Food Truck Spotlight

Welcome to YarnCon week! Are you as excited as we are?

We are excited to announce the food truck lineup for YarnCon 2016! On Saturday, we’ll welcome Bruges Brothers and the Corner Farmacy. Sunday brings La Cocinita and the Fat Shallot. It’s going to be a tasty year!


Bruges Brothers

Back at YarnCon for a second year, Bruges Brothers brings crispy Belgian-style frites with a selection of tasty, hand-crafted sauces.

 


 

 

 

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The Corner Farmacy

The Corner Farmacy offers a seasonally rotating menu that features fresh, locally sourced ingredients — hence the “Farm” in “Farmacy.” Also, they offer breakfast items all day!

 

 


 

 

La Cocinita

Literally “the little kitchen,” La Cocinita serves fresh, authentic, gourmet street food from Latin America. Their build-your-own style means you can customize your order to your own taste, to boot.

 


 

 

The Fat Shallot Food Truck

 

 

The Fat Shallot

How do delicious, made-to-order sandwiches sound? Just about perfect, that’s how. This husband-and-wife team grills up comfort food, elevated.

Vendor Spotlight: A Riot of Color, Brew City Yarns

Welcome to YarnCon week! Are you as excited as we are?

While the blog will be packed full of info this week, we wanted to introduce you to two more vendors you’ll see this weekend. Last year’s attendees will almost certainly remember Susan of A Riot of Color, with her space-age purple spinning wheel! A Riot of Color returns this year (we can’t vouch for the wheel), with her palette of wild and fun hues. Susan will be teaching classes in Playing With Color and Spinning for Kids as well, so you can get a close-up view.

Brew City Yarns makes their YarnCon debut with another wild range of saturated color with a pop-culture twist. Their rotating monthly themes keep things lively!


riotofcolor2A Riot of Color
http://ariotofcolor.etsy.com/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
We dye vivid colors that make your heart sing!

Any special or featured products you want to share?
We will have Four Elements kits — four mini skeins inspired by earth, air, fire, and water — perfect for color work, and kits to make “My Head’s in a Whirl” hats, a two-color worsted hat with a horizontal cable brim.


Brew City YarnsBrew City Yarns
http://www.brewcityyarns.com/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
Brew City Yarns is a family business that specializes in hand-painted artisan yarns. Each month we release a new theme of yarns that includes full skeins and mini-skein sets. Past months have included: My Little Pony, Star Wars, and Disney Villains. Our April theme is inspired by the Welcome to Night Vale podcast.

Any special or featured products you want to share?
Because we carry so many yarn bases, from laceweight to bulky, if you see a color you would like made on a certain base, we will ship it to you for free if ordered at YarnCon. There are also many fiber and kits that we keep exclusively for fiber shows.

 

Sponsor Spotlight: Knit 1

Today we’re checking in with Knit 1, who is supporting this year’s YarnCon as a sponsor. I’m not sure how store owner Lynn found time to answer our questions, what with moving the whole store, even if just across the street.

The new, larger spot opens up Saturday, so go check it out and say hi!


Knit 1Knit 1
3856 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago IL 60613
http://www.knit1chgo.com/

What will folks find at your store?
Since we have a brand new store, they will find a beautiful, new space with lots of yarn! We stock things we love, natural fibers and unique brands in a range of prices. I particularly love color, so you can expect lots of that in our yarns! 

Do you carry any indie-dyed lines (or other handmade items) in your store?
   Yes. We have yarns from local dyers plus bags, yarn bowls, and needles made by (mostly local) artists.

YarnCon is, at heart, a party to bring together fiber lovers and encourage support for independent makers. How does this jibe with your store philosophy?
   There is so much local talent in this city! Knit 1 supports independent makers in several ways. We help by teaching and offering a variety of classes so artists and makers can learn new skills. We sell locally made goods – I mentioned the yarn bowls and bags – but we also hold book signings of local authors and host trunk shows for local makers. We love to see the work of local designers; supporting up-and-coming designers and giving them a place to show and grow their work is a win-win for all of us in the fiber community. In the new store we have a large class area designed specially so we can teach other fiber arts like dyeing, spinning, embroidery and weaving.

Tell us about the new 1knit1chicago project!
   I thought you’d never ask! We are showcasing 5 Chicago knitwear designers who will be designing exclusive patterns for Knit 1 in 2016. The 1knit1chicago Kit Club participants will have exclusive access to 5 fun accessory patterns designed by local knitwear designers. The way it works is, starting in April and debuting every other month through December, pattern club subscribers will get their pattern and yarn for the project in an exclusive 1knit1chicago project bag, plus an extra bonus gift! Adding needles to the kit is also available.

Chicago designers include Allyson Dykhuizen, Sarah B. Abram, Amelia Plunk, Leah Coccari-Swift and Stefanie Goodwin-Ritter. Yarns featured in these kits are Wonderland Yarns, Mrs Crosby, Hikoo by Skacel, Dream in Color and Mountain Colors.  Project bags are made at WORK + SHELTER.  

We’ll be hosting pattern launch parties at the store for every pattern. The designer of that month’s pattern will be there to answer questions and help everyone to get started!

What do you most want people to know about you?
   After 50 years of knitting I’m still as passionate about it as I have ever been! Creating a space and community for all fiber enthusiasts has been a lifelong goal.

Sponsor Spotlight: Yarnify!

We are rich in LYS options in the Chicago area, and we’re thrilled to have two of them supporting this year’s YarnCon as sponsors! We posed a few questions to Barbara at Yarnify! and Lynn of Knit 1, to let them introduce their stores to you in their own words. We were also interested to hear how YarnCon’s focus on independent makers, and the greater fiber community, fit in with their own philosophies.

Today we hear from Barbara, Yarnify! owner; on Friday we’ll check in with Lynn of Knit 1.


YarnifyfpYarnify!
47 W. Polk St., Chicago IL 60605
http://www.yarnify.com

What will folks find at your store?
   Our goal at Yarnify! is to carry a thoughtful mix of the best yarns we can find.  It’s no secret to fiber friends that this is the greatest time in the history of the world to participate in fiber crafts, so our challenge is to choose among the wealth of wonderful yarns and fibers available and stock something for every taste and budget. Brands featured include Cascade, Berroco, Classic Elite, Madelinetosh, Malabrigo, and Rowan, with selected gems from Baah, Sweet Georgia, Jilly, Frabjous Fibers and Misti Alpaca.  Oh, and let’s not forget the huge selection of roving!

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Do you carry any indie-dyed lines (or other handmade items) in your store?
   Yes indeed, and we are constantly looking for opportunities to showcase local artisans whose innovative products enrich our crafting lives. The mix of offerings varies over time, but recently has included yarns, as well as project bags, knitted accessories, amigurumi, and pins.  And we just started offering our very own Nonesuch American Worsted, 100% domestic superwash wool dyed in lively tonal shades by a local artisan! We are looking to collaborate with other local artists on limited-edition runs of hand-dyed yarns. Who knows, maybe we’ll run into a few at YarnCon!

YarnCon is, at heart, a party to bring together fiber lovers and encourage support for independent makers. How does this jibe with your store philosophy?
   Yarnify! exists because passionate crafters need two things: a place where they can enjoy the entire sensory experience of selecting yarn and projects, and a supportive community where they can learn about fiber and stretch their crafting skills through a lifetime of projects. Uniqueness is a strong motivator for crafters; we want to make something distinctive, something that reflects our personal tastes. So it’s no surprise that as novice crafters gain knowledge and confidence, they develop an appreciation for the beauty, sophistication and uniqueness of handmade products.  Part of our mission at Yarnify! is to awaken that appreciation and introduce these crafters to everything we celebrate at YarnCon! 

What do you most want people to know about you?
   That I’m crazy about color! Solids, tonals, gradients, multicolors, spatter-dyes, you name it. There’s nothing more enjoyable to me than helping someone find exactly the right shade(s) or tint(s) or hue(s).  

Anything else you want to share?
   That I’m eagerly anticipating the arrival of YarnCon – so much beauty, talent, energy, and potential packed into an exhilarating weekend!

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Vendor Spotlight: Deitricks’ Alpaca Ranch, Esther’s Place

We welcome back two returning vendors in today’s post!

Deitricks’ Alpaca Ranch brings their own naturally colored alpaca fiber in all the pettable forms you can think of; yarn and fiber, along with plenty of finished items.

If you’ve never tried needle felting (and especially if you have), the Esther’s Place booth is always a fun hangout. Loads of demos, kits, and felting tools for all skill ranges, plus fiber in every shade for concocting your own creations.


Dietricks' Alpaca RanchDeitricks’ Alpaca Ranch
http://www.deitricksalpacaranch.com/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
We are a family farm currently home to 70 huacaya alpacas (and growing!), raising our own luxurious alpaca fiber. We are dedicated to bringing the most environmentally friendly/sustainable fiber to our clients in all natural colors; we don’t dye. We offer our own farm-raised fiber made into yarn, roving, felt, fiber batts, hand woven rugs, hand knit hats, gloves, scarves, cowls, raw fiber and more!

Any special or featured products you want to share?
Yarn! Yarn! Yarn!

 


Esther's PlaceEsther’s Place
http://www.esthersplacefibers.com/

What would you MOST like YarnCon shoppers to know about you?
Great selection of hand dyed merino top roving..hand blended batts and needle felting kits and supplies!! Free demos…a fun booth to visit!!

Any special or featured products you want to share?

Needle felting kits and supplies of all types:

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Vendor Spotlight: Resheeped 4 Ewe, Mondo Mojo

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 EweResheeped 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:

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My own handspun (shown here in Mesa):


Mondo MojoMondo 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?

Vendor Spotlight: Dragonfly Fibers, Cottage Stitches

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 FibersDragonfly 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 StitchesCottage 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:

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Knitting Needle Gauges:

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Vendor Spotlight: Posh Fibers, Hopkins Sewing Studio

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 FibersPosh 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!

 

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Hopkins Sewing StudioHopkins 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:

Vendor Spotlight: Lindsay Streem DIY, Spinning Chicken Studio

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 DesignsLindsay 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.

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spinningchicken2Spinning 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.

Vendor Spotlight: Sophie’s Toes, Backyard Fibers

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 Sock YarnSophie’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!

 


backyardBackyard 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:

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