We had a fun weekend in Chicago! We met our favorite friends Steve and Janice for the weekend, so that Janice and I could go to Stitches Midwest to celebrate my hubby’s birthday on Sunday. I love Chicago. I spent my first two years in college in the Chicago area and there is lots to do and see. We decided that we don’t travel up there often enough, so we’ll be back! Here are a few photos from the weekend.
On the way up, we stopped at an antique store somewhere in IL. This was the statue out front. (??) He was about 3 stories tall and … eating an ice cream cone. I still don’t understand it. Maybe I’m not supposed to. I found a nice shelf (formerly a drying rack of some sort) for my office. I’m running out of places to put yarn samples in here.
Up in Schaumberg, we stayed in a hotel that just happened to be near the Ikea store. (And I love Ikea!) In fact, this picture was taken out our hotel window. I zoomed in a little, but not much. I was happy to be so close. We made that our first stop of the evening, followed by dinner at Big Bowl. Yum.
On Saturday, Janice and I headed over to the Convention Center to shop at the Stitches Marketplace. Lots of booths, lots of yarn, and lots of fun people to see. I didn’t buy a single skein of yarn, but I did find two cool baskets and a sweater patttern.
While we were shopping, the guys were spending the day downtown. It was gorgeous weather. If you click on the Cloud Gate photo here to make it bigger, you’ll see Paul and Steve taking pictures of themselves in the reflection. 🙂 They were having so much fun downtown that Janice and I beat them back to the hotel and got in a couple of hours of knitting before they showed up to take us out to dinner.
Sunday was Paul’s birthday and we celebrated by going out for a great breakfast at Richard Walker’s Pancake House. I wish we had those in St. Louis.
After telling Steve and Janice goodbye, we headed over to the Renegade Craft Fair and scouted out the fun items for sale. There were over 300 vendors and it definitely wasn’t your typical craft fair. Lots of unique things.
Today we’ve been busy getting out your weekend orders, unpacking a ton of boxes that UPS and the mailman brought, and getting things set for the update tonight. (Check out what just went up. New colors of Mini Mochi, a new cool yarn that I love – Panguipulli – from Araucania, Wendy’s shawl patterns, and more.) Later this week I’m doing a big Cascade restock, so if you’ve been waiting on some colors to return, they’re coming.
Lastly, come join our “Fans of The Loopy Ewe” group on Facebook. I’ll keep you updated there on things as they arrive, and we’ll have some fun Facebook contests as we go along.
Sheri didyoudoanythingfunthisweekend?
Lets see…Grandfathers surprise 83 bday, both of my boys 1st football games, Associate days at hubbys work, church and made homemade Applesauce with red hots! YUMMY!
And is it bad to say I have never been to an Ikea?
Sheri -ROTFL – you’re killing me with that photo of the statue of the man in the boxer shorts eating an ice cream cone!! – I’m not sure I want to know …but why does he have an eye bolt hook in his – well a well placed spot in his shorts? 😀 I guess you could run a clothes line or something similar. Looks like you did way more fun things this weekend that I did all month. Love the other photos and I like Ikea too. That fountain in front of the skyline is something else! My very first Wollmeise order came today and the colors! No words to describe them! You just want to stare at them 🙂
I think the ice cream eating statue was originally a “sign” for an ice cream shop — perhaps on the lakefront.
I did! I saw you and Janice at Stitches! 🙂
I am glad you had a wonderful weekend. I love Chicago too, we have very close friend that live there and visit often. Next stop for you is Florida. I found this in the ravelry place at facebook and thought that you may be interested:
http://www.fiberfarm.com/2009/09/a-mighty-big-giveaway
If you get them let me know. LOL.
Sunday morning i took one look at the laundry, dishes, and grocery list and headed out to the beach for a wonderful 5 hours of “one more day” of summer!
We moved!! We sold our house so we can get ready for retirement next Sept!! Will have to make room for that yarn. Getting boxes unpacked. Then I will make a trip to St. Louis to visit Loopy!! whoo hooo
Your weekend sounds so nice! Mine was’t anywhere near as exciting. A bit of housework, laundry and helping the husband was how I spent my weekend. Oh, and a wee bit of sock knitting.
We went to Midwest last year and found Richard Walker’s. That was one yummy breakfast. We wish they were here in Oklahoma.
Love downtown Chicago and “the bean.” Going to Cubs/Brewers game this week (until next year for the Cubs). Not a very exciting weekend — just working at the marina. Packers beat the Bears(yipee) which is always fun living here in Bear Country.
I had a wonderful weekend with WendyKnits in NYC.
Will you be at Stitches East?
oh i dearly love Cloud Gate! and the faces on the walls at the splash pool/fountain.
I’m so glad to hear that you had a great time in Chicago! I’ve lived here for 1.5 years and I adore it. I didn’t make it to Stitches Midwest this year, but I was at Renegade on Saturday and had the best time. And the weather was perfect all weekend!
I’m eeking out a few final days at my family’s summer home on Lake Erie. I’m leaving lunch-ish on Wednesday, for the year. Bummer!
I’ve always enjoyed chicago. I have enough family and friends there to stay with someone different every day for a week (at least!)
I actually did d something fun this weekend! And I’m still doing it! I’m in Montreal for a big conference, so I’ve been meeting lots of the other people in my fellowship program, going to lots of educational sessions, networking, and exploring Montreal! It’s a lovely break- and my town is paying for most of it! Not enough knitting time, though…
I went to the renagade festival in San Francisco in July- it was indoors and much smaller than Chicago’s but I did get a pair of earrings- one has teeny knitting needles and the other has a teeny ball of yarn.
I had a VERY fun weekend… it actually sounded very similar to yours. Oh, wait, it was exactly like yours!! 🙂 Thanks for a fun weekend!!!! We should meet there every weekend!!!
Sounds like ya’ll had a fun weekend! Chicago is a great city. I mostly enjoyed a relaxing weekend. I tried to work on my Girasole blanket, but every time I would get it out to knit, my kitty would jump right up in my lap and curl up to go to sleep on Girasole. Guess he has adopted that blanket. 😉 He must like dream in color classy as much as I do!
Well, I entered my Clapotis made from Dream In Color Baby AND a skein of yarn made from Enchanted Knoll Fibers from your shop in the County Fair…I’ll find out on Wednesday if I’ve placed. It’s my first time entering anything in the fair–I’m excited!
ooohhh, I love Chicago too! IKEA plus Stitches? too much fun! welcome back!
I think the Yarn Harlot calls the cloud gate “the bean.” Ha!
I spent most of the weekend knitting and taking in the hometown picnic/carnival. We had gorgeous weather and my son finally was tall enough to go on a ride he’s been coveting for 2 years. The grin on his face nearly split his whole head in half. I nearly cried at his pure joy. It was a good weekend.
Spent the weekend at the St. Louis Pirate Festival! Aaaarrrrggghhh. Come out and visit us in Wentzville (stlpiratefest.com)! Oh, and Stitch’n’Pitch with the Cardinals last night.
It was really great bumping into at Stitches! It looks like you guys had a fabulous time.
I was in Chi-town for the U2 concert! I didn’t know about Stitches Mid-west though. “0(
This weekend??? There was a weekend??? I seem to have missed that. However, I did get some sock knitting done. That must have been the “weekend” part of the “weekend”!
Is it wrong that I love that statue?
And happy birthday to your husband!
I ran / waddled (umm, walked) my way from one end of Quincy to Somerville. With all of the extra walking, I got almost 20 miles in on Sunday!
I spent my weekend working on my Girasole, charity knitting, spinning and weaving a shawl for a belated birthday gift for a friend.
we spent a relatively quiet weekend at home. Hubby has friday off as well. I canned 40 pounds of tomato, 15 apple and 8 peaches and have a full pantry and freezer. Also got some knitting done, the garage a bit more organized, a bookshelf painted… we stayed home to be available to my father in law. His mom (hubbys gram) passed this week , so things have been a bit off from the norm.
OMG! I grew up in the Schaumberg area! I lived in Bensenville near O’Hare and we could see the planes landing and taking off from one of the outer runways. Chicago is always fun to go visit. I hope you had some awesome food too! Best Pizza!! :o)
you were in Schaumburg? I work in Schaumburg! I’m bummed I missed you–but then again, all my exciting times this weekend included work and more work. I’m glad to hear Chicago treated you well!
Fun times had by all!!