Where to play

There's lots to do in our event, and multiple platforms to do it on. The information on this page will help you figure out where and when you'd like to join in.

Reducing the confusion

One of the things you may notice is that we have a lot going on during the event, and in a lot of different places. The most important thing to remember is that you don't have to monitor everything, everywhere! (And definitely not all at once.)

The reason we do multiple things on multiple sites is to accommodate people who wouldn't be able to participate if we were only available in one place. Of course you're welcome to try and find us everywhere, if you've got the time and energy, but we advise folks to pick where you want to play and don't worry about the other platforms. You can join in the fun, share projects, and connect with other participants however works best for you.

To decide where you'd like to play, we've organized event activities in two ways:

By platform
By activity

Use one or both of these tables to work out where to go to play. As for when to play, check out the event schedule.

Note: Which platforms and activities we can support in any given year depend on the wonderful volunteers who can help us manage it all!

Platforms

This year, we are supporting the following platforms:

What platform do you want to use?	Available activities on the platform
Website	Event information: schedule, designer sign-up, where to play, etc. Search feature: designers and patterns, with links to finished yarnalong projects Link to master spreadsheet with designers, pattern products, and finished yarnalong projects (for those who don't want to use the website search feature; and also, the spreadsheet contains a little bit more information about some things, for example, whether designers made the event discount code available on more than one of their sales channels) Games: link to Bingo cards, link to email address for submitting Bingo cards Submit finished projects (FOs): link to FO submission form
Mailing list	Participant-related event announcements Volunteer-related event announcements Designer-related event announcemnts
Discord If you're looking for as central a place as possible to find people, see announcements, and just generally participate, that's our Fasten Off YAL server on Discord . Discord can be confusing to use for some people. Check out the #using-discord channel on our server for tips, resources, and asking questions. We also have a #practice-chatting channel so you can get comfortable with the system. As with most online discussion venues, there are some behavioural expections. In addition to the event code of conduct (linked to above), you will also need to follow the Discord community guidelines	Event announcements Event socializing: Chat/discussion about yarnalong projects, participating designers, pets, and general life stuff Sharing your yarnalong project(s) Seeing what other folks are doing with their yarnalong project(s) and interacting with them Announcements from designers about test calls and new releases Games: Picture Party and Scavenger Hunt, Bingo cards will be posted, link to email address for submitting Bingo cards, and you can share how you're coming along with your Bingo cards in the #games-bingo channel Interactive designer events: Ask Me Anythings (AMAs) Use the #video-panels channel to discuss interactive designer video panels The server will be monitored for random prize giveaways Boonanza: this is our community New Year's Eve party to close out the yarnalong
Instagram	Event announcements from the event account Promotions of participating designers from the event account Sharing your yarnalong project(s): use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL Seeing what other folks are doing with their yarnalong project(s) and interacting with them: use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL to find posts Find/interact with designers: follow participating designers to see what they're posting about Games: Bingo: Cards will be posted from the event account, and you can share how you're coming along with your your Bingo cards using the hashtag #FOYALbingo Quizzes: These are randomly posted as stories on the event account This or That: These polls are randomly posted as stories on the event account The hashtag #FastenOffYAL will be monitored for random prize giveaways
Mastodon	Event announcements from the event account Promotions of participating designers from the event account Sharing your yarnalong project(s): use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL Seeing what other folks are doing with their yarnalong project(s) and interacting with them: use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL to find posts Find/interact with designers: follow participating designers to see what they're posting about Games: Picture Party and Scavenger Hunt, and you can share how you're coming along with your Bingo cards using the hashtag #FOYALbingo The hashtag #FastenOffYAL will be monitored for random prize giveaways
Pinterest	Pinning of random in-progress yarnalong projects from the event account , found using the #FastenOffYAL hashtag Pinning of finished yarnalong projects from the event account Sharing your yarnalong project(s): use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL Seeing what other folks are doing with their yarnalong project(s) and interacting with them: use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL to find posts Find/interact with designers: follow participating designers to see what they're posting about Games: you can share how you're coming along with your Bingo cards using the hashtag #FOYALbingo The hashtag #FastenOffYAL will be monitored for random prize giveaways
Zoom	Interactive designer events: video panels
YouTube	Archive of interactive designer video panels held on Zoom
Email	Games: submit your Bingo cards
Any other social media platform	Sharing your yarnalong project(s): use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL (assuming the platform uses hashtags) Seeing what other folks are doing with their yarnalong project(s) and interacting with them: use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL to find posts (assuming the platform uses hashtags) Find/interact with designers: follow participating designers to see what they're posting about Games: you can share your Bingo cards using the hashtag #FOYALbingo (assuming the platform uses hashtags)

Activities

This year, we're having the following activities:

What activity do you want to do?	What platforms are available for that activity
Event information: schedule, designer sign-up, where to play, etc.	Website
Event announcements	Mailing list: differentiated for participants, volunteers, and designers, depending on which update(s) is/are signed up for Discord Instagram Mastodon
Find/interact with designers	Website: search feature, and link to master spreadsheet (for those who don't want to use the website search feature; and also, the spreadsheet contains a little bit more information about some things, for example, whether designers made the event discount code available on more than one of their sales channels) Discord: Announcements from designers about test calls and new releases Interactive designer events: Ask Me Anythings (AMAs) Instagram Promotions of participating designers from the event account Follow participating designers to see what they're posting about Mastodon Promotions of participating designers from the event account Follow participating designers to see what they're posting about Zoom: interactive video panels YouTube: archive of interactive designer video panels held on Zoom Any other social media platform: follow participating designers to see what they're posting about; on Twitter, our 2023 Designers list lists all the participating designers this year who are on Twitter
Participate by making a yarnalong project (or projects!)	Find patterns Website: search feature, and link to master spreadsheet (for those who don't want to use the website search feature; and also, the spreadsheet contains a little bit more information about some things, for example, whether designers made the event discount code available on more than one of their sales channels) Share progress and finished projects Discord: post; we'll have channels #yal-chat and #yal-finished-projects Instagram, Mastodon, Pinterest, or any other social media platform which uses hashtags: use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL Submit finished projects (FOs) Website: link to FO submission form
See what projects other participants are making or have made	Website: the designers and patterns search feature will include links to finished yarnalong projects submitted by others Discord: check out our channels #yal-chat and #yal-finished-projects Instagram, Mastodon, or any other social media platform that uses hashtags: use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL to find posts Pinterest Pinning of random in-progress yarnalong projects from the event account , found using the #FastenOffYAL hashtag Pinning of finished yarnalong projects from the event account Use the hashtag #FastenOffYAL to find posts
Event socializing	Discord: we'll have channels #miscellaneous-chat, #furry-friends, and #games-chat
Games	Picture Party Discord Mastodon Scavenger Hunt Discord Mastodon Bingo Website: link to Bingo cards, and email address for submitting them Discord: Bingo cards and the email address for submitting them will be posted, and you can share how you're coming along with your Bingo cards in the #games-bingo channel Instagram: Bingo cards will be posted from the event account , and you can share how you're coming along with your Bingo cards using the hashtag #FOYALbingo Mastodon: Bingo cards will be posted from the event account , and you can share how you're coming along with your Bingo cards using the hashtag #FOYALbingo Any other social media platform which uses hashtags: You can share how you're coming along with your Bingo cards using the hashtag #FOYALbingo Quizzes: Instagram This or That: Instagram
Random prize giveaways	Discord: the server will be monitored Instagram, Mastodon, and Pinterest: the hashtag #FastenOffYAL will be monitored
Boonanza: this is our community New Year's Eve party to close out the yarnalong	Discord: look for the Boonanza-related channels closer to New Year's