It’s official: we will host an online fiber fair this year! Shoppers will be able to see and interact with many of their favorite YarnCon vendors without having to leave their own home. Check out the vendor list and start planning your budget!
March 7, 2021 by 2 Comments
March 8, 2020 by 23 Comments
With incredibly heavy hearts, we have decided to cancel YarnCon this year. The health, safety, and well-being of our vendors, attendees, speakers, and friends is our top concern. Because of the evolving nature of the COVID-19 situation, we feel it’s important to do what we can to minimize the spread of this virus.
We encourage you to check out our amazing vendor list, and support them through this difficult time. We will be here to answer any questions you might have.
If you registered for a class, we are already working on getting those refunds to you, please give us a little time, but email us if you have concerns.
March 6, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Dear Friends of YarnCon,
Your health and safety are our top priority, and we want to update you on the most current recommendations of local, state, and federal health authorities regarding health risks associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Based on what we’ve seen in affected countries, COVID-19 can cause mild to severe respiratory illness. The virus appears to be transmitted through person-to-person contact and health authorities expect more cases may occur in Chicago and the United States. Practicing basic hygiene such as washing your hands regularly with soap is the best way to stop the transmission of the virus.
In order to keep everyone involved with YarnCon safe, we are sharing the guidelines from the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). The Plumbers Union Hall is also sharing the same information, and is staying in touch with us as well as we monitor this situation.
If you’re sick, stay home.
- Anyone who has traveled to a location with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their return date.
- Search COVID-19 risk assessment by country at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers
- For more information, please see this fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “What to do if you are sick” (Spanish) (Simplified Chinese).
Practice good hygiene.
- Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is best, especially if they are visibly dirty. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol is a suitable alternative.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
As testing of COVID-19 becomes more widely available, we may begin to see new cases in the coming days and weeks. CPDH along with state and federal authorities may issue new guidance, and we will keep you updated on changes and its impact on YarnCon.
Finally, COVID-19 does not distinguish between race, nationality, or geographic borders. Stigma and discrimination against the afflicted discourages early reporting of symptoms and further perpetuates community spread.
For the most reliable information, please visit www.chicago.gov/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the CDPH Coronavirus hotline at 312-746-4835 or email coronavirus@chicago.gov
We will post updates as the show approaches, and if any of the CDPH recommendations change.
February 25, 2020 by 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.
February 16, 2020 by 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!
November 15, 2019 by 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!
September 25, 2019 by 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.
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.
May 21, 2019 by 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?
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.
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?
And it just kept being amazing all day long! Check out some faces you might know from the larger yarn-crafting community:
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).
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):
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.
April 3, 2019 by 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!
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:
We’ll see you this weekend at YarnCon!
March 31, 2019 by 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 /]