We have a plan!!!
PERTH FESTIVAL OF YARN VERSION 2.0
This is the post I hoped I would never have to write.
Following the First Minister’s briefing on 28 May, it is clear that the easing of lock-down restrictions will be conducted in an extremely gradual and cautious manner. I agree completely that this is essential to maintain the safety of everyone who has made Scotland their home.
Since the beginning of lock-down I have trouble-shot every scenario and adjustment we could have implemented to try and allow the physical event to go ahead if we could have done this without risk to public health. However there are too many unknowns to factor in, including other businesses in our local area that we would need to know with certainty would be operating. Perth is an international celebration and with the real possibility of some of our tutors and vendors, as well as some of you our attendees, facing quarantine on entering the UK and again after you have joined us, trying to press on now is impossible.
Without doubt cancelling the physical event is the only responsible action to take at this time, but it would be an understatement to say that I am devastated by this decision. Organising and hosting Perth Festival of Yarn is an all encompassing labour of love each year and the planning of each celebration takes between 12-18 months. The gathering of souls is at the heart of what we do, and to realise that we won’t be able to share this special time together as we do annually is deeply upsetting.
So what do we do now?
The Truly Hooked Zoom Room Lounge will be live over the weekend, and we’re encouraging everyone to pop in with their crafting and finished garments virtually. We have a number of famous designers and podcasters from around the globe who will be secretly jumping in and out which we know will bring some happiness.
Our Keynote Lecture will be pre-recorded and we will be releasing this with a fee to access. We have also reached out to some other amazing tutor/designers and asked if they would put together exclusive presentations that will be released over the weekend. These will be announced in the future.
Our Vendors’ Gallery Marketplace is evolving to an online Festival Shop for the weekend which will be full to the brim of exclusive products as well as Festival merchandise. Each purchase will support both the vendor and the Festival. There will also be a feature to donate directly to support us should you wish to.
Thank you all for your continued faith and love which is especially precious at this time. Our event will be different from expected this year, but it will be no less special.
Eva
WANT TO DESIGN THE PERTH 2019 OFFICIAL T-SHIRTS?
We are looking to maintain the feeling of excitement that you get at rock music festivals and Perth Festival of Yarn. This is contemporary, fresh, vibrant, something that doesn’t just spark joy but ignites. Perth is the place where The Kniteratti assemble, new businesses/products are launched, where the FOMO is REAL. The perfect design will translate well on uni-sex t-shirts in adult sizes XS to 5XL, be preferably on a black background and one colour only.
Rules of entry
All entries must be received by 1 April and sent to hello@thescottishyarnfestival.com.
The judgement of the Perth Festival of Yarn Team Competition Panel is final.
In submitting your design/s you consent to it being used in full (or part) in this calendar year and future years with merchandising and promotion of Perth Festival of Yarn.
You may submit as many designs as you wish.
The prize is 2 tickets to Perth Festival of Yarn 2019 on 7 and 8 September and does not include travel or accommodation expenses. This prize is non-transferable
You must be over 16 to enter.
Vendors, sponsors, designers, volunteers of Perth Festival of Yarn may participate.
Cia and Pip of Tipsy Knits Podcast have taken over our blog to let you know why Perth is the hottest ticket in town this Autumn. Catch them in The Knitter Podcast Lounge at the Festival and listen to their audio podcast on either Youtube or your preferred streaming platform.
There’s nothing we love more than a good yarn festival. What could be better than an opportunity to spend time with fellow yarn-lovers, expand knitting knowledge, and “smoosh” countless skeins from favourite and new providers- and all under one roof?! We attended Perth Festival of Yarn for the first time last year, and when Eva asked if we’d like to share our favourite aspects of what was easily one of our 2017 knitty highlights, we were more than happy to oblige. Grab a drink and buckle in, Tipsy Knits will tell all!
The Atmosphere
Atmosphere, ambiance, the “vibe”…whatever you call it, but our general sense of Perth was that it was easily one of the friendliest and most relaxed events we’ve attended. There was no need to worry about incidents involving sharpened elbows, or frenzied dashing about for fear of missing out.
The queue was abuzz with excitement when we arrived, and the entire venue hummed with activity as everyone admired the beautiful woolly offerings of the vendors, and shared their stash enhancements with friends. It was lovely being able to explore the marketplace, and spend time in the Lagom Felt Studio-sponsored Podcast Lounge without feeling any sense of pressure, as well as having more time to chat to other festival goers.
The Venue
Both of us had travelled to Perth before (very easy from Glasgow, and most other destinations in Scotland, which made attending possible for us), but we hadn’t been to the Dewars Centre before. It was a short walk from the train station and well sign-posted, though we have to admit that the steady stream of people in knitwear also clued us in!
The Dewars Centre itself was great- we noted that the building was very accessible for prams and wheelchairs, but the marketplace layout was one of the key strengths here. The stands were entirely open (no stall backing or “booth” structures), and the aisles between them were nice and wide, allowing plenty of space for browsing, as well as for pausing to say a quick “hello” and catch up with
knitters we hadn’t seen in a while. There was also plenty of space with seating around the outside of the marketplace, as well as upstairs in the café and Podcast Lounge, further adding to the overall feeling of openness and the festival’s calm atmosphere.
The Marketplace
We spent a lot of time in the marketplace, and we were very impressed with the range of vendors at the festival, particularly as a number of them were attending as first-time vendors and were also new-to-us. As the festival’s atmosphere and space were so open, we were able to spend more time talking to the small-holders, indie dyers, and learn more about them and their products. We both
eventually left having enhanced our stashes with yarn from vendors we wouldn’t have otherwise encountered, as well as long wish-lists of producers we’d like to further support. If you’re looking to expand your Scottish yarny horizons, we cannot recommend the Perth Festival of Yarn marketplace enough.
The People
We really cannot express how much we loved spending time at the festival meeting fellow yarn crafters, catching up with old friends- not to mention making new ones. We were able to spend a lot of time in the Podcast Lounge and meet some of our listeners – that really made our day! – but we’re also lucky enough to be able to count so many other podcasters and crafters among our friends now. At the risk of repeating ourselves, having so much space and such a friendly atmosphere really facilitated being able to sit down and spend time with people, in a way that we’d not experienced at other events. We expected to leave with yarn, but we didn’t anticipate leaving with a brand new circle of friends – and that was definitely one of the best things about Perth.
Our #perthyarnfest18 Plans
The vendor list this year is superb, and we both have very long lists of stands we can’t wait to return to, or meet for the first time. Naturally, we’re looking forward to seeing the friends we made last year, and more recently, in The Knitter Podcast Lounge and the marketplace. We’re particularly excited to see our #ExplorationPodKAL partners in crime, Rosie (PixelAtlantis) and Kirsty (Grianaig Creations), and their stands in the marketplace. As we’re both big fans of colourful hand-dyed yarn, vendors such as Cosmic Strings, Otherwordly Yarns, and TreLiz are on our must-see list, as well as our podcast faves, Rusty Ferret, and The Queen of Purls, our LYS.
Overall, we had an absolutely fantastic time at Perth- and we only attended the Podcast Lounge and marketplace. Eva and her volunteers created a wonderful event that we hope to keep attending in the years to come. See you there?
Sometimes, dreams do come true.
Just a short while ago we mentioned that the initial nominations were open for the annual British Knitting and Crochet Awards, hosted by Let’s Knit and Let’s Get Crafting Magazines. These awards are widely regarded as the most prestigious in our industry.
We’re over the moon to share that we have been shortlisted for Best Knitting Show Event 2017/18! What makes this nomination all the more special for us is that it has been voted for by you, and that you also get to decide who will walk away with the prize now the final vote is open.
To be recognised at this level after only 2 festivals is incredible; and not only is it helping raise our visibility but it also has a positive impact on all those small businesses and individuals on the journey with us – whether they are our vendors, tutors, lecturers, podcasters, bloggers, volunteers and so many more.
To vote for us to win, please click on the button below. (Did we mention the prize draws worth hundreds of pounds?)
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Nominations for the British Knitting & Crochet Awards 2018 have now opened. Making the shortlist for Best Event would mean the absolute world to us, but we can’t do it without your help. Please spare 2 minutes and nominate now by clicking on the button below
Everyone who nominates us has the chance of winning a giant hamper of yarn, accessories and gadgets worth £300, or one of two £50 book bundles.
Nominations close on 12 April so please do not delay; we do our absolute best to deliver the very best event that we can for our vendors and festival-goers every single year. Please support us with your nomination – we can’t do this without you!
Click Here ⇓
