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Fasten Off Yarnalong

@fastenoffyal.bsky.social

1K followers 19 following 130 posts

We're an accessible, inclusive stitchalong event geared to promoting and supporting independent crochet and knitting designers. We also love building community and giving everybody a fun time! Find out more at our website: www.fastenoffyal.com

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 22h

🧶INDEPENDENT #CROCHET AND #KNITTING DESIGNERS (including #TunisianCrochet and #loomKnitting): Sign-ups for our annual yarnalong event are happening NOW!

Don't miss this all-important sign-up window!

Sign-up form: www.fastenoffyal.com/designer-sig...

More info: www.fastenoffyal.com/fordesigners...

2025 Designer sign-up

We're really excited you're signing up as a designer for the Fasten Off 2025 event! We'll email you once your submission has been processed to tell you about the next steps. We try to respond to all d...

www.fastenoffyal.com

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

I hope this helps clarify things! It's very true that the nature of our event means that we're not for everybody, but that's totally fine - no single event could possibly be perfect for every person. But we're always striving to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. Cheers!

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

Your example of only having the capacity to fold laundry and start the dishwasher in a day really resonates with us. In our organizing team, for example, if someone doesn't have the spoons, we do not judge; we look for alternatives.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

But generally, I think you'll find that our "vibe" is flexible, easy-going, and understanding. We're not just catering to crafters with accessibility challenges, we also try very hard to be accessible to our participating designers AND volunteers.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

I appreciate that there are people who don't or can't run their businesses like that, and of course everyone should run their business however it works best for them and their customers. However, in such cases, I suspect our event is probably not a good fit with those businesses.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

True, we do request that participating designers respond promptly and professionally to customer messages and prize winners. We didn't figure this was a cumbersome requirement, since folks running their own businesses generally need to respond to inquiries in a timely and professional manner.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

It's really all stuff that comes with being part of an event like ours.

Additionally, we do list a number of suggestions for how to maximize your participation, but those are all totally optional.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

Another is setting up the event discount code on your discounted patterns. Another is to work with us to make sure that the data we're publishing on the website about you and your patterns is correct.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

There are eight main responsibilities for participating designers. We feel they're all reasonable, and achievable by many designers. For instance, one of the responsibilities is that you have to sign up, which is kind of an unavoidable requirement. :)

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

We do expect that designers' products will be of professional quality, and we feel that's a very reasonable expectation. Our website does go into further details into what we mean by that, but we've never said "everything must be tech edited".

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

As far as some of the other concerns go, we don't have a twenty-point checklist. The qualifications for participating designers are pretty minor, mostly relating to the above criteria for selling platforms, which stems from the nature of the event.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

But, I saw you've been considering Payhip - lots of our designers use that! Ko-fi is another turnkey solution. There may be others, e.g. Gumroad, Shopify. (Lovecrafts unfortunately doesn't do coupon codes.) Some designers have put together custom websites, but that's probably more effort and moolah.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

"Available for sale online" means being able to do a 100% self-serve online purchase. Our buying audience expects to be able to pick a product, buy it online (using the discount code if applicable), and get the product right away. So, I'm so sorry to disappoint, but manual fulfilment doesn't work.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

(That minimum number is different depending on a designer's portfolio size. But it never has to be 100% of the whole portfolio.)

And in absolutely no way do we "forbid" participating designers from using Ravelry as a selling platform.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

Many of our crafters and designers can't/won't use Ravelry for accessibility reasons. (That was actually the impetus for creating the event in the first place.) So, all participating designers must have a certain minimum number of their patterns available for sale online on a NON-Rav platform.

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 11h

Hi there! Thanks for looping me in, @veg-grower.bsky.social ! I think I can help. There seems to be some misunderstanding about how our event works expressed in this thread. So I'm going to try to clarify. (Bear with me, it'll take a number of posts to do so.)

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 22h

2025 Designer sign-up

www.fastenoffyal.com

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 22d

🧶 CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

Our volunteer signup period has begun! The signups we get until October 23 determine which activities, games, and platforms we can support.

Sign-up form: docs.google.com/forms/d/1ue5...

Thank you!!!

#FastenOffYAL #knitting #crocheting #loomKnitting #TunisianCrochet

2025 FOYAL Volunteer Signup

We couldn't possibly run the event without our fantastic volunteers! The event is filled with lots of activities and games, and we need help to run them all. Volunteer responses will determine which...

docs.google.com

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 23d

(And if I had actually included the #FastenOffYAL hashtag in the above post, it would presumably have actually SHOWN UP in the Bluesky feed. Facepalm. Using this reply to correct that error.)

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 23d

🧶Reminder: The Fasten Off Yarnalong is right around the corner!

- We're an annual online stitchalong. Check out www.fastenoffyal.com for more info and 2025 schedule!
- Follow our Bluesky feed at bsky.app/profile/did:...

#inclusiveYarnCommunity #knitting #crochet #loomKnitting #TunisianCrochet

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · 24d

Today is Canada's National Day of Truth and Reconciliation: to honour children who never returned home, residential school Survivors, and their families & communities. Reconciliation is everyone's responsibility. Our Pinterest board with helpful resources is at ca.pinterest.com/fastenoff/na... #NDTR

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · Jun 3

I mean, not to brag, but, as you know... ;) www.fastenoffyal.com/search.html

Designer, pattern, and eBook database | Fasten Off Yarn-a-Long

You can still search the participating designers and products from the 2024 event here, as well as earlier events! (We cannot guarantee the ongoing integrity of links and images, though.)

www.fastenoffyal.com

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · Feb 2

New feed which captures #FastenOffYAL, #FOYAL, and mentions of our event account! bsky.app/profile/did:...

Follow to keep abreast of event info. Kudos to FOYAL organizer @anniebeeknits.bsky.social for this!

(Caveat: It won't have everything from 2024, but it will be ready for 2025's kickoff.)

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Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · Jan 1

- Join the Inclusive Yarn Community on Discord at discord.gg/a2d8jw4Gde
- Follow us on social media - links are in the footer of our website at www.fastenoffyal.com

We hope you and yours have a safe, healthy, happy, and wonderful 2025!

~ The Fasten Off Yarnalong team

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · Jan 1

WHAT'S NEXT?

- Last day to claim prizes is January 31, 2025
- You can search and shop for designers and patterns all year round at www.fastenoffyal.com/search.html !
- If you'd like to assist with event costs, we have a Ko-Fi at ko-fi.com/fastenoffyal

Fasten Off Yarnalong @fastenoffyal.bsky.social · Jan 1

REMAINING PRIZES

We're in the middle of drawing for and communicating with the final prize winners of the event, so stay tuned for that. This includes:

- Boonanza prizes
- Bingo prizes
- FO prizes
- Our 5th anniversary grand prize