I Went to My Second Yarn Industry Trade Show
(and Yes, I Met Arne & Carlos)

May 6-8, I headed back to h+h Americas—North America’s largest craft industry trade show—and this time, I knew what I was walking into.

Last year, everything felt shiny and new and overwhelming in the best possible way. This year felt different. I had a plan. I knew my vendors. I knew where I wanted to spend my time. And most importantly, I wasn’t just looking at yarn anymore.

I was looking for projects.

That sounds like a small shift, but it changed everything.

Instead of asking, “Is this yarn pretty?” I found myself asking completely different questions. What will my customers want to make with this? Does this fit into the experience I’m building at Tink & The Frog? Does this inspire someone to cast on immediately?

At the end of the week, I came home more energized than ever. In fact, the very next morning I was up early planning for fall.

For those unfamiliar with h+h Americas, it is ginormous. According to the Craft Industry Alliance, this year’s show welcomed over 6,000 attendees and more than 600 companies from around the world. Imagine yarn, fabric, needles, notions, bags, books, giant displays, samples everywhere, and enough inspiration to make your brain short-circuit a little bit.

And somehow, even in all of that, the biggest difference this year wasn’t the yarn - it was me.

Last year I was taking it all in. This year I felt much more intentional. I still found myself gasping over beautiful samples and petting yarns like a little gremlin, obviously. But I also felt more confident in my direction and clearer about what belongs at Tink & The Frog.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t plenty of “SQUEEEE!” moments, though.

The biggest one was absolutely meeting THE Arne & Carlos. I felt completely ridiculous and cheesy introducing myself and asking for a picture, but my friend Kate from Harriet & Alice came with me for moral support. They were so gracious and kind, and yes, I absolutely did a little skip-hop afterward because I was so excited. They were there supporting their sock yarn line—and yes, I ordered eight colors for the shop that should arrive in August!

Another highlight was cheering for my friend Megan, owner of Knit & Bolt in Minneapolis, during the cosplay competition. She won a prize, and I reacted like an absolute dork. The ladies in front of me turned around, and I proudly informed them, “She’s my friend!” No regrets.

One of the best parts of h+h, honestly, is seeing friends from the crafting retail world. I stayed with my friend Laura, owner of Sew Inviting in Minneapolis, and loved getting to spend time with her. I also saw Kate from Harriet & Alice, Kathy from Finnegan’s Run, Kerry from Knitty Gritty Yarns in New York, Megan from Knit & Bolt, Amy from Darn Knit Anyway, and so many others. There’s something special about being surrounded by people who understand what it’s like to run a creative small business.

And of course, there were the vendor booths.

I always love the Knitting Fever booth—not just because they hand out chocolate, although that certainly helps—but because I genuinely adore my reps Janine and Jon. I spent time at the Blue Sky Fibers booth with my rep Lori admiring gorgeous samples and planning fall ideas. I chatted with Emre, the president of Urth Yarns, about some exciting goodies arriving later this year. And naturally, the Destination Knitting booth became the site of the Great Arne & Carlos Sighting of 2026.

One thing I noticed everywhere this year was texture. Fuzzy, lightweight yarns were all over the place. Soft brushed fabrics, delicate halos, glamorous sparkle, cozy-but-not-heavy garments—it felt like the industry is leaning toward comfort right now, both physically and emotionally. Crochet is still booming, and color palettes seem to be splitting into two camps: earthy sophisticated neutrals or full-on Lisa Frank chaos rainbow.

As a former owner of a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper, I support this development.

I also noticed more garments that felt wearable and approachable—cropped tops, oversized sweaters, long cozy sleeves, lightweight layering pieces. Things I would actually want to live in.

And through all of it, I kept thinking about projects, projects, projects.

Not just beautiful yarn on a shelf, but what someone would actually make with it. What would make them excited to cast on immediately? What would fit into the kind of shop and experience I’m intentionally building? And not EVERY color – but the BEST colors.

I left h+h this year feeling inspired and energized. And grateful for the craft industry, for the people in it, and for the opportunity to keep bringing lots of fun and exciting ideas back to our little corner of Adrian.

And yes… I’m still slightly starstruck about Arne & Carlos.