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Register for Classes Today!

February 25, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Class registration is LIVE!
The classes are posted, and registration is open! Most of YarnCon 2020’s classes and workshops will take place April 2-3 at the YarnCon Symposium right before our weekend fiber fair opens. But don’t worry, we still have some 1-hour classes over the weekend, too.

New in 2020: a Hotel Room Block!
Stay close to the action at the Crowne Plaza West Loop! We’ve reserved a block of rooms, and you can book online or by calling 312-829-5000 and mentioning Group Code MYF. The deadline to book a room is March 5, so call now! Operators are standing by.

Advanced Spinning Classes
Lots of classes on spinning at YarnCon this year: Wheel Navigation with Emily Wohlscheid and Spinning Wheel Primer with Heavenly Bresser both aim to teach students the ins and outs of their wheels. If you’re further along in your spinning journey, try your hand at Spinning for a Project or Spinning Wirecore and LED Lights! These classes are designed for students who have already some spinning experience. Bring your own wheel and learn something new!

Brioche Knitting Forever
We’re welcoming back Javier Jara for another year at YarnCon. Learn a new skill in his Brioche Knitting class, or if you’re familiar with single-color brioche, why not up your game with his Mastering Two-Color Brioche class? Sign up soon — his classes always sell out!

New Friends and Old FavoritesNew to our workshop schedule this year: Jenn Watkins, Rita Petteys, and Jules Huntsberger.Hailing from North Carolina, Jules is ready to help you with Short Rows
and Picots and Bobbles! Usually behind a booth at YarnCon, Jenn is sharing her knowledge of Lace Knitting and Cables, and Rita will teach you how to put those leftover Bits and Bobs to good use!Perennial

YarnCon favorites Vera Videnovich (DIY Handspinning) and Samantha Lynn (Intro to Dyeing I & II) are back, along with Kathy Kelly’s classes on Tunisian crochet.Check out the whole schedule here! Register to pick up a new skill or brush up on something you thought you’d forgotten.

Volunteer at YarnCon!
We can always use extra hands in many areas: helping vendors unload their wares and schlep them to their booths, working various information tables, booth-sitting for vendors who need a break, and then on Sunday, helping the vendors move their remaining goodies back to their vehicles.In return for your help, you’ll get a special volunteer YarnCon goodie bag! Also, our undying gratitude. Seriously, it’s one of the best gigs going.

Fill out the Volunteer Form to sign up for weekend spots, or click here to help out Thursday and Friday at the YarnCon Symposium!

We are really excited to once again be offering Dark Matter coffee, thanks to their amazing support! Visit us at the beautiful bar downstairs for all of your hot coffee (and tea) needs.

Filed Under: workshops, yc2020 Tagged With: classes, fiber festival, workshops, yarncon, YarnCon2020

Community

February 16, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment

Hello yarny friends! As you can imagine, we are working hard on getting YarnCon ready, and we hope to have classes up in the next few days. We will be sure to let you know when they go live.

Today, we want to tell you about two different members of our Yarny community: Stitch and Hustle, and Dye Hard Yarns in Oak Park.

Stitch and Hustle is the host of Stitch Up Chicago, now in its 4th year. Michele Costa started this event as a way to build community, and give us a weekend to immerse ourselves in knitting and crochet, and spend time together. From the web site: “Stitch Up Chicago was born from the idea of taking an online group offline to share fiber love. In the past year we have seen our community face the divisiveness of our times and focus on coming together to create a more diverse fabric. That is what every single Stitch Up is about: creating safe spaces and celebrating our common fiber.”

The event is on February 28-29, and Michele has just a few tickets left, and she wants the YarnCon community to have a chance at them, with a discount just for us! Just use the code: YARNCON2020 when you register, and get 10% off. It sounds like a fantastic weekend, and we hope some of you will have the chance to attend. Thanks, Michele!

The next person we want you to know about is Chastity of Dye Hard Yarns. Dye Hard is more than your neighborhood yarn store, it is also a community dye studio! As Chastity explains on her web page, “The studio will be fully outfitted with professional equipment. Classes will be held on dyeing, knitting, crochet, macrame, spinning, weaving, and more! Community members like you can create, connect, learn, and teach!” it is literally a dye studio for anyone who want to either give it a try, teach, or even work on their own line. This not only gives back to the yarn community, it creates a place to gather, it becomes a hub of our community, and we want to support her efforts. Chastity is raising money to make this studio a reality, and we want to spread the word, and help her raise funds. Please consider donating to Dye Hard’s Community Dye Studio. Every little bit helps.

Thanks!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: community, dyehard, stitch and hustle, stitch up

And Now for Something Completely* Different

November 15, 2019 by admin 2 Comments

*Okay, not completely, but very new!

We are proud to announce the inaugural YarnCon Symposium! We have wanted to expand our workshops for some time, but the limiting factor has been availability of space at the Plumbers Union Hall. We love being at the Plumbers Union Hall, and we have no plans to leave, but it has made hosting classes more and more complicated. So: a new space was in order if we wanted to expand our class offerings. That led to another change we have always wanted: to be able to attend classes and parties while registered as a vendor at a show.

The solution is the YarnCon Symposium: two days of classes at the lovely Crowne Plaza West Loop!

On Thursday and Friday, April 2 and 3, 2020, we will host our first annual symposium, with classes on both days and a reception on Friday evening. Then on Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5, 2020, we will have YarnCon at the Plumbers Union Hall, as we have since 2013. We will still have beginning dyeing and spinning workshops over the weekend during YarnCon, but sit-down classes in classrooms with all of the amenities will take place at the Crowne Plaza. The hotel is just down the road from the Plumbers Union, and is the perfect place to stay if you are coming in from out of town!

If you are a teacher and have thought about teaching with us, but weren’t so keen on the open layout we used to have, now is your time to join us. We think you will be pleasantly surprised, as we have put lots of thought into the care and feeding of instructors. This means competitive pay, lodging, and travel expenses. You can see the details, and fill out the application at the following link:
https://forms.gle/z6CdUUx2DgC8FX4F7

Seeing as we are growing and expanding, we also thought it was time to have a party to celebrate! We are planning a reception at the Crowne Plaza on Friday night after classes have wrapped up. We will have more information on that soon, so be on the lookout, as tickets will be limited. Sign up for our mailing list to get the info!

Filed Under: application, workshops, yc2020 Tagged With: news, party, teaching, workshops, yarncon

On your marks…

September 25, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Just kidding! No need to race to get your vendor applications in. Sara and Natalia took a weekend off to re-work the application process, and we hope it will be a better fit for all of us as we grow.

Natalia and Sara in front of the Sandpiper, home of the Hoof to Hanger Fiber Mill. — Natalia and Sara in front of the Sandpiper this summer,
home of the Hoof to Hanger Fiber Mill, a 2019 sponsor.

As many of you who applied to vend at YarnCon in the last few years know, we filled up in record time, and many of you who planned to apply never got a chance. That was never our intent, so this year we are changing how the process works.

Applications will go live on October 1, 2019 at 10am Central Time, and will close on October 8, 2019 at 10pm Central Time. There are no bonus points for being the first, but we will not take applications after they close.

Edited to Add the application link: https://forms.gle/2G6tADKn1eCPe1S58

YarnCon has always been a juried show. We will judge all the applications according to our posted guidelines, and send our acceptance and rejection emails on October 15, 2019. You will be able to find the application on the homepage of our website. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at info@yarncon.com. If you want to be on the vendor mailing list, please sign up on the homepage.

We will also make an announcement about workshop proposals in the near future, so stay tuned! There’s also a sign up for the teaching mailing on the homepage.

Filed Under: application, Uncategorized, Vendors, yc2020 Tagged With: application, applications, vending, vendors

Let’s hear it for YarnCon 2019!

May 21, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

Oh my goodness, what a show! I know it has been over a month (sorry, I really intended to get this out sooner!) but I am no less excited now about the great show we had this year than I was a month ago. We couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you who vended, taught, volunteered, and especially all you who attended! Yes, you. It is all of you together that make this fibery community so special. You line up in the mornings, you come and meet up with each other in this space we have made, you make new friends, meet old ones, learn new skills, and seriously enhance your stashes. But more than anything, you make it the most special weekend of the year for us.

And I am not joking about the morning lines! I took a video less than an hour before the doors opened on Saturday. Stitchers are well prepared folks, look at all of you with chairs, blankets, and working on projects.

Can I show you how Sara and I feel about this community, and this event?

Natalia and Sara a moment before we opened the doors on Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Now, let me show you just a moment in time on Saturday morning, after we saw a record number of people come through our doors. Over 700 of you arrived within the first half hour of the show! I am still in awe.

A view of the ballroom from the balcony.

And it just kept getting better all day long. We not only saw old friends of ours, we saw you connect with your friends, and enjoy a yarny day together. We met lots of new friends, and hope you did as well. We watched people learn how to prepare fiber and spin it into yarn right on our stage, and so much more! How about we show you in pictures?

Selfie Station at YarnCon — Visitors enjoying the Selfie Station

Heavenly Bresser teaching fiber preparation at YarnCon

Mochi Mochi Land!! — Mochi Mochi Land! Did you do the scavenger hunt?

Vera back on stage, teaching DIY Handspinning. Vera's been teaching folks to spin at YarnCon since our second show, back in 2008. — Vera back on stage, teaching DIY Handspinning. Vera’s been teaching folks to spin at YarnCon since our second show, back in 2008.

This is what YarnCon is about, great friends and great yarn! Lauren and Karen are two amazing volunteers and supporters of YarnCon, and wonderful people.

And it just kept being amazing all day long! Check out some faces you might know from the larger yarn-crafting community:

Kristy Glass and Natalia at the YarnCon Selfie Station — Kristy (Kristy Glass Knits) and Natalia at the YarnCon Selfie Station

Sara, Louis (Brooklyn Boy Knits), and Natalia at YarnCon — Sara, Louis (Brooklyn Boy Knits), and Natalia

Natalia and Cecilia (Creative Ceci) at YarnCon — Natalia and Cecilia (Creative Ceci)

I’m not going to lie, seeing Kristy, Louis, and Cecilia at YarnCon was so exciting! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting them before at other shows, and have wanted to share YarnCon with them, and we got to this year! Kristy did more than just visit, she filmed a video tour of YarnCon, embedded below (her tour of YarnCon begins at about 30:43).

Kristy Glass celebrating her 40th birthday, and her tour of YarnCon at 30:43

Friends, this was all just on Saturday! Sunday was another day of fun, and fun on two floors, I might add. What? Yes! For the first time we had vendors on the first and second floors, plus of course the balcony. It was our biggest YarnCon yet, and we have been so happy by the response. Check out the first floor (I didn’t get all of it, but hopefully you will get the idea):

Check the new vending area near the coffee bar!

Toad Hollow and Yarnify in the new vendor area.

Midmitten Designs and Heavenly Knitchet in our new vendor area — MidMitten Designs and Heavenly Knitchet in our new vendor area

And yet more vendors on the first floor!

Needless to say, I can go on and on. YarnCon is definitely a labor of love for Sara and me. We have a terrific team of friends who help us put this together every year with their ideas, connections, knowledge, and hard work. We can’t thank them enough. We didn’t get everyone we wanted to in the picture below, but we love you, and thank you for making this community event happen. And thank you, fiber community, for making it so special. We couldn’t do it without you.

Team YarnCon posing in front of the YarnCon Selfie Station — Team YarnCon (from left to right), Layne, Lauren, Natalia (being her foolish self in front), Sara, Shannon, Andi, and Lindy.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: brooklyn boy knits, chicago, community, creative ceci, festival, fiber festival, kristy glass knits, yarn, yarncon

Last chance to pre-register for classes

April 3, 2019 by admin 2 Comments

Woo! It’s almost time for YarnCon! Natalia’s minivan is chock full of gear so Team YarnCon can start setting up the floors for our vendors. We have three levels of vendors! Ground level, main hall, and the balcony, and don’t forget the vendors in the hall outside the main hall! We are putting amazing fiber artists everywhere we can because they are just so good! And don’t forget to enjoy some delicious Dark Matter Coffee at the coffee bar next to the ground level vendors. Yum!

Natalia has crammed all the set up gear into her van, and is ready to layout the floors for our vendors!

Along with filling the building up with vendors, our classes are filling up with students, and we are thrilled! A number of classes have sold out, and many only have a seat or two left, so if you have been putting off signing up, time is running out! You can still sign up online right here:
https://www.yarncon.com/classes/ until Friday at 6pm Central time, after that, any seats still open will be available at the show, but for cash or check only.

Don’t forget to stop by our low-tech selfie station by the stage in the main hall! Please tag us with #yarncon and have fun, like this:

So many of us got into this picture that the whole frame made an appearance!

We’ll see you this weekend at YarnCon!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: classes, crochet, fiber festival, knitting, spinning, workshops, yarn, yarncon, yarncon selfie

Food Truck Spotlight

March 31, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

YarnCon happens next weekend! Are you ready for this much fun?

Because fiber fanatics cannot live on yarn alone (although we try our best), we are thrilled to announce the food truck lineup for YarnCon 2019. This year, sandwich and American comfort food experts Fat Shallot will be on hand alongside newcomer Yum Dum. It’s going to be another tasty year!

[table id=7 /]

Filed Under: FoodTrucks, yc2019 Tagged With: fatshallot, food, foodtrucks, yc2019, yumdum

Last few days to sign up for classes

March 30, 2019 by admin 2 Comments

One week from right now YarnCon will be happening! That means time is running out to sign up for classes!*

We have some really great classes this year, maybe you have thought about taking a class but aren’t sure if you are up to it. You are!

Let’s say you were thinking about the Steeking class with Lori Grady, but don’t know if you can bear to cut your own knitting, or have knitting ready in time. No problem! Lori says you can bring in a thrift shop sweater to learn on. Added bonus, you might end up with a pretty great cardigan!

Steeked Sweater — freshly steeked sweater by Lori Grady

How about learning to make jewelry by knitting an unfamiliar material? In Knit Wirecore Jewelry, Emily Wohlscheid she shows you how to knit with wire that has been core spun with colorful wool. She has the kits ready for you, all you need are knitting needles, and you come out with unique jewelry that speaks to your love of knitting. What better souvenir than new skills and a fancy new piece made by you?

A perennial favorite at YarnCon is our Dyeing workshops I and II wwith Samantha Lynn. In Dyeing I you can learn to dye yarn, provided by Wool2Dye4, with Kool-Aid! In Dyeing II you learn to use traditional acid Dyes, also with yarn provided by Wool2Dye4. In both classes you go home with a bag of yarn dyed by you!

Color control is not just for finished yarn, you can also control the colors in your fiber for spinning, before you ever get to the wheel, and while at the wheel. Heavenly Bresser shows you how to use Blending Boards to your best advantage; how to combine colors that won’t look muddy when you spin them, and how to make rolags and really take advantage of what a blending board can do.

Heavenly also has a great workshop on a technique for making self-striping yarn on your spinning wheel: Fractal spinning! Learn how to control your colors to get your desired stripy effects!

*Pre-registration for classes ends at 6pm CST on Friday, April 5th. We will happily register you for a class with openings during the show, but you risk missing out on the class you want if it is full.

You can check out the whole roster of classes here:
https://www.yarncon.com/classes/

See you at YarnCon on April 6-7!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Getting to YarnCon

March 29, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

One more week to YarnCon! We are guessing many of you are planning your trip, and we are here to help. (You can see the direction page here: https://www.yarncon.com/directions/ )

YarnCon is held in the Plumbers Union Hall, and it has a fairly large parking lot (both the lot and admission are free, yeay!!), but it’s not limitless. So, we have a few suggestions.

We always love seeing our logo on the Plumbers Union Wrench sign next to the parking lot!

One of the reasons we choose to host YarnCon right in the middle of the city, instead of at one of the large convention centers in the suburbs is that we want everyone to be able to come, whether they can drive over or not. We are close to public transportation (about a third of a mile from the Ashland Green Line stop, and only .2 miles from the Madison and Loomis bus stop) and close to the Kennedy Expressway (I90). If you are in the Western Suburbs, for example, you can take the Metra into the Ogilvie Station, and take the Madison (20) Bus over to Loomis. If you live not too far from downtown, you could bike over. Or, you could share a Lyft or other ride-share/taxi over. Lots of options, and that’s what we wanted. Lots of ways for everyone who likes yarn to come and be part of the community.

That brings us back to parking. If you can carpool, please do. We know the parking lot will fill up, and we know street parking can get tight. There isn’t much we can do about that. So, please plan accordingly, we would hate to see not being able to park easily get in the way of a fun day at YarnCon.

We look forward to seeing you at YarnCon next weekend! Safe travels!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: location, maps, parking, plumbers union, travel, yarncon

Check out our Vendors!

March 27, 2019 by admin 1 Comment

Are you getting excited about YarnCon? It’s a week and half away, and maybe you want to check out our vendors in advance of the show? You can always check out our Vendors page to see who is coming this year, but if looking at the logos is a little hard on you, or you just prefer a written list, we made a table for your use.

[table id=6 /]

We hope that helps! Don’t forget, we will have vendors on three levels this year! You can find them on the ground floor, in aroma distance of the Dark Matter Coffee and Tea bar (and hot cocoa if you are so inclined); in the main hall on the second floor; and in the balcony. All three areas are accessible by stairs and elevator, and there is a ramp to the ground floor area.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: fiber festival, vendors, yarncon