- CKCJennifer

Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival

Woman standing in hall with posters about the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival next to her - she is wearing a purple lacy crochet shawl

Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival

I just came back from the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival!  I had a great time teaching several classes, shopping in the marketplace, watching a Fashion Show of beautiful knitted and crocheted garments and meeting new people from all over the country.

2 women sitting next to each other wearing blue and purple crocheted tops

Special Mother-Daughter Trip

This trip was also a special mother-daughter trip in honor of my daughter graduating from college this past May.  We had a fun time together including an extra day to see some sights in Pittsburgh (those photos you’ll find near the end of this post).  My daughter helped in the classes, stood in many lines for food to save me time and even took some of her own craft classes!

A class of crocheters holding up their jewelry projects

Fun Things to Do at the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival

The Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival is a wonderful event for knitters, crocheters, quilters and more!  For 3 days you can shop in 2 big rooms filled with yarn, fabric and more – fun!  You can also take a variety of classes for all 3 days from different industry experts.  On Friday night we had a Fashion Show where we showed off our projects and on Saturday night some of us played fiber-themed Bingo for prizes. There was also a Community Room where you could help some non-profit organizations by donating your time to make a quick project – more about that below. 😊 

A woman smiling in front of yarn

A big thank you goes out to Laura Regan and her husband, Kevin, who worked hard to put everything together for the festival!  Laura and Kevin dye their own yarn and sell it at various fiber festivals in and around Pennsylvania. You can find out more about Laura’s yarn here: http://www.created4ubylaura.com/

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Jennifer Ryan standing in center of classroom holding up an example with several women seated around her for a class at the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival

My 5 Classes at the Festival

I taught 5 classes during the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival and thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone.  Everyone entered the room with great enthusiasm and excitement to learn new things. 

Click here to watch a short video of the classes and students with their projects!

I taught these classes:

  • Jewelry Techniques for Crocheters
  • Intro to Celtic Knot Crochet
  • Bunches of Textured Stitches without Using Post Stitches
  • Celtic Knot Crochet II
  • Reclaim it with Crochet! (how to turn a variety of recyclables into beautiful projects)

Here are some photos of the students and their projects. 

Women smiling in a classroom holding their crochet projects
A big collage of different women holding up their crochet projects from the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival

Fun Yarn and More Giveaways!

A big thank you goes out to several yarn and craft supply companies who donated a whole suitcase full of prizes that I was able to give out during my classes. Everyone loved winning the goodies and using them for their projects. Thank you to: Yarnspirations, Creative Yarn Source, Handy Hands, Fire Mountain Gems and Clover!

Click here to see a short video on all the goodies!

Friday Night Fashion Show

Stephen Be saying hello to the attendees of the Fashion Show - many people sitting down in chairs to watch

On Friday night we all gathered together to celebrate each other’s fantastic projects.  I loved seeing all of the wonderfully creative sweaters, shawls and tops!  Steven Be (You can find more information about his business and knitting projects/patterns/yarn here) hosted the evening and did a great job helping everyone show-off their garments.  He helped everyone feel special and encouraged each person in their fiber art. Thank you, Steven!

**To see a short video of the Fashion Show, click here.**

Bonnie Barker and Jennifer Ryan at the Grand Overlook in Pittsburgh PA

Meeting New Friends & Spending Time with “Old” Friends

I enjoyed spending time with Bonnie Barker who I met several years ago at a crochet conference.  Bonnie was also one of the instructors teaching her well-known crochet cable techniques. (Click here to learn more about Bonnie’s crochet projects and techniques) Bonnie took us to the pretty Grand Overlook where you can see many of Pittsburgh’s famous bridges and the city skyline.  What a gorgeous view! Bonnie, my daughter and I also had fun singing some parody songs in the marketplace on Saturday afternoon. 🙂

5 women sitting around a table at the restaurant Olive Garden

Then on Saturday evening Bonnie took us to the Olive Garden with Jenn and Sarah. Sarah (first on left in photo above) is from NY and was in both of our classes over the weekend. Jenn (second from left above) is a knitter from Kentucky and was also an instructor teaching how to do Brioche knitting. (You can see Jenn’s patterns and projects here at her website: synapticstitches.com) I loved talking with them and hope to see them again at another fiber-related event!

3 women taking a selfies with several yarn skeins and knitted sweaters behind them

Marketplace Fun!

The marketplace at the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival was full of many yarn and fiber vendors!  So many hand-dyed skeins that it was hard to pick which one to buy!  I loved the logo of Robin’s Promise Yarn – the lovely bird image with the yarn balls in a nest caught my eye and I enjoyed talking with Susan, the owner. Here is a photo of Susan (on the right) and her co-worker Jeanette. Look at all of the beautiful samples above and all of the pretty yarn! Susan names all of her yarn colors after birds and I just love that.  I picked out these gorgeous shades of blue named “Bunting” and “Blue-Footed Boobies’ Feet” and plan to make a new Celtic Knot garment with them. So excited!

Bright blue and light blue yarn skeins on a white background

SACK – Supporting A Community with Kindness

Woman smiling sitting with several knitted and crocheted soap sacks

I had some extra time on Sunday afternoon and was able to sit with several crocheters and knitters to make a cotton soap sack while chatting with Stacy Weiner (photo above), founder of S.A.C.K. S.A.C.K. stands for: Supporting a Community with Kindness. Stacy coordinates a global grass-roots effort to provide free soap and handmade soap sacks for the under-served in all communities. 

Woman wearing a crocheted top holding up a blue and tan crocheted soap sack while stiting

Stacy realized that soap is often one of the hardest to afford or acquire necessities for those that are struggling to make ends meet.  Because of Stacy’s diligence and the generosity of many people, over 450,000 soap sacks have been made and donated around the world since 2017. 😮 Click here to read more about S.A.C.K. and how you can join in the efforts for your own community!

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens photos of the front - building is large with all glass walls and roof

Seeing the Sights in Pittsburgh

All too soon the festival was over and everyone headed back home – except for us! We stayed one extra day to visit the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and the National Aviary.  Wow!  The Conservatory was absolutely wonderful!  We couldn’t believe how big it was and how many luscious plants and flowers were inside (and outside). 

Click here to see a video of the beauty that is inside this building!

Garden scene with white bench and green lawn

I loved this garden outside and could have sat here for hours crocheting and taking in all of the beauty. I hid a special little lacy rock here by this bench. Did you find it?

Click here to see a short video of hiding the rock!

We thoroughly enjoyed the “Under the Sea” displays throughout the conservatory and gardens – so creative and beautiful!

Inside of the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh PA while the Under the Sea display is going on

The Aviary had so many unique birds that I have not seen before many of which were very comfortable flying or walking close to the visitors so it was easy to get a close-up view of their beauty.

Special blue peacock photo

Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival was a Success!

Woman wearing lacy purple shawl while looking at skyline of Pittsburgh PA

I am thankful that I was able to be a part of this year’s successful Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival!  Seeing all of the crafters with their projects and working hard in the classes was one of my favorite parts. Getting together face-to-face is the best way to really connect with other crocheters and a great way to learn new things and be encouraged in your craft. It was very special to spend the time with my daughter as well and create new memories together. 

What do you think? Will you make the trip to the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival next year?  Mark your calendars – it will be August 22-24, 2025!

I hope to see you there!

Jennifer

Copyright – Jennifer E Ryan- www.celticknotcrochet.com- all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher but please do link to this page to share this pattern with others.

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78 thoughts on “Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival”

  1. This looks like such a fun event! i don’t believe we have anything like that in my area. So great your daughter was involved as well! Looks like everyone had a blast!

  2. Your daughter looks just like you and very pretty like her mom. The event seems to be a big hit. Looks like everyone had a great time. I would love to go to one and see for myself but circumstances make that impossible. I can see it with your pictures, they are very good. Thank you.

  3. Oh my goodness, the projects are all stunning! What a great group of ladies and to get to share that with your daughter is incredibly special! I love your work!

  4. Looks like there was so much fun going on, wish I could have been there only about 2.5 hours away and I missed it all. Life just seems to always be in the way. Hopefully, I’ll meet you eventually. I so do love your patterns.
    GinnyB

  8. Hopefully one day you will be able to come to Tennessee to a location that I could come to meet you. Enjoyed the blog and your adding photos of the sites you saw. You have a beautiful daughter and I know the trip was special to you both. I have two daughters and I love being with them. We usually make a trip together to the beach each year and we have reservations to go to Tybee Isand and Savannah, GA in November Family is very important!

    1. I would love to come to Tennessee to teach crochet! (I was there last year for Irish dancing) Thank you for your kind words – I agree, family is very important. Glad to hear you enjoy time with your daughters, too – have a great trip in Nov.! 🙂

  9. What an amazing time it looked like you had. Love how crochet is helping to create some great memories and helping meet new people in your life. I bet the botanical gardens was purely gorgeous 😍

    1. I am thankful, too that crochet has taken me so many places and helped me meet some wonderful people! The gardens were purely gorgeous! (I have so many more pictures that I didn’t have room to share 😉)

  11. What a wonderful trip you had. I’m a bit jealous.For me it is unable to go there but i”ve loved your post and I think you have a beautiful daughter.

    1. Awww, thank you. There are many fiber festivals around the country and world so maybe you can attend one near you. 🙂

    2. That looks like so much fun! I love what you’re wearing, specially the lilac one!
      The botanical gardens look fantastic. I wish I could go!

  12. Sounds like you had a very busy & enjoyable weekend. What kind of bird is that blue bird? It was great your daughter could go with you.

    1. Yes, we were very busy but as you said, also very enjoyable. The blue bird is a “Victoria Crowned Pigeon” that lives near Australia. It was so interesting and unique. Prettiest pigeon I’ve ever seen. 😉

  13. I’d love to find one of your rocks one day. This looks like everyone enjoyed the event. TY for sharing your trip with us.

  14. That looks like fun and hopefully I will be able to attend one of these shows. I love this hobby and I love learning new and wonderful stitches to add to what I already know.

    1. Great! I highly recommend going to a festival like this – it is wonderful to meet other crocheters and learn from instructors in person! 🙂

    1. I really enjoyed reading about the art festival. I am a new subscriber to your blog and I’m really enjoying it. I’m in love with your Celtic blanket squares and I’m getting ready to start a blanket this month. It’s nice to get to know more about you through your enjoyable and informative narrative. Thanks for your time and sharing your work.

      1. You are welcome! Hope you enjoy making the Celtic Knot squares – please email me if you need any help. 🙂

  17. It sounds like you and your daughter had a wonderful time. I’ve never given Pittsburgh much thought, but now I may have to revise that point of view. Thanks for the recap of the festival. And congratulations to your daughter on graduating college.

  18. I still have not made it to the festival but look so forward to next years event. Being from Dormont (a suburb of Pittsburgh, I am happy you were able to enjoy some of our many treasures.
    Here’s looking to next years festival
    Thank you for your story😊❤️

    1. Oh, if you live that close you definitely have to come next year! And, yes, I was impressed with all the wonderful things Pittsburgh offers 🙂

  19. What an exciting event and it looks like you had a wonderful time, especially getting to spend it with your daughter as well. That was beautiful picture of the two of you and I loved both of your crochet tops – especially the one you were wearing. Pittsburgh is a beautiful city to attend a Festival. Living in Texas, I’ve only had the occasion to go there once, but we tried to take in all the scenery and activities that we could while we were there. So far away, but would have been fantastic to have attended and taken your classes. I love all your creations. By the way, great blog of your trip and all the pictures were great at showing all the fun you had – and your smile tells it all — FUN, FUN and more FUN! Thanks for sharing your trip.

    1. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I appreciate it! So glad you enjoyed seeing the photos and hearing about what we did. 🙂

  21. Looks like a fun time! I wouldn’t be able to travel to Pittsburgh but would love to see such a festival. Maybe they’ll be one near me sometime soon!

    1. There are many festivals around the country and world – you might be surprised that there might be one near you! 🙂

  22. I love that you and your daughter were able to take a trip together. Wish there were more classes available here in Vancouver, Canada. I love to crochet, and would love to learn more.

  23. This looks like a lot of fun! I wouldn’t be able to go because I’m currently “grounded” from any place that sells yarn. That is until I use up all of my “old” yarn to make room for new yarn. 😂

    1. LOL! 🤣 Grounded from any place that sells yarn – ha, ha, ha! So funny – I know what you mean – hard to resist all the pretty colors and fibers!

  24. I wish I could go to one of your teaching events. But being in the UK makes it very expensive. It’s very much out of my reach in the present economy which is said to be worsening

    1. I would love to come to you and teach some classes in the UK! Let me know if there are any fiber festivals in your area. 🙂

  25. Looks like it was a hoot of an event & to be able to spend some quality time with your daughter made it a complete successful. And big congrats to your daughter on her recent graduation from college, what a milestone to complete!

    1. Thank you! She worked long and hard for her degree and yes, it was special to be together for the festival. 🙂

  26. One of these days I will get to this festival! If nothing else would love to take a class with you and with Bonnie Barker. I admire the work you both do so very much!

    1. What a fantastic event! I love the colors of yarn you chose for your upcoming projects. I am anxious to see what you will make! My biggest question is, how did you ever get out of there with so little yarn? 😂 I would want SO many of the colors I saw. Thank you for sharing pictures of your classes and their accomplishments. Everyone did a great job. Someday, I would love attend too!

      1. Would be great to have you come sometime! It was tough to pick yarn but since buying yarn also comes with a project commitment, I figured just these was best . . . this time! 😉🤣

  28. The Art Festival patrons look like they were having fun and learning a lot from people who have interest in knitting and crocheting. So glad you had precious with your daughter. They grow up so fast! I love crafts and currently working on a sweater for winter. I started with a pattern but have deviated and on my own now.

    Thanks for providing patterns and tips. They are most useful!

    1. You are welcome! Glad to hear you are working on a sweater and being creative with the pattern. 🙂 You are so right – kids grow up so fast and time flies!

  30. Gosh, that must have been close to heaven for someone as talented as you are (I know it would have been for me XD). I absolutely love the idea of S.A.C.K., and the colors you chose for the yarn are so beautiful (can’t wait what you use them for!) Thank you for taking us on the other side of the pond with you and give us a taste of this festival. Belated congrats to your daughter on her graduation!

    All the best from Austria
    Sandra

  31. Oh I am so glad you got to go to Phipps! It is one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh! The National Aviary is wonderful too! I really enjoyed your celtic knot class and am excited to make more at home. Love the idea of fall related knots. Can’t wait to see what you have for us next.

    1. It was wonderful to have you in the class! So glad to hear you will be making more Celtic Knots at home. 🙂 Yes, the gardens were outstanding – so impressive!

  32. Your event looked like everyone was having a great time. You and your daughter resemble each other. I love your designs. The Celtic theme carries through your work. My name is Irish (although I’m Dutch American) so love anything Irish.
    Collene

  35. Looks like you and your Daughter had a wonderfulf fun filled teaching experience. . I wish I had one one hundreth the talent you do as far as crocheting and writing patterns. You are so talented. And the places you go and the people you meet and teach are wonderful. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
    Beverly

    1. Thank you! You are so kind and encouraging. I am very thankful that I have been able to travel to teach crochet. 🙂

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