Sponsor Post: Metro Yarn Crawl

Get ready for this year’s Metro Yarn Crawl! Visit the MYC shops from April 14–22, 2012 for nine days of fabulous discounts, events, and fun! Purchase the MYC tote for $10 from any of these shops to enjoy 20% off full-priced yarn, fiber, books, and patterns! Earn stamps for visiting each shop and earn an entry for the grand prize drawing at the shop of your choice. Visit metroyarncrawl.com for more details.











Participating shops:
Aylin’s Woolgatherer
fibre space™
In Stitches Needlework
Knit and Stitch = Bliss
The Knitting Boutique
Looped Yarn Works
A Tangled Skein
Uniquities Yarn Shop
Woolwinders Yarn Shop
The Yarn Spot

Thank You!

We had a really great time today and want to thank everyone who came and participated! Apologies in advance to anyone I have inadvertently left out here…

Our generous sponsors:
(see their profiles on earlier dates and links to their websites on the left)
Fibre Space (Alexandria)
Knit and Stitch = Bliss (Bethesda)
The Knitting Boutique (Glen Burnie)
Looped Yarn Works (DC)
Nature’s Yarns (Fairfax)
A Tangled Skein (Hyattsville)
Aylin’s Woolgatherer (Falls Church)
Dog House Yarns (Culpeper)
Frivolous Fibers (St. Michael’s)
Uniquities Yarn Shop (Vienna)
Woolwinders (Rockville)
The Yarn Spot (Wheaton)
Yarns International (online/Cabin John)

Door prize donors:
All of our vendors, Aylin’s Woolgatherer, Fibre Space, Namaste, Nature’s Yarns, Uniquities, Unicorn Fibre, Yarns International, Lauren and Kim

Our talented vendors:
All of our vendors make their own products in some way, whether that means raising the animals, dyeing the fiber, spinning the yarn, or crafting by hand in small batches. You can find profiles of each of the vendors on our blog, with links to their websites.

Our wonderful volunteers:
We couldn’t do this without you and truly appreciate all your hard work helping spread the word and ensuring everything comes together on the day of show.
Angelique, Beth, Carole, Christine, Christopher, Courtney, Cybele, Eric, Greg, Janet, Jenn, Kimberly, Laura, Liz, Liz D, Lori, Marseille, Melissa, Sarah, Suzanne, Theresa N, Theresa W, Mila, Liisa, Su, Ash, Arthella, Michelle, Trish, Kathie, Cindy, Ellen, Dorothy, and anyone else who helped throughout the day or dropped off postcards at their local shops and groups

Our selection committee:
Who have the difficult job of narrowing down the applicants to fit our space

Our teachers and demonstrators:
Marseille, Claire, Lauren, Cyb, Lori, and Kendrahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

CHINS Hat donors:
lots of you! Claire reports that we got nearly 100 hats for children and infants this year. Fantastic!

And everyone who came to shop and socialize and learn and be awesome together!

Please share your photos in our 2012 Flickr Group: Homespun Yarn Party 2012

We’ll see you next year!

-Jess, Paula, Corrine, and Lindsay

Spinning and Knitting Contests at the Yarn Party

This year, The Homesupun Yarn Party is creating a little friendly competition! At 3:00, we will be holding a longest thread and at 4:15, a fastest knitter contest.

Longest Thread: Each contestant will be asked to bring their favorite spindle. We will provide 10g or fiber. Each friendly competitor will be given 15 minutes to spin the longest single they can. At the end of 15 minutes, a judge will count the yards and a winner will be declared. If a thread breaks in unwinding, the longest piece will be counted.

Fastest Knitter: Each contestant will be asked to bring their favorite size 8 needles. We will provide a ball of worsted weight yarn. Each friendly competitor will be given 15 minutes to cast on 25 stitches and knit a garter stitch rectangle as long as they can. At the end of 15 minutes, a judge will count the stitches and a winner will be declared.

A prize will be awarded to the winner of each contest, so bring your best and brightest to the competition! A batt to the spinning winner, and a hand dyed skein of yarn for the knitting winner.

Schedule of Events

We have a lot planned for this year's Yarn Party!! Here's a general schedule of events:

Shopping
- Doors will open for shopping at Noon and close at 5 pm.

Door Prizes
- We will be drawing door prize tickets every half hour throughout the day. Prizes packages will be on display at the HYP Swag table - place your ticket in the jar for the prize you'd most like to win but make sure you'll be in the room when that ticket is drawn - you must be present to claim your prize.

Intro Classes
- Intro to Spinning on a Drop Spindle at 1:30 and 3:30
- Intro to Crochet at 2:30
- Intro to Knitting at 3:30

Contests
3:00 we will hold a Spinning Contest and at 4:15 we will host a Knitting Contest - more details to come!

(Supplies and loaner needles/hooks will be provided for each class and the contests.)

Demos
Weather permitting, we will hold demos out on the deck of needle felting, wheel spinning, fleece carding and combing, and an antique sock machine in action.

Charity Hat Collection
As a reminder, we are collecting hats for charity this year too. Drop by the Knitters & Crocheters Care table in the center of the room any time throughout the day.

Sponsor: Woolwinders

We're happy to have Woolwinders as a sponsor this year!





Beginning on April 1, 2012, Woolwinders Yarn Shop will have new hours!
Our new hours will be:

Sundays 12-5 PM
Mondays Closed
Tuesdays 11-6 PM
Wednesdays 11-6 PM
Thursdays 11-7 PM
Fridays 11-6 PM
Saturdays 11-6 PM



Join Woolwinders on Ravelry!

We are located at 404 King Farm Blvd. in Rockville, MD 20850 off of Route 355.

We carry top of the line luxury fiber yarns from such industry leaders at Rowan, Madelinetosh, Art Yarns, Blue Sky, Cascade, Schaefer, Berroco, Classic Elite, Malabrigo, Shalimar, and Stonehedge Fiber Mill as well as Addi needles, buttons, bags, current knitting books and magazines. We also offer a full-range of multi-skill levels knitting and crocheting classes year round as well as special group knitting events.



Woolwinders has been in business for almost ten years, however, I have recently purchased the business and have been the new owner for the past two years. What inspired me to buy the business was all the wonderful knitters and crocheters that I have an opportunity to meet everyday!

My favorite thing about owning this business is seeing everyone's beautiful projects and getting to play with all the beautiful yarns!

Sponsor: Frivolous Fibers

1. What is your website? www.frivolousfibers.com




2. What is your Ravelry name/group if you have one? Frivolous Fibers

3. Where are you located and what are your hours? 112 N Talbot Street, St Michaels, Md 21663 10:00 - 5:00 Mon - Sun

4. What kinds of things do you carry? Unique handpainted, handspun, artyarns, natural fibers,, patterns and books, Addi, Knitpicks and Signatures needles, knitting and crochet accessories

5. How long have you been in business, and what inspired you to open your business? Opened in 2005

6. What's your favorite thing about having your business? Our favorite thing is all our amazing customers and then Yarn, Yarn, Yarn











Do check out Frivolous Fibers the next time you're in beautiful St. Michael's! (a great place to check out, btw!)

Sponsor: Dog House Yarns

We've got a new-to-us sponsor this year: Dog House Yarns!



This shop is located in Culpeper, Virginia: 708 Sunset Lane, Culpeper, VA 22701

HOURS
Sunday: Noon to 4 pm
Monday: 11 am - 5 pm
Tuesday: 11 am - 5 pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 11 am - 8pm
Friday: 11 am - 3 pm
Saturday: 11 am - 5 pm

Please check out this shop next time you're out that way - looks like a lot of fun yarns!