handmade by stefanie

I've been looking forward to Vogue Knitting Live 's return to Chicago all year; it's so nice to have a show of this caliber that is easy to get to for us non-car-owning city folk (I won't bore you with the same plea as last year , but if the good people at XRX are listening - please move Stitches Midwest back to Rosemont). This year, I didn't sign up to be a booth helper, and I only shopped the Marketplace on Sunday morning in an attempt to minimize damage to my bank account; my main goal was to see my clients and friends, take photos, and test my resolve to not come home with a truckload of yarn. To that end, I think I was fairly successful - here's what I came home with: My biggest splurge was the limited-edition Super Mario Slipped Stitch Studios sock project bag from the Windy Knitty Booth; I'm so glad they had a few left when I stopped by on Sunday morning! I had seen these project bags earlier this year when they were for sale in a limited run ...

Marketplace Entrance I had a blast last weekend at VK Live! Chicago . I spent most of my time as a helper bee in the Bijou Basin Ranch Booth , though I also had plenty of time to chat with many of my other yarny friends. I loved the venue - the Palmer House Hilton is a really stunning location. The marketplace vendors were divided between two ballrooms on two different levels; I really liked the intimacy the smaller spaces provided. It was so much more manageable than walking into a giant convention center and being overwhelmed by row after row of vendors! For a first-time event, I think it went pretty well. I heard rumblings of various issues that displeased both vendors and attendees, but I also heard just as many (if not more) positive remarks. Throughout the weekend, I saw Vogue staffers running around like crazy - they were getting things done! Palmer House Hilton There were some really gorgeous booths - for the most part, the marketplace floor had the feel of a bouti...