Fiberside Chat
Join Live Online Chats with Some of Fiber's Most Exciting Creators
We’ve invited some of your favorite designers and creators to join us for a series of online gatherings with Longmont Yarn Shoppe & our group of 47 collaborating Yarn Shops across North America. We call these: Fiberside Chats!
Launched in May 2020, Chats are one-hour Zoom sessions with special guests joining us to give a peek into their world. These designers & creators will discuss their unique path, creative processes, favorite techniques, latest projects, or whatever is inspiring them now. There will be opportunity for Q&A & other fun surprises like giveaways & pattern discounts for those who join!
How to register: Register on Longmont Yarn Shoppe website, select YARN HARBOR from drop down menu. Check out.
As a participating shop we get credit for bringing our customers along!
Your ZOOM Link will be sent the evening before and about 1 hour before the event. Check your spam filter if you do not see it.
Upcoming Guests:
Teti Lutsak
January 18, 2026
Telling Stories through Stitches!
Join Teti Lutsak, a botanist-turned-knitwear designer, as she takes you on a journey where science, culture, and craft intertwine. Discover how her Ukrainian heritage and scientific eye shape her creative process, inspiring knitwear that blooms with nature-inspired motifs and thoughtful details. Teti will share the stories behind her most cherished designs and explore how knitting can become a canvas for storytelling, turning every stitch into a narrative. Register now to spend a captivating hour with Teti in her Knit Garden!
Bio:
Teti Lutsak is a Ukrainian-born knitwear designer whose work bridges the worlds of science, culture and craft. Now based in the Netherlands, she is the creative force behind Teti’s Knit Garden, a collection of knitwear patterns that celebrate the poetry of nature and the depth of cultural heritage. Holding a PhD in botany, Teti brings a scientific eye to her design process — her patterns are thoughtfully written, well structured and a joy to follow. She loves floral colorwork cascading down yokes, soft natural palettes, delicate textures and feminine silhouettes enriched with smart little details that make each piece feel special. Through platforms like Patreon, YouTube and Instagram, Teti shares her creative journey, offers behind-the-scenes insights, and connects personally with her vibrant community of knitters around the world. https://www.tetilutsak.com, https://www.instagram.com/tetisknitgarden
This is a live Zoom Event on Sunday, January 18th at 1:00pm EST, 12:00pm CST, 11:00am MST, 10:00am PST, 7:00pm CET
This Fiberside Chat will be recorded - a link to the recording will be available for one week and shared with registered attendees only.
Registration will close 1.5 hours before beginning of event.
Erika Aberg
February 1, 2026
Coastal Landscapes: Islands & Inspirations with Erika Aberg!
Erika Åberg - knitwear designer and author - will join us at our Fiberside to talk about her newly published book Island Knitting - Beautiful Knitting Patterns Inspired by Coastal Landscapes. Together we will embark on a knitting journey through the captivating landscapes of Shetland, the Outer Hebrides, Gotland and Blidö. The book features 20 patterns inspired by the sea, wind and spirit of each island. Erika will show a selection of samples from the book, share the stories behind the design; the wool, the landscape and how the designs carry the place, landscape and memories in every stitch from these islands of central seclusion. As a designer, she loves to bring all of this into each garment, reflecting heritage, body, warmth and everyday life. We will talk about all of this and life on island of Gotland, in the middle of the Baltic Sea.
Bio:
Erika Åberg is a knitwear designer, writer and author of 10 books on craft and knitting. She is deeply rooted in Scandinavian sloyd (handiwork) and craft and the design process always starts in the wool. Her designs are based on the love of nature, wool and island life plus art, literature and tradition. Her designs are practical, wearable and poetic. Erika leads wool- and walk tours to Gotland, Shetland and Iceland among other island and coastal areas where you get to meet the landscape as well as the weather and the wool. Erika lives with her family and dog on Gotland, an island off the east coast of Sweden. www.wynjaproduktion.se, @wynja on Instagram
This is a live Zoom Event on Sunday, February 1st at 1:00pm EST, 12:00pm CST, 11:00am MST, 10:00am PST, 7:00pm CET
This Fiberside Chat will be recorded - a link to the recording will be available for one week and shared with registered attendees only.
Registration will close 1.5 hours before beginning of event.
Jill Tamminen
February 15, 2026
Finding Joy on the Needles!
Jill Tamminen is the founder of Knit Sisu, where knitting becomes a joyful pathway to mindfulness, resilience, and self-compassion. Inspired by the Finnish concept of SISU - quiet strength, perseverance, and inner calm - Jill combines traditional knitting designs with modern flair and mindfulness to help people slow down and reconnect with the simple joy of making.
Jill will share stories about her knitting experiences, including the "Technique Shawl", a design-style that teaches knitters how to read fabric, free them from the tie to a written pattern, and build confidence. You'll also learn some tips & tricks that will help you BYOD (Be Your Own Designer) and truly find joy and creativity on your needles! Be sure to sign up now for this encouraging and uplifting Fiberside Chat!
Bio:
With years of experience teaching knitters of all skill levels, Jill shows how creativity and delight are just as important as technique. She writes her patterns as if you are in a class with her, and offers support and easy mindfulness techniques along the way. You may have seen Jill and her designs in leading the Malabrigo KnitALongs, and she loves working with Local Yarn Stores doing classes and designs. https://knitsisu.com/, https://www.instagram.com/knitsisu
This is a live Zoom Event on Sunday, February 15th at 1:00pm EST, 12:00pm CST, 11:00am MST, 10:00am PST
This Fiberside Chat will be recorded - a link to the recording will be available for one week and shared with registered attendees only.
Registration will close 1.5 hours before beginning of event.
Keith Leonard
March 1, 2026
Why Didn't I know This Sooner? Tips & Tricks!
In this Fiberside Chats presentation, Keith will share and demonstrate many of his most impactful, mind-blowing tips, tricks and techniques! Keith will also share his personal journey through the fiber industry—from learning to knit and working in yarn stores to building a finishing business, teaching classes, and launching a yarn company. Attendees can expect practical, “why didn’t I know this sooner?” moments, inspiration for knitters at every level, and a special attendee-only discount at the end of the session. This Chat is sure to add to your skills toolbox!
Bio: Keith Leonard began his knitting journey when he joined a lunch time knitting program in elementary school. Once the knitting bug bit, the itch never went away. After graduating from college, he started a knitwear finishing business called Knits All Done, completing hundreds of finishing projects for clients all over the United States. His finishing expertise organically transitioned into teaching knitting classes, and he has taught his skills to thousands of knitters throughout the country. In 2019 Keith started his own yarn line, yarnsnobyarns.com, and he currently spends his days producing astonishingly vibrant skeins to put in the hands of knitters.
This is a live Zoom Event on Sunday, March 1st at 1:00pm EST, 12:00pm CST, 11:00am MST, 10:00am PST
This Fiberside Chat will be recorded - a link to the recording will be available for one week and shared with registered attendees only.
Registration will close 1.5 hours before beginning of event.
Lena Fedotova
March 29, 2026
Explore New & Unique Crochet Stitches with Lena Fedotova!
Join crochet designer and stitch creator Lena to see how new crochet stitches appear - and why!
What happens when familiar stitches are no longer enough? New yarns behave differently, new colorways need new solutions, and new shapes ask for new structures and this is where inspiration happens.
In this talk, Lena shares how she creates new stitches and how small technical choices can change the whole fabric. She will show some of the techniques from her book, New Ways with Crochet, and how you can use them in your own projects.
You don't want to miss this Chat where we'll explore fresh ways of thinking about crochet and discover it from a new angle!
Bio:
Lena Fedotova creates new crochet stitches and techniques, which then find their way into her designs: sweaters, shawls, and accessories.
Her patterns are full of inspiration, with ways to modify an item, explore a stitch in new ways, and experiment with color.
She especially enjoys working with complex yarn colorways and discovering how to make them work beautifully in crochet.
At the heart of her work is a simple goal: to create harmony, with designs that are calm, balanced, and easy to wear.
www.cupofstitches.com/ www.instagram.com/ravliki/
This is a live Zoom Event on Sunday, March 29th at 1:00pm EDT, 12:00pm CDT, 11:00am MDT, 10:00am PDT, 7:00pm CET
This Fiberside Chat will be recorded - a link to the recording will be available for one week and shared with registered attendees only.
Registration will close 1.5 hours before beginning of event.