my kind of town

Chicago is a fun city.  If you have never been, and the opportunity presents itself, you should go.  I am strategizing ways to make a return trip with the family at some point (I am envisioning great joy in the eyes of Little Sir at the thought of Sue in the Field Museum , but since an empty box entertains him to no end, a skeleton of a dinosaur might just push him over the edge of reason). 

There is tons to see and do in Chicago, and three days isn't enough time to do it.  Especially if one is expected to attend conference sessions about the larger meaning of archives in a digital world, or something like that.  The conference was good (though I felt that quantity over quality was the mantra when putting together sessions this year...some of my sessions were mediocre at best--this is just my opinion though), in any case, there were yarn stores.

I was able to meet up a with a fellow knit blogging archivist, you may know of her, her name is Lolly.  We were able to hit some museums and yarn shops during our brief stay in the windy city.  The two local yarn shops we visited were Knitwerks and Loopy Yarns.  Both shops were pretty great, very different in atmosphere.  Knitwerks was the first shop we went to.

Knitwerks is owned by Cherl, she rocks.

She has only been open for 9 months.  Her shop is well-maintained and is super colorful (just like Cherl's personality).  She has some really nice selections (like Dream in Color, a Chicago dyed yarn).  Lolly and I were very well-behaved:

I got a skein of Dream in color (the choclately one) sock yarn, Lolly got the green Dream in Color worsted and some lovely lace weight dyed in California , it's pretty, see for yourself.

Lolly and I spent Friday morning and most of Friday evening with a Chicago knit blogger, Amy.  Amy spent her whole day off making nice with us.  She took us to see a globe with a knitted sweater (part of a Chicago art installment).

We also went to the Field Museum; but, there was, of course, the requisite yarn trip.  Amy took us to Loopy Yarns, a fun little shop fairly close to our hotel.  There was a lot of yarn at Loopy.

They have a great selection of vegan yarn choices.

And, of course, their Claudia's handpainted is nothing to sneeze at.

I really enjoyed our little knit bloggers meet-up in the lobby of our hotel Friday night the best though.

It was fun to sit and knit with Amy, Lolly and Rebecca.  There were definitely other knit blogging archivists at the conference (as evidenced by all the knitters knitting in sessions and the random conversation about Ravelry overheard between sessions.

I heard there are plans to organize a little more for next year's conference.  Yes, we archivists, we know how to have a good time.

And lest you think me unappreciative, thank you all for your kind words, congratulations and well wishes in celebration of my blogiversary.  I have had a lot of fun with you all and learned and laughed a lot with you.  I really enjoy being part of this on-line community of knitting fun.  And having this community certainly does make archives conferences a lot more interesting.  Just sayin'.

Comments

[tiennie]

How funny! I just read Lolly's post on this trip. Sounds like it was a grand time!

[Opal]

Sounds like you had a grand time! Cherl looks like a hard core knitter. What a cool tat!

[Amy Artisan]

So glad that Chicago is your kind of town! :) Friday was definitely a fun day. Let me know when you get back this way.

[Rebecca]

Knitwerks looks great--I should have taken more yarn field trips!

[Ashley]

Fun fun fun! What better use of professional conferences than to facilitate knitblogger meetups? Anyone going to MLA in December??

[Lolly]

It was a real joy spending the week with you, Nova. We should do it again some time ;) like SF next year?

Love the sock yarn you got!

[stacey]

what a great time! I never knew there were so many archivists out there! :)

[Kristy]

Wow, it looks like a great time! And lucky you to get to meet up with so many knitters!

I read about the knitted globe on Yarnival... it's cool that you got to see it in person.

[Stacey]

I wish I was an archivist (didn't I play one in a past life?) just so I could have hung out with you in Chicago! How fun!

[Erin]

Who knew there were so many knitting archivists? Looks like fun!

[kathy]

I'm glad I'm not an archivist! It would be too expensive visiting such beautiful yarn shops during conferences! yummy yarn -- i'm jealous!

[pamela wynne]

SO fun! As usual, I'm just a little jealous of my archivist friends. :)

[Nora]

Ooooohh, you met Lolly and Lolly met YOU!! :)

[diana]

I love Chicago! Looks like you had a great time!

[Felicia]

Knitting bloggers meeting face to face. Awesome!

[isel]

Fun times, except for the mediocre sessions, but at least you had your knitting and the promise of yarn shop, or two. :)