Midwest Fiber Experiences

I've been back from Stitches Midwest a week now, in bad need of rest! The new venue at Schaumburg was excellent- great lighting, free parking, and terrific customers. The new Black Water Abbey offerings were well received. My purchases, not much. I went for quality rather than quantity. The husband of one of my knitting pals has been working in silver. We took a few of these to the show and sold a few, one to me!!!If you're not a knitter, you would just think this was a beautiful. abstract design. Knitters would recognize a swatch of silver. There is also a larger version. I love it.

Prior to working at Stitches, I had an outing to Esther's Place.

What a lovely old home with shop and teaching on the first floor and bedrooms above for fiber retreats. What a great place for a weekend getaway.

While Donna, the owner, helps my young friend Maddie make a felted soap bar, daughter Natasha conducts a felting class in the kitchen.

Following our fiber outing, there was lunch at a country tea house adjoining a pottery studio. Just a perfect day.

Another major outing while visiting the Chicago area was to head across the border to Michigan. First stop: Sit 'n Knit cafe in New Buffalo. I have Amy to thank for the idea to visit here. She blogged about it a couple years ago and makes frequent visits. This shop, situated in a small house, is the setting for the book Cast On, Bet's Off by Jack Olesker. Jack and his wife Kim own the shop. Jack plans future mysteries in the knitting arena.

I came home with some Farmhouse yarn in brown tweeds. I am thinking scarf for my new raincoat.

While in the area, we visited several wineries. I have some souvenirs from these stops also. Luckily, my suitcase weighing 51 lbs on the return was not tapped for overweight charges!

Additional acquisitions during the trip include two fun books from Ann.

A more casual necklace-a needle gauge!

And a completed pair of socks in Regia.

So I am back working on some of the unfinished among the basket at my feet.

Labor Day, one of my favorite holidays as it signals the end of summer and the advent of fall.