Time to apply for YarnCon 2013!

Hey everyone, we're back, and ready to see those applications roll in for YarnCon 2013. Thanks for sticking with us; we know we made you wait a while longer than expected. Changes and life get in the way sometimes. As busy as we have been planning this big new expanded YarnCon, we've all had big expanding changes in our private lives too, and those had to take precedence. We hope you understand, and we hope you are as excited as we are for the next YarnCon! So, without further ado, here is the link to the application for YarnCon 2013: https://www.yarncon.com/yarnconapp13.html And, if you are free on February 19, 2013, at 6:45pm, we'll be talking everyone's ears off about YarnCon at the Windy City Knitting Guild meeting. Please join them, and us, to talk about what YarnCon is all about.

Let's Spring Ahead!

*tap tap* Is this thing on? Hey there yarn-lovers! Sorry we haven't updated this blog in so long. We've missed you, and we know you've been wondering what we have been up to, so let's do some catching up. As you may have noticed, we are not hosting YarnCon this Fall. Instead we've decided to spring ahead to Spring with double the YarnCon! YarnCon 2013 will be on April 6-7, 2013 at the Stephen M. Bailey Auditorium. It was not an easy decision to make, but with the increasing number of Fall fiber events, and the difficulty in finding a venue to better suit our growing show, we knew this would be the right move. Wait until you see our new digs! We're still close to public transit, plus tons of great restaurants. And the parking! 275 parking spaces! Although we are a bit sad to say good-bye to the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse and the wonderful staff there, we knew this was the right move for YarnCon. We hope you agree, and we hope you will help us make this the most amazing YarnCon yet! We'll be bringing you more updates soon (honest!)

YarnCon is Saturday, September 24!

YarnCon 2011 is only eight days away. We're so close, we can almost taste it. We have some amazing vendors again this year, as well as a full day of shopping, and of course, workshops.

Speaking of workshops, for the first time ever we're able to offer online registration for them this year! It's terribly exciting. Go and sign up now. No, go on. We'll wait.

Er, well, that's all we wanted to say about that. The show's coming up soon, and we hope to see you there! Spread the word, and tell your friends. Come fondle the fiber and add to your stash!

Countdown!

There are only 11 days left before the application deadline for YarnCon! We're really excited about the applications we've gotten so far, so keep them coming! You'll be in fine yarny company.

Let's knit in public!

I am pleased to announce that we will be knitting in public at Millennium Park again this year! We will be at the Boeing Gallery North, under the shady trees. World Wide Knit in Public day is June 11, 2011. We will officially meet from 12-4, but please come as early or as late as you like. If it rains, we will meet in the old reading room behind the Randolph Cafe (Randolph Street entrance) in the Chicago Cultural Center, just across the street from Millennium Park.

I already know what I will be working on (I am just starting an afghan, and I hope to get at least a few squares done that day.) How about you? Now, all I have to do is hope I don't miss it again this year; no plague please!

Getting ready for YarnCon 2011

Hey, remember us? We're back with news about YarnCon 2011!

We are pleased to announce that the vendor application for YarnCon is now live on our webpage: http://www.yarncon.com

YarnCon will take place on September 24, 2011 from 11am to 6pm! We hope the later and longer hours will work well for those of you who work on Saturdays. We did move the show up a week in order to secure parking spaces for our vendors. We don't know yet if we will keep the date. We will see how what you think after this year's event, and take it from there. We are still at the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse at 1419 W. Blackhawk.

Every year we try to build on the lessons we learned producing the previous year's show, and this year is no different. Heck, we're already working on next year's show too. We worked long and hard to hammer out the details for this year, and we hope you will be pleased. We got lots of detailed feedback from our vendors and attendees, and we tried to incorporate as many suggestions as we could. We know not everyone will like the date change, and we really tried hard to find the day that would work for most people. I guess this is just a long way of saying, we're listening. We hope you will keep sharing your thoughts with us, and sharing in our yarny adventures.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have a hat to knit, and I would like to get it done so my husband can wear it before Spring is over! Besides, the more stash I knit up now, the more room I will have for yarn on September 24th!

High on Yarn Fumes

Clearly we are so enthusiastic about planning for and organizing YarnCon, that we have no time to blog! Or, we need to add this here blog to our to-do list.

But busy we were, and the result was another lovely (albeit rainy and windy) day spent with hundreds of yarn-lovers. Even with the last minute move to the East Gym, it was a great day, with two rooms full of fantastic vendors, workshops, and yarn enthusiasts.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of our vendors, instructors and volunteers. It would not be YarnCon without you!

We also want to thank Heartland Cafe for being a part of YarnCon since the beginning. We want Heartland to be around for many YarnCons to come, but they are having some serious financial problems. Please visit their website to see how you can help them out, or just head over to the Heartland Cafe, and have a tasty meal.