Creating community at h+h americas

The h+h americas show once again delighted attendees from May 1st–3rd, 2024 in Rosemont, IL. From a new content creator summit to a cosplay fashion show, there was something for everyone at this show.  Learning labs and main stage sessions ensured there was plenty of activity to keep you busy!

The show experienced remarkable growth and expansion in its 3rd year.  The show floor was 50% larger than the previous year. And from the feedback we heard from vendors, we expect next year to be even bigger. With so much change happening across the world of craft, building community and relationships was top of mind for many people. And with the expansion of areas of craft that were included this year, it was a great invitation to explore and learn new things.

As more vendors discover h+h americas, the central location in Rosemont, Illinois has made it easy to drive from anywhere in the Midwest US. It’s also centrally located with easy access to airports for travel. Chris and Teresa from Dakota Fiber Mill drove down from Nome, North Dakota to attend the show as a vendor. They make Bear Creek needle felting kits. We asked Chris to share her perspective on how attending h+h americas helped her business. She shared “Teresa and I booked our booth and went with no expectations. We knew we had to sell our story as we cannot compete with the imported wools and kits out there. We were hoping there would be folks that would appreciate that we touch every step of the producing of our products. We raise the sheep and the wool travels 15 miles to our mill, where we process it into roving, yarn and felted products for our kits. Even down to printing off the instructions that Teresa has written. All is done "inhouse" till it is shipped off to our customers. The h+h americas show totally exceeded everything we could have imagined. We were elated that folks very much appreciated what we were doing and were all so encouraging! We met so many new contacts and customers. We cannot wait for h+h next year!!!”   

The beauty of attending a trade show is that you never quite know who you will meet there. Attending sessions and walking the show floor is like a giant treasure hunt. For us, the show was a great opportunity to connect with our existing subscribers and meet new people. Building new relationships and strengthening existing ones has led us to many interesting collaborations and opportunities. We will be sharing the results of a number of these collaborations with our readers in the coming months. 

Each year, the show expands to include additional elements to create a beautiful array of creative opportunities.  For example, last year there was a cosplay exhibit.  This year, there was a Cosplay fashion show. The beauty and creativity of these designs is amazing and inspiring. Jo Luttazi from Scarlet Stitch Studio participated in the cosplay fashion show. We asked her to share more information about her new design. She shared:.

“My Marie Antoi-knit gown is my most detailed project to date. I originally made the dress in 2022 for a Rococo meetup near me, and it was the first major crochet project I was able to complete after my car accident in 2019. Since then, I've revisited this costume, spending about a month and a half in total on it. I also sewed the pannier and hip pillows to wear to support the weight of it all. My favorite part of the cosplay is the wig with the hidden compartment for yarn. It's actually my first yarn wig. I've been doing yarn cosplay for over a decade and have been told I needed to make a yarn wig to match more times than I can remember so it was important to me to make a really killer wig that was worth the wait!”

One of the other things that makes the h+h americas show unique is its inclusion of guild’s and non-profits each year. The ability to meet in person and have these conversations is invaluable. We get out of our normal day to day ruts and think about future possibilities. 

We asked the Loose Ends Project to share more about their experience at h+h americas. Jen Simonic, Co-Founder of Loose Ends Project, shared with us:

“Going to h + h americas was transformative for our organization. With over 400 vendors, we were able to reach more craft industry people who might not have heard about our organization as well as shop owners who help us find projects. Connecting with these businesses who are interested in our mission and how it benefits their customer base was invaluable and made the choice to come back very easy.  We are already looking forward to next year."

The h+h americas show was a great opportunity to collaborate with a wide range of artisans, companies, and organizations over the course of three days. After a great show this year, we can’t wait to see what they have in store for next year. 

Want to attend this year’s show for free? Learn how:

h+h is back, and you can get a free ticket! 

Want to learn more about the h+h america’s show? Watch my interview with Darrin Stern from h+h america’s.

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