Meetups & Networking Opportunities

Are you looking for a way to connect with other crafters and makers in your community? Do you want to increase the value of your investment at h+h americas 2023, the premier trade show for the North American handicraft industry? If so, you might be interested in joining or hosting a meetup at the show. Meetups are informal gatherings of like-minded people who share a passion for creativity and business. They are planned by members of your community and can take place before, during or after the show hours. Whether you want to network, learn new skills, exchange ideas or just have fun, meetups are a great opportunity to enhance your experience at h+h americas 2023.

This page will be updated as more meetups are confirmed.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm | The Knitting Guild Association (TKGA) Meetup | Room 10

Meet TKGA Executive Director Arenda Holladay and Vice President of Public Relations Donna Estin, plus TKGA members like you at this informal meet and greet. This meetup is open to all members of TKGA, including our long-time members and those who joined today!

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Yarn Winding Station | Booth 633

See how easy and relaxing yarn winding can be when you have the right tools. Demo by Rosann Fleischauer of First Byte Designs. Bring your own yarn and wind it into a fluffy jumbo cake to take home with you or try it out with one of our yarns, courtesy of Universal Yarn.

Giveaway Alert! Drop off your card anytime during regular show hours for a chance to win a My Two Ladies Knitting, Jumbo Yarn Winder and Tabletop Swift ($230 value). Giveaway closes at Noon on Friday, June 23rd. Winner will be drawn Friday, June 23rd on the Main Stage at 2.30 pm.

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm | Ecommerce meetup Arianne Foulks & Helen Hulskamp of Aeolidia | Room 10

Ecommerce meetup. For those unable to attend the sold out Shopify Masterclass (and anyone who would like to discuss further), join Arianne Foulks and Helen Hulskamp of Aeolidia, Shopify Experts. We will be discussing all things ecommerce. Get questions about your online shop answered and meet with like minded shop owners who will have ideas and solutions for you as well. Let’s talk about what works and what doesn’t when selling online in 2023.

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Smores Hour at the Trailhead! | Booth 1016

Enjoy a sweet with some friends. Stop by the Trailhead Yarns booth for a little treat and good conversations.

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm | Designer / LYS Roundtable: Cost-Effective Strategies for Boosting Sales & Customer Engagement. | Room 13

Local yarn stores and designers share a goal: happy knitters with patterns that fit them and keep them coming back for more. And yet, designers and LYS rarely communicate about what makes a pattern successful in stores and what LYS need from designers to boost the store as a community hub.

• Join us for a peer-to-peer session based loosely around questions like:
• What do LYSs wish designers knew, and what do they wish were different about patterns?
• What sorts of events and cross-collaborations drive LYS sales and foot traffic?
• What makes a pattern trunk show successful for both parties?
• Is there a difference between the ‘LYS knitter’ and the ‘online/Instagram knitter?’
• What role do online MALs and other community events play in the success of brick-and-mortar stores?

Hosted by:

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Sizing Inclusion with Jill Wolcott Knits Meetup | Room 10

Sizing Inclusion: How to get there, what we can do to change the narrative, and how to get everyone (makers, companies, all genders, designers, etc) involved. This needs to happen now!!

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm | How To Build Sales with Dropshipping – Roundtable Discussion | Exhibit Hall Booth 1223

Join your peers during the reception at Arrow Sewing Furniture and learn from others how they are making money from utilizing drop shipping. Learn the ins and outs of making money without owning inventory and meeting your customer needs. Expand your product selection and engage with your customers. Join us if you are a beginner or expert with dropshipping – let’s share our questions and experiences.

7:30 am – 8:15 am | The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA) Meetup –
An Organization Update | Room 14

Join us for a light breakfast as we talk about TNNA. What direction do we want the association to take? What offerings would you like to see for our members? All are welcome—yarn companies, yarn shops, and designers.

11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Book signing and meet and greet
featuring Tabetha Hedrick | Booth 1212

Stop by booth 1212 (Stackpole Crafts) A book signing and meet and greet featuring Tabetha Hedrick, where she will be signing copies of her book Switch & Knit Stitch Dictionary (2020)!

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm | Retailers and Designers Meetup Hosted by Creative Retailer and Moda Fabrics | Room 1

Looking to rest your feet and make creative connections? Creative Retailer and Moda Fabrics invite you to meet and network with new and familiar faces: retailers, designers, and manufacturers – open to everyone. Get new ideas, show off what you’ve been working on, and engage in conversations. Treats and swag will also be provided.

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | Lunch with the Editors hosted by The Tech Editor Hub | Room 10

You are invited! Yarn pattern designers, technical editors, magazine/book publishers, and aspiring editors, bring your lunch to this informational session and networking opportunity.

• Learn about technical editing and what it takes to be one
• Meet technical editors and find out how to hire one
• Connect with other creatives who work in the business of publishing crochet and knitting patterns

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | A book signing with Melissa Leapman | Booth 1212

Stop by booth 1212 (Stackpole Crafts) A book signing and meet and greet featuring Melissa Leapman, where she will be signing copies of her book InstaKnits (2022)!

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Rosann Fleischauer Book Signing | Booth 1212

Stop by booth 1212 (Stackpole Crafts) and meet Rosann Fleischauer for the signing of her new book Cozy Costal Knits.

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Designer and Creative Maker MeetUp Hosted
by Melissa Leapman | Room 1

Are you a designer, teacher, author, or other creative genius making a living in the needlearts? Join Melissa Leapman and friends for this informal session to network, brainstorm, and contemplate setting the world–and your creative business!–on fire.

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Smores Hour at the Trailhead! | Booth 1016

Enjoy a sweet with some friends. Stop by the Trailhead Yarns booth for a little treat and good conversations.

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Calling all fiber business owners – Fiber Business
Collective Meetup | Room 13

The Fiber Business Collective isn’t the place you go when you’re unsure of whether or not running a business is right for you.

This is the place you go when you know it’s right for you.

We are going to be taking time to map out some of our goals for the convention overall, so that we can make the most of the time that we are here together. Whether you’re already a member of the Collective, or you’re interested in joining, you’re welcome to meet with us!

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Cosplayer Meetup Meet The Makers | Room 10

Come meet cosplayers to chat about what is cosplay, how cosplayers shop, and what materials cosplayers use. This will also be an opportunity for cosplayers to network with other cosplayers and for businesses to network with cosplayers.

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm | Crochet Guild of America Party | Room 2

This will be a fun opportunity to meet other crocheters, network, and just relax and enjoy each other’s company. Open to CGOA members and those looking to learn more about CGOA.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm | LYSO – A casual gathering of local yarn store owners from Arizona, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Southern Nevada, Ohio, Oregon and Washington | Room 13

A casual gathering of local yarn store owners from Arizona, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Southern Nevada, Ohio, Oregon and Washington whose sales reps are Linda McCleland or Stephanie Steinhaus. Share your successes and ideas, ask questions and advice from your colleagues across territories.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Smores Hour at the Trailhead! | Booth 1016

Enjoy a sweet with some friends. Stop by the Trailhead Yarns booth for a little treat and good conversations.