Fibre Events

Our conference wrapped up last year, but there are fibre events all over the continent that are having to cancel, some of them at extremely short notice.  Fibres West got the news on Thusday afternoon just as vendors were putting finishing touches on their booths that the show was not going to open Friday morning.

There are consequences to this pandemic.  Actions that will ripple down the line and affect everyone, young or old, poor or comfortable, vendor or customer.  And event organizers.

Many fibre events are run by volunteers.  Some of the bigger ones may have a core of paid staff, but by and large?  Volunteers.  Unpaid.  Some of whom actually purchase event supplies and never submit the receipts, never mind their time and energy.

Some of these events are going to be slammed financially.  One person shared the fact that they may still have to pay the venue costs in spite of the pandemic, in spite of government announcements to not gather in large groups or travel distances.  The facilities make their money by renting out their venues.  If they don't get paid, they can't pay their staff.  If volunteer boards using registration fees to pay for the event don't run the event, they have no income to pay the facility.  In some cases, if the board doesn't have board insurance?  The board members will be personally responsible to pay the bill.

Our conference had board insurance for the event, but if we hadn't, the costs of the facilities alone was enormous.  Our event was fairly small but the bottom line bare bones budget was well over $100,000.  That included teachers and their travel/accommodation/per diem for food, but honestly?  The facilities were the biggest chunk of the budget.

Some people have been understanding to the point of 'donating' their registration fee to the event.  This will allay some of the financial burden, but not everyone can afford to do that.

Some people have been gracious and supportive of event organizers.  Others?  Have not.

Honestly people, a little kindness?  A little understanding?  These events are not being cancelled by a whim or a faux pandemic.  This Covid-19 virus is growing, exponentially.  If it isn't slowed, it will overwhelm healthcare facilities and use up medical supplies at an enormous rate.

Staying away from crowds, not travelling unless absolutely necessary, being kind to front line health workers and low income cashiers as you purchase staples to wait out the self-sequestration will go a long way to making this time less painful.  It will remain uncertain until the worst is over.

In the meantime, support teachers by buying their books or on line products.  Long Thread Media acquired their inventory of DVDs from F&W Media and now offers them as on-line 'workshops'.  Yes, including mine.  But everyone else's, too.

Tap Root Video has DVDs.

Various instructors have Patreon accounts.   I have my ko-fi.

Knitting/crocheting pattern designers sell on Ravelry.  They have literally thousands of patterns.  Support them there.  The website is free to join and you needn't join any groups.  But you can shop or find vendors through their ads.

Workshops are being cancelled or postponed.  Yes, you might have waited a year to take that workshop.  It won't kill you to wait a while longer.  OTOH, if you get Covid-19?  That might.

So let's all practice a little patience and a little kindness.  And stop with the hoarding.  Leave something for others.  Some dude bought thousands of hand sanitizers intending to make a killing by gouging for them on Amazon.   Apparently Amazon did the right thing and shut his 'store' down.  Now he's whining about not being able to sell them at his intended highly inflated price.  Don't be like him.

Let's all do something to help someone else.  Go to the event website.  Find out who the vendors are who intended to attend.  Purchase from them remotely.

Go to the event website.  Find out who the instructors were.  Go buy something of theirs - books, kits, DVDs.  Make a donation to their tip jar or become a monthly supporter.

If you can't do any of that (believe me I do understand about tight budgets) you can share their links.

Mine is for my books.

Or use the ko-fi link in the subject listing

If you are a vendor or teacher affected by the pandemic (and aren't you all?) feel free to post a link to your website, etc. in the comments.