Stitch Up Chicago 2023 Is Announced!
/We are BACK and so excited to bring you the return of Stitch Up Chicago in truest Stitch Up Style!
After much consideration , yes, WE ARE BRINGING BACK STITCH UP CHICAGO! And we are doing it in true Stitch Up Style with quite a bang! And you KNOW we have quite a line up of activities and hosts for you this year so you will not want to miss it!
Our Hosts for the return of Stitch Up Chicago are London Kaye, Natalie Thomas of Detroit Knots, Tamara Kelly of Moogly Blog, Lauren McElroy of Mother of Purl & Michele Costa of 144 Stitches… yeah we will be having a LOT OF FUN!
I really was so grateful that we got to have Stitch Up Chicago as the very last fiber event before the pandemic shut down. Those memories and fiber community vibes really helped get me through the early shut down month!
When 2021 came around, it was clear that we could not do a Stitch Up but so many of our sponsors wanted to support the community and I feel like our Stitch Up Chicago Box Of Love really truly did that. Us all making those shawls and all the love that went into each box really helped get me through and I know it did for so many others too!
Once the world started opening up, I had done so much research to find a safe way to bring Stitch Up Chicago back in 2022. We had an outdoor location. We were going to provide sanitizer and masks. We really put a lot of thought into it and had planned some great things with our great sponsors.
Then Life Happened.
As many know, a week before I was about to announce the return of Stitch Up Chicago in 2022 my husband passed away suddenly of a massive heart attack, onset by Diabetes. (please go see a doctor and get your check ups… just saying). 3 months later, my poodle 1 passed away. Then 3 months later I moved home to Louisiana.
2022 proved NOT to be the right year to bring back Stitch Up. That was clear and I was not able to give it my all and would never bring it back any other way.
Stitch Up is about community. It is my HONOR to be the organizer and create a space to share and learn and enjoy our love of fiber arts. I was not in that space in 2022.
Now it is 2023!
As many of you have noticed, our industry has shifted in 2023. Companies are closing, people are moving on from making fiber arts love into a fiber arts business.
As I went through my process of grieving I wasn’t even sure if I would ever bring Stitch Up Chicago back to be honest. I was working as if I would but I just didn’t know if I had it in me.
But the minute I started truly planning this event a switch clicked and my heart exploded with joy and excitement to bring back the one community event that is ONLY for the community! No sales. No gimmicks. JUST A MASSIVE SIP N’ STITCH AND SHARED LOVE OF FIBER ARTS! I knew it was time.
I prayed and prayed because so many sponsors had dropped off (did I mention the industry shift and companies closing?). I had a long talk with my long time friend and FIRST Stitch Up Chicago Sponsor and Supporter, Hilary of Nina Chicago. Immediately I knew… it was time.
Within days it all fell into place. New Sponsors. New Schedule. New activities and all is renewed as is so right! SO here I am announcing the news… the return of Stitch Up Chicago and I could not be more excited.
It is after all about community. Not about me. I am just the conduit and organizer. So what better time than NOW for community to shine.
This year’s event schedule is AMAZING and our hosts are EVEN MORE AMAZING! I will be sharing more on that in the coming weeks. Right now I am just so dang excited to say: STITCH UP CHICAGO IS BACK! And I hope you join us there!
