One Week Left to Register for Classes!

Hey everyone! It’s hard to believe YarnCon is almost here! And you know what that means, you are running out of time to sign up for classes! Click here to see the schedule.

There has been a change to the schedule. Vera will be teaching her DIY Dropping Spinning class at the Plumbers Union Hall on Saturday and Sunday during YarnCon, just like old times, but with one key improvement; we’ve moved it to the ground level to a much more accessible space. If you’ve ever been curious about hand-spinning, Vera is the perfect teacher to get you started.

Vera Videnovich teaching her DIY Drop Spindle Class at YarnCon in 2019.

We have lots of great classes to choose from on Thursday and Friday at the Crowne Plaza West Loop! You can choose from skills that every knitter should be familiar with like Mastering Short Rows, or how about learning double knitting in Technicolor Double Knitting, and have a finished piece with only right sides!

As stitchers, we know the importance of mending hand-made items, but what about store bought clothes? There is no reason we can’t mend anything we wear, and make it truly our own! Kimberley Langley’s class, Extending the Life of Clothing will have you making beautiful repairs to your knits in no time.

A sweater visibly mended by Kimberley Langely.

You can also learn Brioche or how to shape in Brioche, Knitting in Both Directions!, and Tunisian Crochet!

Sadly, Amy Manko won’t be able to join us at the YarnCon Symposium this year. If you are ever at a fiber festival and Amy is teaching a class you will definitely want to sign up!

Time is running out, so please sign up now, so our teachers know how many people to expect, and so that you don’t miss your chance at taking a class at the first YarnCon Symposium!

Introducing our Panel Discussion!

This year we are trying new things in the virtual realm, and along with our online class offerings, we are also hosting a panel discussion via Zoom. We hope this is the first of many to come.

Our first discussion will be on the subject of diversity and inclusion in the yarn world. For the last few years, we have been talking about racism in our fiber community, usually when someone says or does something offensive. We thought it would be good to talk about it on a more regular basis, in order to keep the conversation going.

We are honored to have Gaye Glasspie (https://ggmadeit.com/), Diane Ivey (https://ladydyeyarns.com/), and Louis Boria (https://www.brooklynboyknits.com/) on our inaugural panel.

Tickets are available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yarncon-diversity-and-inclusion-in-the-fiber-world-panel-discussion-tickets-301931273567
Or from our class page where you can see all of our classes available this year.

If you have questions or topics you would like to see us address during the panel discussion, please leave them in the comments. Thanks!

On-line classes you say?

When we announced that YarnCon is offering on-line (virtual) classes this year, we received a message about pricing. Why are we charging the same amount for an on-line class as for an in-person class? Glad you asked! The reason is that the main consideration in pricing our classes is that we fairly compensate our teachers. Our teachers are doing the same job, teaching the same material, and for the same maximum class size whether they come to a conference room, or they teach via Zoom. In fact, there is more work on their ends when they teach via Zoom because they have to be responsible for their camera set up, Zoom account, internet connection, etc., while still making sure to give just as much attention to their students as they would in person.

I think if the last two years have taught us anything, it is that we can be flexible, and teach in different settings, such as remotely or in the class-room. We all have our preferences, and that’s fine! But, let’s remember that the teacher is teaching the same material, and is working just as hard to make sure their students are getting the most out of their classes, and deserves to be compensated fairly for their work, and the expertise they bring to the classroom, virtual or otherwise.

So, I hope you will take a look at our fantastic class offerings for this year, sign up to learn some new skills, and plan a cozy space in which to Zoom in and enjoy taking a workshop with other stitchers.

All classes are listed here: https://www.yarncon.com/schedule/ and include a link to the registration page.
Please also check out our Instagram page where we are sharing pictures and details about the upcoming classes! https://www.instagram.com/yarncon/

Classes are open for registration!

We are excited to announce that our virtual YarnCon Symposium for 2022 is open for registration! We have a wonderful selection of classes to offer from our experienced instructors, and you can take these classes from the comfort of your own home, or where ever you choose to Zoom.

Vera Videnovich is standing in the middle of a circle of people seated on a stage. Vera has her arms raised as she demonstrated how to spin on a DIY drop spindle.
Vera Videnovich teaching DIY Drop Spinning during YarnCon 2019.

To see the class schedule, please click on: Class Schedule. (each class will have a link to the registration page on Eventbrite.)
To go straight to the registration page, please click on: Class Registration.
Please sign up soon! Spaces in each class are limited.

Please keep an eye on the schedule, along with classes, we will also be adding a Diversity and Inclusion in the Yarn World Panel Discussion that we will be offering over Zoom.