How it works

A day of wool-to-wool fun.

Please note the the following information pertains to in-person Yarn Hops. This year, in accordance with provincial health measures, we will have hosting a virtual event. Read more about our upcoming virtual hop.

The Teams

With so many crafters involved and with so many wonderful local yarn stores to visit, we found it was best to split up into different teams. Each team will have approximately 10 members plus two Team Captains. They will travel along a pre-planned route via public transit with 3-4 yarn shops, and last stop at the restaurant where we will celebrate and draw prizes at the end of the day.

Routes

Route information will be available in the spring of each year. You’ll be sure to hear about it on our Facebook or Instagram!

The Team Captains

Each team is facilitated by two clever, dedicated and yarn-loving Team Captains who will lead team members to the yarn shops on their selected route and make sure everyone has fun! They will also give out handy swag bags for team members to carry their yarn haul, sell raffle tickets throughout the day, and let team members know where to drop off their donations.

Team captains will use their talents and wit to try their best in supporting the team members and resolving any issues that arise throughout the day. The Yarn Hop organizers will also provide abundant resources and support to ensure that the Team Captains are well-equipped and prepared. Team Captains are also volunteers who may not have expert familiarity with the TTC, the routes or the yarn stores. So we ask team members to please bear with us if we have to take a minute to Google-Map or find the information the team needs, and we always appreciate it when savvy team members offer help and tips to the team.

Tickets / Raffle Tickets / Donations

Tickets to participate are $22 each. One raffle ticket is included with registration!

Raffle tickets will also be awarded to participants who donated FOs (finished knitted/crocheted items), yarn or other supplies to the charitable drop off sites at various yarn stores, so please let your Team Captains know if you have brought items to donate! One raffle ticket is awarded for each donated item, with a maximum of 3 raffle tickets per person for donations.

Please note that raffle prizes need to be claimed in person at dinner, either by the person who bought the raffle ticket or by a fellow participant to claim the prize on the person’s behalf, and unclaimed prizes will be redrawn. Please see below for more information about our dinner celebration this year.

Getting Around – Transit Costs and Walking

Registration does not include the cost of public transit — participants are responsible for bringing a TTC Day Pass, Presto card or sufficient cash for transit. TTC day passes currently cost $13. You can share this pass with one other adult so finding a yarn-hop buddy is a good idea! Fare details can be found here on the TTC website.

While we try to plan our routes so that we minimize walking time to preserve our energy for knitting/crocheting/shopping, you can expect that there will be some walking involved between a bus/streetcar/subway stop and a yarn store, or a bit of extra walking as a result of TTC service change – a few blocks or around 10 minutes of walking in some cases.

Accessibility

If you have a support companion, your support companion is welcome to accompany you without paying registration fee. Please let us know in your registration form if you’re coming with a support person. If you require other accommodations or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Personal Information

No personal information will be published online other than Ravelry user names or Instagram handles (if you choose to provide them) and/or blogs if you choose to share that information with us. We don’t share our email list. You can expect that your fellow team members and Yarn Hop volunteers will be taking many pictures throughout the day, and these pictures will be shared on social media/online. The Yarn Hop will also use pictures from the event for promotional purposes. If you don’t want your photos online, please let your team know in the beginning of the day.

Weather

As the Yarn Hop takes place mid-summer, it can often be quite warm. We will also proceed with the event rain or shine! While we have tried controlling the weather through sheer force of will but just in case, it’s a good idea to dress for hot weather. It’s also a good idea to bring sun block and a full water bottle, and umbrella if rain is in the forecast.

Meals

A lunch stop will be scheduled along the route close to a yarn store. Meal costs are not included in the registration. We try to schedule lunch stops at locations that have multiple options and price points. If you have specialized dietary requirements, please check the restaurants in the area of your lunch break yarn store in advance. Many participants also like to pack a few favourite snacks to enjoy while traveling.

Dinner Celebration

Dinner is optional but it will not be the same without you! This year it will be at the stylish Firkin on Bay Street (1075 Bay Street). We’ll be drawing our many wonderful raffle prizes at dinner (check out our sponsors from last year!), and we hope everyone can join us. Please note that raffle prizes need to be claimed in person at dinner, either by the person who bought the raffle ticket or by a fellow participant to claim the prize on the person’s behalf, and unclaimed prizes will be redrawn. Please RSVP in the registration form so the venue can properly prepare for us.