lisa Whiting

One winner will be declared in each category, with all five judges conferring on one Best in Show grand prize to rule supreme (and get a extra-special prize package).

Further entry details will be announced on the blog next week, but start thinking about what you want to enter or make, and get ready to strut your stuff!

(Clarification note, since you asked: the Great Northern book does focus on knit patterns, but all fiber arts are welcome to enter; knitted, crocheted, woven…we want to see ALL your awesome work!)

Check out more about the Great Northern project here. And remember: the Log Lady‘s log may not judge, but we will!

Filed Under: Community, Contest, Crafting

Vendor Spotlight: Lindsay Streem DIY, Spinning Chicken Studio

March 7, 2016 by Lindy Leave a Comment

Whether or not you crochet, Lindsay Streem’s booth is definitely worth a stop. She’s loaded up with tools, supplies and patterns for the avid hook wielder, to be sure, though most of her supplies have craft-crossover appeal. She also creates lovely crocheted jewelry and accessories that anyone can enjoy, no assembly required!

Spinning Chicken Studio returns for a second year in the mini-booth section. All of Sonji’s yarns are spindle-spun (!!), and you can see the care taken in every detail. Each of her skeins is a self-contained work of art.

Lindsay Streem DIY
http://lindsaystreemdiy.etsy.com

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
I am a crochet designer based in Chicago, with over 25 years of experience. My crocheted jewelry has been featured in Family Circle, Easy Crochet, 1000 Jewelry Inspirations, Jewelry with a Hook, and most recently Interweave Crochet (Winter 2015). My patterns can be found on Ravelry, Craftsy and in my Etsy shop. I also create unique accessories using crochet and recycled felt that are sold online and in boutiques around the country.

Any special or featured products you want to share?
The majority of my DIY products are geared toward crocheters, like my roll-up hook pouches, but I also carry a big selection of buttons, purse handles and other tools for all fiber arts.

Spinning Chicken Studio
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sonjihunt

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
All my yarn is spun and plied on spindles. I LOVE LOVE LOVE making yarn from start to finish…washing and dyeing fibers, combing or carding them (of course, once in a while I am seduced by someone else’s incredible dyed roving or art batt) and spinning it all on spindles. I tried wheel spinning; in fact, I have 3 in a closet because whenever my friend goes on a trip and sees a wheel she brings it back for me (how thoughtful is that?), but I truly enjoy making beautiful one-of-a-kind yarn the slow way, and I believe you will be glad that I do too!

Any special or featured products you want to share?
I went crazy for turquoise this year, so it’s in a lot of the yarns. I think my signature yarn is one of colorful bamboo shreds carded with natural alpaca and spun into a textural sport weight(ish) single.

Filed Under: Vendors Tagged With: lindsaystreem, spinningchicken, vendors, yc2016

Vendor Spotlight: Sophie’s Toes, Backyard Fibers

March 3, 2016 by Lindy Leave a Comment

Sophie’s Toes and YarnCon go way back, and we remain HUGE fans of Emily’s color style and mad dyeing skillz. Their new Magic Balls make gorgeous multicolored scarves, cowls, and baby sweaters, without all those pesky ends to weave in.

Backyard Fibers, based right here in the city, debuts this year with a line of yarns that are 100% USA made, from sheep to skein. The company just launched last summer, so we’re really looking forward to seeing what they have to share!

Sophie’s Toes
http://www.emilyparson.etsy.com

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
Hand dyed sock yarn and colorful kits, including Magic Balls, Ombre Gradient kits and mini skeins!

Any special or featured products you want to share?
Magic Balls…150 gms (that’s like 1.5 skeins of the merino sock yarn, 100% superwash merino fingering weight) in 15 colors, carefully selected to make a fun patchwork scarf, or whatever your imagination dreams up!

Backyard Fibers
http://backyardfibers.com/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
All of our yarn is made in the USA.

Any special or featured products you want to share?
SoSoft yarn bulky naturally colored merino, a limited edition:

Hand-dyed fingering weight merino:

Filed Under: Vendors Tagged With: backyardfibers, sophiestoes, vendors, yc2016

Teacher Spotlight: Corrina Ferguson

March 2, 2016 by Natalia Leave a Comment

We are very excited to welcome a new teacher to our lineup this year: Corrina Ferguson, coming all the way from Jacksonville, Florida! (As a Chicagoan, I would not mind being the one to visit her right now!)

Corrina is teaching Fancy Finishes for Knitted Lace on both Saturday and Sunday morning, and it looks like a great way to spend a hour before shopping for yarn! Take your knitting to a fancier, more lovely level by adding beautiful finishing touches to your lace projects. Techniques will include: lace bind-offs, extra stretchy bind-offs, picot bind-offs, crochet loop bind-offs, and manipulating the last few rows of knitting to provide extra stretch for dramatic lace edgings.

Filed Under: workshops