Free access to vendors selling yarn, fiber, tools, bags, tea, soap, and more! Bring the entire family!

Vendors start selling in our outdoor booths and covered pavilion at 11am, stop at 4pm, rain or shine!

Hey fiber friends!

We are in the last few days before IKS and we wanted to make a few final notes and reminders to everyone coming to attend.

1. Allegheny Rivertrail Park: Don’t get confused about the location, there are other places that sound similar. Here’s a Google link just to be sure: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1CuEkAgtZKYyZDPy9
2. This year IKS is mostly in a covered pavilion with some outdoor booths. No indoor spaces. The forecast has been pretty erratic and changing daily (and different for different websites) but the general consensus is unseasonably warm with misty/light rain (about a half inch over the entire day). Our outdoor booths don’t have paved areas but there is good paved areas to get to the covered pavilion and the area in general has good drainage. Please dress and plan accordingly.
3. Parking: We have lots of nearby parking that is shared with the park, some overflow parking, and in worst case there is parking in downtown Aspinwall (and it is free on Sundays).
4. Bags: Remember to bring your re-usable bags. If you don’t have one, need more bags, or just want to help support IKS, we will have some special IKS bags for sale for $8 (that can hold at least 10 skeins of yearn).
5. Give/Take Table: Back by popular demand is our Give/Take Table. Got yarn/fiber/tools/bags you don’t want anymore? Want some free stuff? Feed or raid the table for free!
6. Scavenger Hunt: Also coming back is the scavenger hunt for kiddos. Give them a reason to look closely at all the booths too. When they finish it up, they can even get a fun fiber art prize!
7. Costumes: It’s the day before Halloween and everyone needs more time to wear costumes. Feel free to dress up…or not.

We are looking forward to seeing you all in just a few days!

David here was worried about Pittsburgh’s new plastic bag ban, so he helped us order a re-usable solution. We now have these collapsable bags that will be for sale at the show for $8 including tax. These bags are durable, fold up to be pocket sized, and can fit approximately 10 skeins of yarn (100g). Come find the main IKS booth to buy one!

We are 15 days away from IKS this year and we are super excited to get everyone together to see our wonderful new space, but one thing I have to admit…it’s a little tricky to find.

Google and Apple Maps give a pretty good directions if you search for Allegheny Rivertrail Park, but I wanted to share some photos on what you might want to look for when you arrive.

There is only one entrance to the park with lots of wonderful banners surrounding this tunnel but…

It’s a little hard to see from the road…

If you are coming from the EAST (likely coming off route 28 with the Aspinwall exit), it’s going to look like the photo below (see the banners on the right side of the road?). It will be right BEFORE a traffic light so pretty easy to get to.

If you are coming from the WEST (from the Waterworks shopping area), it’s going to look like the next photo. Note that it’s near impossible to see the banners because of the traffic pole… Trust me, it’s there on the left, just AFTER the light.

Once you get in, you will cross a railroad and then see the road in the photo below. Immediately to the left there will be a ton of parking, but keep going…there should be more parking (depending on when you arrive and how busy we get). As you keep going…

You will then see the road turn to the right (shown below). Take that turn to the right (see the little sign?, and then…

Oh man, keep going still? Where is this thing? It’s actually not that far, but look, more parking! Ok now just a little further and then…

There it is! Well, this photo doesn’t have any booths, but when you get there we should have booths! Note there’s even more parking there, and some to the right that isn’t pictured.

Finally know that there is a ton to do in this area too! In the park there is a fantastic outdoor cafe called Farmer X Baker who will be open during our show. Additionally there is a wonderful playground for the little ones and some great spots to relax, knit, and watch the river flow. Aspinwall (back on the other side of that train track) is also full of great shops and restaurants, so come on down and make a day of it!

Do you love IKS? Well IKS is the way it is thanks to the tremendous work of all our volunteers. Like previous years volunteers will get a special colorway of yarn or fiber dyed by Hipstrings just for volunteers! If you want to be a part of IKS sign up here (https://forms.gle/YEDoZNcFKbypHeVA8) before October 15th.