2018 Classes, Contest, and Swag

For many years now, we've run The Longest Thread Competition at Homespun Yarn Party. Its been such a hit, that we’re doing it again!

Bring your favorite drop spindle and 10g of the fiber of your choice. Everybody gets ten minutes to spin as much singles yardage as they can. The longest singles wins GLORY, and a prize!

Hope you join us!

Don't know how to spin on a drop spindle? We will teach you! We'll offer free classes on knitting, crochet, and drop spindle throughout the day.  If you're a beginner looking to pick up a new craft, loaner needles and hooks will be provided for intro to knit and crochet lessons. For the spinning lessons, you can purchase some fiber and a spindle from one of our lovely vendors or bring your own.

We're excited to bring back two of our intermediate level classes this year:

We'll show a few different cast ons - i.e. for toe up socks, or the circular cast on for shawls (instead of the tab), or even how to knit that tab. Time permitting, we may add some cast-off options, such as a stretchy bind off for socks or cuffs.

For both knitters and crocheters, we will give tips on how to weave in ends. Then we will show some methods to join new yarn in the middle of a project to avoid having ends to weave in at all. Among other options, you'd be able to watch a spit splice demonstration then try it on your own!

We're also offering a new class this year on adjusting your gauge. You've seen that cryptic heading of GAUGE in your pattern but paid little attention to it? You've seen it and paid attention but wondered just how flexible you could be with it? You really want to use this great indie dyer yarn that is kind of bulky in a pattern that calls for worsted weight yarn? This workshop is for you. We'll have some sample swatches and rulers on hand, but if you have your own ruler bring it along with a swatch and a pattern that you are planning to make - preferably for a rectangular finished object (i.e. scarves, shawls, some hats, some fingerless gloves, etc.).

Classes are held at the center tables. Space is limited and classes are first come, first served.

1:15 – Cast-On Options

1:45 – Intro to Drop Spindle

2:15 – Weave In, Join Ends

2:45 – Intro to Drop Spindle

3:15 – Adjusting Gauge

3:45 – Longest Thread Contest

4:15 – Intro Knit/Crochet & Demos

In addition to our group sessions, our Roving Teachers will be available for one-on-one project help and Q&A throughout the day.
Do you have a project in the works that could benefit from some quick expert advice? Bring it along! Our teachers have generously offered to make time available for those needing a bit of help on a project (e.g. picking up stitches, tightening holes in heel gussets, those blasted side stitches that like to get messy, joining new fiber on your spindle without losing twist, interpreting a tricky pattern instruction) and offer impromptu mini-sessions and on the spot Q&A on crochet, spinning, and knitting.

If you see one of our teachers sitting at the class table without an active class session, or roving about, sporting an HYP "Roving Teacher" button, feel free to flag them down for assistance!

Our teachers will be out and about throughout the day. We want to make sure our teachers get some shopping time in, so if they don't have their button on, they're off-duty. The 4:15 class session will depend on interest - we definitely want to enable new knitters and crocheters - but most Yarn Partiers are already pretty savvy so we will likely have best availability in the 4:00 hour.

We'll have fantastic door prizes throughout the day, courtesy of our vendors and sponsors. You'll get a raffle ticket as you enter, and we'll draw winners every half hour. Prize packages will be on display at the HYP Door Prizes table (aka the TABLE OF AWESOME) - 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.

Don't forget to bring your knitted/crocheted accessories and comfort monsters for Artemis House, Shelter House, and TAPS. If you have any extra yarn you'd like to donate, Claire will be happy to take it off your hands at the Knitters and Crocheters Care table. Some scarves will be started if you'd like to stop by and add a few rows. You can read more about this year's project here.

We'll have Homespun Yarn Party bags, stitch marker boxes, key tags, tape measures, and buttons for sale at the HYP swag table just inside the door. We will have a few limited edition 10th anniversary buttons left, in case you missed getting one last year. Brand new this year: HYP stitch markers, available with lobster claw or split rings. If you don't have a swift and ball winder at home, or if you just can't wait to start working with your new purchases, we will offer winding for $2 a skein at the HYP Winding Station. All proceeds support future Homespun Yarn Party events.

Here's a preview...

photo by kaylavie - RatchetCatBoutique

Weather permitting, the adjacent deck will be available to hang out and socialize if you need a break from shopping. If the deck is open and it's warm, we may also have some fun demos of wheel spinning and electric spinners. Keep your fingers crossed for lovely weather, but our vendors are all indoors so we are mud-free and dry, rain or shine!

NOTE: Our class tables must be kept open for our scheduled sessions and Roving Teachers, and our charity tables for those actively working on a charity project. We ask that shoppers leave their wheels in their vehicles until the final hour of the event unless the deck is open (check first as we have no public storage space). We understand if you need to take a few moments to sit and recover from the yarn fumes but please be courteous of your fellow shoppers and share time at the social tables.