Details & FAQs
The Great Tennessee Yarn Tour is a special adventure designed with fiber-enthusiasts in mind. Over the course of 3 weeks, you'll have the chance to explore local yarn shops, discover new yarns and fiber, learn about new products, connect with other fiber enthusiasts and yarnies, make friends, and have a wonderful adventure!
Yarn Tour Basics
Dates: August 4 - 27, 2023
Locations: 13 Local Yarn Shops in East Tennessee. Click HERE for full list.
Times: Each store will be setting their own hours during the tour. Check out the Shop Info page or each shop's website/social media for updates.
Tickets: Purchase online only. Available now through July 1. You will receive a PDF of your ticket immediately after purchase. Please save and/or print this!
What's included: Your ticket comes with a complete Travel Pack: tote bag, printed guide book, 2 patterns (1 knit, 1 crochet), souvenir sticker, and automatic entry to win 1 of 3 Grand Prizes.
Getting Started: You will receive your ticket immediately after purchase. Once the tour starts on August 4, bring your ticket to the Pick-Up Location you selected to receive your Travel Pack (tote bag + other goodies!).
The Grand Prizes: Why have just 1 grand prize, when you could have 3? When you buy a ticket for the Yarn Tour, you'll be automatically entered into our Triple Grand Prize Giveaway! Grand Prizes may include kits, yarns, tools, gift cards, and more! Winners will be notified at the end of the tour with details how to pick up their Grand Prize.
Yarn Tour Exclusives: For the 2023 Great Tennessee Yarn Tour, each participating shop will be featuring exclusive mini-skeins of yarn that will only be available for purchase to official "Tourists." Collect a mini-skein at each shop and use them to knit or crochet the 2023 Yarn Tour patterns - you'll end up with a beautiful souvenir shawl or stole that tells about your Yarn Tour journey.
Shop Deals, Giveaways, & Specials: Throughout the the Tour, many participating shops may be having special events, giveaways, deals, and more! Check out our Shop Info page and be sure to follow your favorite shops on social to keep up to date with their plans!
Read on for more details, FAQs, and tips for a great tour! If you have any additional questions, please contact us!
What's a Yarn Tour?
To quote the Smoky Mountain Spinnery, a yarn tour is "like a yarn crawl, but better."
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13 locally owner yarn shops across East Tennessee are joining together to provide a fun 3-week event for fiber enthusiasts. "Tourists" will embark on an adventure - traveling from store to store, exploring what each shop has to offer: yarn, notions, craft supplies, boutique gifts, and more! It's a great chance to grab your friends and plan a road trip through East Tennessee. Along the way, you'll discover new yarns and products, meet new people and connect with other yarn lovers, make lasting memories, and find inspiration for your next project!
Who is the Yarn Tour for?
If you're interested in anything to do with yarn, this event is for you! Whether you are a "dyed in the wool" fiber artist or simply curious about what one can do with sticks and string, you are invited to take part in the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour! Fiber enthusiasts of all crafts and skill levels will find something new and intriguing!
How do I participate in the Yarn Tour?
To take full advantage of the Yarn Tour, participants will need to purchase a ticket. After purchase, you will receive a PDF version that you can print out or save as a digital copy.
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Before the tour, review all of the participating shops, grab your road map and some fiber-friends, and start planning your route!
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During the Yarn Tour, your ticket will serve as proof that you are an official "Tourist"and give you access to exclusive yarn-tour-only products and specials (may vary by store). You will also need to show your ticket at the shop you selected as your "Pick Up Location" to receive your Travel Kit (tote bag and goodies).
What's included in the Ticket?
With a ticket purchase, you'll receive a 2023 Travel Kit: commemorative tote bag, printed guide book with shop and tour info, 2 printed patterns designed exclusively for the 2023 Yarn Tour (1 knit shawl pattern, 1 crochet stole pattern), a souvenir sticker, and automatic entry to win 1 of 3 Grand Prizes.
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You will also gain access to purchase specialty mini-skeins that are exclusive to official Tourists. You can collect mini-skeins from participating shops throughout the tour and use them to complete the 2023 knit or crochet patterns.
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Each shop may have other exclusive items or deals during the Yarn Tour. Check out the Participating Shops page for more info and be sure to follow your favorite shops on social for more info!
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When, where, and how do I get my Travel Kit?
You will receive your ticket as PDF as soon as you purchase it. Please save this file, so that you can access it during the Yarn Tour.
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Starting August 4, Travel Kits (tote bags and included goodies) will be available at participating yarn stores. You will be able to pick up your tote bag any time during the tour. Simply go to your selected pick-up location and show them your ticket for verification!
Tourists must pick up their tote bags at the location they selected when purchasing a ticket. We are not able to ship tote bags directly to customers and also will not be able to ship them from store to store. We will be sending out reminder emails before the tour, to confirm your pick-up location.
Do I have to start the tour at the same place I pick up my Travel Kit?
Not necessarily. You do not need your Travel Kit to start the tour, you just need your ticket. Your ticket serves as proof that you are an official participant of the tour and should have access to any exclusive products or deals.
When are the shops open during the Tour?
Each participating shop will be setting its own hours during the tour. Please check our Shop Info page for each store's hours. We will keep this information updated, as shops finalize their Tour plans. Be sure to also follow your favorite shops and the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour on social media for the latest updates!
Tell me about the Grand Prizes...
Anyone who buys a ticket for the Great Tennessee Yarn Tour 2023 will be automatically entered to win in our Triple Grand Prize giveaway. We will draw 3 names at random at the end of the tour. Winners will each receive a Grand Prize! The Grand Prizes may contain yarn, notions, accessories, and gift cards. Each Grand Prize will be unique, but all 3 will be equal in approximate value of contents.
What's the deal with the mini-skeins?
For the 2023 Yarn Tour, each participating shop is skeining up something special: an exclusive 20 - 25g mini-skein. These may be hand-dyed, hand-spun, hand-picked, hand-dreamt - each store is going to have its own "spin" and color! All of the mini-skeins are going to be approximately the same yarn weight (fingering).
The knit and crochet patterns for the 2023 Tour have been designed specifically to incorporate mini-skeins of various colors! Tourists can pick a mini-skein (or more) at each participating shop and build their own color palette. They can use these mini-skeins to complete the Knit and Crochet patterns, creating a one-of-a-kind souvenir of the 2023 Yarn Tour!