I Love Yarn Day – October 8, 2022, history significance
I Love Yarn Day is celebrated on the second Saturday in October — falling on October 8 this year — by yarn enthusiasts and craft lovers all over the world. On this day, we celebrate all the talented DIY yarn crafters, crocheters, and knitters, who create incredible things from yarn, from scarfs to art to blankets.
On I Love Yarn Day, yarn crafters around the world share their love of yarn as well as some of their favorite creations. Yarn crafters prove to us every day that the only limit to what you can create is your imagination — and the amount of yarn you have left. I Love Yarn Day is a day to encourage others to share their love of yarn and raise awareness about fiber crafts.
HISTORY OF I LOVE YARN DAY
I Love Yarn Day was created in 2011 by the Craft Yarn Council, a non-profit organization and collective of top yarn companies and professionals. The Craft Yarn Council realized a need to create a day for fiber artists, yarn companies,
and retailers alike to focus on yarn publicly. The day was created to bring yarn lovers together to celebrate their common love of yarn, raise awareness of fiber crafts, and encourage enthusiasts to share their love with people within and outside the yarn community.
The word ‘yarn’ comes from the Old English ‘gearn,’ similar to Old High German’s ‘garn’ which means yarn, Italian’s ‘chordē’ which means string, and Sanskrit’s ‘hira,’ which means band. The earliest known samples of yarn and fabric were found in Switzerland.
The bundles of flax fibers and yarn were estimated to be around 7,000 years old. That means cotton has been harvested to make fabrics for at least that long. In fact, fragments of cotton fabrics were dug up by archeologists in the Southwestern United States dating from 500 B.C.
Until around 1300, yarn was spun on the spindle and whorl, the kind Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on. Further developments in the 18th century mechanized and made the spinning process easier with the flying shuttle invented by John Kay in 1733.
Years later, Samuel Cromptons’ mule machine was invented and it could spin any time of yarn in a single continuous operation. Later, in 1828, an American, John Thorp, invented the ring frame, which is still widely used to spin yarn today.
Yarn is made from a mixture of about 15 different types of fibers from the two categories of fibers — natural and synthetic. Today, thousands of people all over the world use yarn for various crafty creations through different methods.
I LOVE YARN DAY TIMELINE
500 A.D.–1,000 A.D.
The Spinning Wheel is Invented
The wheel is invented in India and later used in Europe.
1733
The Flying Shuttle is Invented
John Kay eases the yarn spinning process in 1733 when he invents the flying shuttle.
1828
The Ring Frame is Invented
John Thorp, an American, invents the ring frame, which uses hundreds of spindles mounted within a metal ring to spin natural fibers and create yarn.
1891
The First Synthetic Fiber is Developed
Rayon, the first synthetic fiber in the world, is made from cotton or wood fibers.
I LOVE YARN DAY ACTIVITIES
Learn about yarn
If you aren’t already a yarn crafter, this is the day to become one and start making beautiful creations for yourself and your loved ones. Take advantage of the many free resources on YouTube, Pinterest, yarn blogs, and a host of others to learn this useful skill. We for one look forward to seeing the stunning fiber crafts you will create.
Buy some yarn for someone you care about
Purchase some yarn as a gift for your favorite yarn creator to appreciate their good work. What better way to show your support for yarn creations? You can also organize a giveaway on social media or in-person with gift bags specific to yarn enthusiasts. We promise; it will make their day.
Invest in yarn creations
Those who can’t do, buy. You can celebrate I Love Yarn Day by buying a yarn creation from any of the thousands of yarn creators around the world. Encourage a local creator by patronizing them and spreading the word about them to your friends.
5 THINGS YOU CAN MAKE WITH YARN IN UNDER FIVE MINUTES
Ornaments
For Christmas, you can make the most adorable little ornaments with yarn by wrapping the yarn around cookie cutters to form whatever shape you’d prefer and adorn your creation with whatever accessories you like.
Tassels
You can make your own tassels from yarn in under two minutes by wrapping yarn around cardboard, cutting the yarn at the bottom, and tying it all up.
Pom-Poms
Using just your fingers, you can make the most creative pom-pom figures for your kids to play with, to use as key holders, or to hang as decorations around the house.
Gift Bows
All you need is tape, your fingers, and some yarn to show your loved ones some extra love when you give them your gifts.
Beaded Necklaces
All you need is some leftover yarn and some beads, and you can make the most pretty beaded necklaces and wristbands you’ve ever seen.
WHY WE LOVE I LOVE YARN DAY
We get to see all the beautiful things you make
Few things get us as excited as staring in awe at all the beautiful crafts that creative yarn crafters all over the world create from a single ball of yarn. It’s almost magical, and yarn crafters need to be appreciated for their great talent.
It celebrates arts and crafts
Everyone knows the arts are grossly underrated. I Love Yarn Day is one day that we can appreciate the arts and celebrate the brilliant artists that work with yarn every day.
It’s great for networking and group bonding
On I Love Yarn Day, yarn creators get a chance to meet others who share their love of yarn. It is a great networking and group bonding opportunity for yarn creators and yarn lovers all around the world. Who knows? You could find a fellow yarn lover to exchange tips with and hold crocheting sessions together.
