TuftCon is March 24-26, 2023

Friday, March 24

Location: Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Main Space- 3rd Floor

9:30 am-10:30 am: TuftCon Check-in, Refreshments, and Networking

10:30 am-11:00 am: Welcome Remarks by Tim Eads and Tiernan Alexander

11:30 am-12:30 pm: Demo: Above, Below and Beyond:  Display options for your tufted works with Trish Andersen

12:30 pm- 1:30 pm: Lunch

1:30 pm- 2:30 pm: Demo: Build Your Own Large Scale Tufting Frame (66”x44”) with Matthew Stiles

2:30 pm- 3:30 pm: Demo: Gluing and binding: Finishing your Rug with Derek Hall

3:30 pm- 4:30 pm: Lecture: Tonya D. Lee on Color Theory

5:00 pm- 6:00 pm: Lecture: Tim Eads and Tiernan Alexander on Tuft the World: Past, Present and Future

6:00 pm- 8:30 pm: TuftCon Reception

Tech Booth will be open 11:30 am- 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm- 8:30 pm 

Community Tufted Rug designed by Aliyah Salmon will be located near the Tech Booth

Studio B- 2nd Floor

11:00 am- 4:00 pm: Advance Tufting Workshop

4:00 pm- 4:30 pm: AMA with Tufting Instructor

Studio D- 2nd Floor

11:00 am- 4:00 pm: Beginner Workshop 

4:00 pm- 4:30 pm: AMA with Tufting Instructor

Guest Artist Janna Savatgy live tufting throughout the day


Saturday, March 25

Location: Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Main Space- 3rd Floor

9:30 am-10:30 am: TuftCon Check-in, Refreshments, and Networking

10:30 am-11:30 am: Demo:Clean & Crisp: Carving & Sculpting Techniques with AJ Peterson

11:30 am-12:30 pm: Demo: Mastering your AK-III with Tim Eads

12:30 pm- 1:30 pm: Lunch

1:30 pm- 3:00 pm: Demo: To Dye For: How to dye your Ecru Wool Yarn with Joy O. Ude

3:00 pm- 4:00 pm: Lecture: Jongbum Kim on Belonging

5:00 pm- 6:00 pm: Panel Discussion: Punching Through the Limits of Entrepreneurship: a Discussion between Tim Eads (Tuft the World), Trish Andersen (Trish Andersen Studio), AJ Peterson (Magic Carpets), and Aliyah Salmon

6:00 pm- 7:00 pm: Networking

Tech Booth will be open 4:00 pm- 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm- 7:00 pm 

Community Tufted Rug designed by Aliyah Salmon will be located near the Tech Booth

Studio B- 2nd Floor

11:00 am- 4:00 pm: Advance Tufting Workshop

4:00 pm- 4:30 pm: AMA with Tufting Instructor

Studio D- 2nd Floor

11:00 am- 4:00 pm: Beginner Workshop

4:00 pm- 4:30 pm: AMA with Tufting Instructor 

Guest Artist Janna Savatgy live tufting throughout the day


Sunday, March 26

Location: BOK, 1901 S 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Room 501

10:00 am-11:00 am: TuftCon Check-in, Refreshments, and Networking

11:00 am- 11:30 am: Welcome Remarks to Tuft the World's New Education Center

11:30 am- 2:30 pm: Shopping, Community Tufting Station, Product Testing Station, and more!

12:00 pm- 2:30 pm: Exhibition Opening Reception 



TuftCon FAQ

Tuft the World staff will be teaching both beginner workshops as well as the long awaited advanced workshop. We'll be hosting three lectures: Tonya D. Lee on Color Theory, Tim Eads and Tiernan Alexander on the past present and future of Tuft the World, and Tiernan Alexander on the History of Rug Making. We'll have a panel discussion on starting a rug making business, and various demonstrations, including two presentations by guest artists Trish Anderson and AJ Petersen. TuftCon will also boast an open repair booth for all of your technical needs and questions! The weekend will provide a platform to network and connect with fellow creatives, be sure to join us the first night for welcome drinks and mingling.

TuftCon is a 3-day convention. Join us on Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25 at the Asian Arts Initiative, and on Sunday at our Headquarters in West Philadelphia. More details about the full schedule to come, stay tuned!

Yes, enjoy a 20% discount on Black Friday.  This will be the heaviest discount available so don’t delay in purchasing your ticket!

We hope TuftCon 2023 is the first of many more! This iteration will have everyone feeling like a VIP as tickets are limited. All tickets provide access to the same programming.  Importantly, workshop attendance is limited, and are available at a first come, first serve basis (limit 1 workshop per person)

The closest hotels to Asian Arts Initiative (1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107) are The Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown, Aloft Philadelphia Downtown and Loews Philadelphia Hotel.  AirBNB is also a great option!

Asian Arts Initiative is in a central location in Philadelphia, surrounded with many options.  Conveniently located next door to the Chinatown neighborhood, you can find many fantastic restaurants, check out Visit Philly’s guide to some favorites, here.  AAI is also a short distance from the popular Reading Terminal Market, an enclosed public market of over 70 diverse vendors, which will easily satiate all of your meal, snack and food shopping needs.    

No, but there are nearby parking lots as well as easy access via public transit; AAI is a 10 minute walk from the Broad Street and Market-Frankford lines of SEPTA at Jefferson Station (trolley, subway and Regional Rail) as well as SEPTA bus lines (22 and 45).  View more helpful information on parking and directions here.

Tickets are only available for purchase online prior to the convention.

It is unlikely, but, if the convention is canceled, Tuft the World will organize a new date.

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