What We Miss About Fiber Festivals

Fiber festivals are magical things. Classes on topics from dyeing to embroidery to advanced knitting and crochet techniques abound, wonderful vendors bring out beautiful yarns, fibers, and accessories to peruse, and there are so many other fiber folks to meet! We’ve written about fiber festivals before, but for the past few years, fiber festivals have been few and far between. As people continue getting vaccinated, however, and the world begins to open up, we wanted to share some of the things we’re looking forward to for fiber festivals in 2022!

Allison’s Sensory Experience

Allison Korleski, Video Producer and Podcast Host

It may seem strange, but what I miss the most about attending fiber festivals are the smells. I attended Rhinebeck for years, and my memories are always entwined with the scents of autumn leaves, woodsmoke, apples, kettle corn, and of course many fuzzy animals. It’s a mix of childhood nostalgia, living completely in the moment, and llamas. Definitely llamas.

Stephanie’s Sweater Watch

Stephanie White, Former Content Manager

I haven’t been to many fiber festivals (something I sincerely hope to remedy in the coming years), but I did have the pleasure of attending the holy grail of fiber festivals, the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival, aka Rhinebeck, a few years back. There was so much to love about that experience, but two things really made that trip special. First, the people watching. And by people watching, I really mean sweater watching. Only at a fiber festival will you see all the sweaters you’ve been thinking of making (and a few you didn’t even know existed) parade by you. It’s basically a laid-back hand-knit fashion show. And second, the yarn. Knitting is such a sensory experience, and being able to see, touch, and smell new-to-me fibers was exhilarating. I’m so looking forward to admiring sweaters and touching yarn as fiber festivals return to in-person.

Julia’s Riot of Colors

Julia Pillard, Digital Content Editor

My first fiber festival was one I attended with my aunt when I lived in Iowa. Then, in 2019, I was able to explore the Yarn Fest marketplace one morning. In both cases, the rainbow of skeins in the marketplace enthralled me: all this yarn just waiting to be turned into something beautiful. I remember picking up skein after skein, feeling the squishy texture of wool or the cool softness of silk blends. I didn’t know as much then as I do now about yarn, and I can hardly wait to go back and browse through the many beautiful fibers once more with fresh eyes. I’m looking forward to the classes too, of course. But mostly, I’m looking forward to spending way too much money on yarn for future projects!

We are so excited that, coming in 2022, Interweave Yarn Fest is returning! Registration is open now: you can sign up below. No matter if this is your first fiber festival or your fiftieth, we look forward to seeing you there!

Get ready for Yarn Fest!