Tales of The Traveling Chair

There are so many things to do in Ann Arbor I have no idea where to begin. You are in store for a very rewarding experience regardless of what’s on the activity agenda. You can be dining in a fine restaurant one minute and listening to one of your favorite musical artists the next. I just went to one of Ann Arbor’s finest venues, The Ark, on Sunday, to see John Hiatt. What a great time. If you live in Ann Arbor or are planning a visit, put this shop, Knit A Round, at the top of your to do list. Sherie and Carrie, owners of Knit A Round, opened their shop 10 years ago to cater to fellow yarn lovers and knitters. Conveniently located in the Traver Village Shopping Center, this shop is Ann Arbor’s best source for yarn, knitting supplies, books, classes and yes, Indian Lake Artisans’  hexagonal knitting needles. The staff is very knowledgeable and cheerfully assists with any project. They make sure knitting is fun for novice and expert alike. One really big bonus this week is their Summer Sale. The sale is going on during the Ann Arbor Art Fair, so what better excuse to duck the crowds, the traffic, the heat and seek refuge at Knit A Round for some great deals on your very next project. Artfully adding to your stash is always a good thing.

Located just a block away from our state capitol is the Michigania Store filled with merchandise from across our Great Lake state. Could there be a more appropriate spot for a shop to showcase the wealth of artistic talent and products from Michigan? I can’t imagine a place better situated and this shop has everything and I mean everything! You will find a wide selection of goods from food to books, jewelry to photography, home decor accessories and handcrafted one of a kind items and everything in between. This shop now carries Indian Lake Artisans hexagonal knitting needles in a selection of sizes and woods. Stop in and discover the wonders of Michigan and the many fine artists represented in this wonderful store. A great destination to purchase gifts for the entire family and all of your friends. Help to promote Michigan and support all of the homegrown talent by shopping local.

I have been around the block (our great state of Michigan) 60,000 times and really need to catch everyone up on the Traveling Chair tales. Look for upcoming posts about Lansing, Ann Arbor, Tawas, Romeo, Indian Lake, Alanson, Mackinaw City, St. Ignace, Sault Ste. Marie, Gaylord and Ludington. I hope I’m not forgetting anywhere, it’s been a whirlwind tour. I can say this, we have some wonderful knitting shops in our state and many  creative and enthusiastic artisans. I even drove my Jeep over the Mighty Mac twice on Friday. Scary, exhilarating and gorgeous all at the same time. Come out and see me at the 8th Annual Michigan Lavender Festival this coming week on Friday, July 16th and Saturday, July 17th, 10 – 5, at the historic Wolcott Mill in Ray Twp. www.MichLavenderFestival.com. I’ll be in the booth with Powder Puff Pacas. Plenty to do and see; 75 Michigan artisans with unique handmade goods, lavender workshops, wellness classes and even lavender lemonade and ice cream. As you can see, even the Traveling Chair made friends on this last trip. Stay tuned. It’s getting exciting.

June has been a great travel month for me and I found myself traversing west to Holland, MI and meeting Lindy Graff, owner of Lizzie Ann’s Wool Company. What a great shop on 8th Street in the heart of bustling downtown Holland. I didn’t see any tulips or wooden shoes,  just plenty of great shops with unique merchandise, a perfect fit for the knitting needles. Lizzie Ann’s has plenty of colorful wool and yarns to inspire any project you have on your to do list. Visiting knitters sit at the big table and share their creations with much enthusiasm. Lindy and her staff make her shop a very welcoming place to get creative and leave with the confidence to tackle the next big project or even a small one. I grabbed the traveling chair and strode down 8th street turning heads in wonderment. Photographing Lindy outside the shop on the sidewalk brought the remark, “I wish we could sit out here and have our knitting circles.”  A true vision would be a group of knitters all sitting in the eye catching red Adirondack chairs knitting and chatting away with smiles abound. Everyone would want to join in on the fun. Lindy loved the traveling chair and it made me think that other folks might love them too, so we have decided to offer them for sale on the website. Each chair is handmade and there are no visible screws or nails to catch on your clothes or more importantly your knitting. The unique design lends itself for sun catching or star gazing depending on the time of day. You may order the chairs in painted pine or painted cedar, and also in unfinished cedar as they will naturally weather over time. A must stop while you’re in Holland is the New Holland Brewing Company. The day I visited I had a fantastic portobello mushroom pizza and a Saison style beer. Sitting in their streetside cafe allowed for soaking up some glorious sunshine. How about this photo of some great historical buildings next to the brewery, it really reminded me of San Francisco. Again, check out Lizzie Ann’s Wool Company and tell her you read about her shop on my blog if you haven’t been there yet. Make sure to leave with some wonderful yarn too!

Stopping for an overnight on the banks of  the AuSable River on a spring evening, listening to the river babble by, the birds singing and enjoying a wonderful meal at the lodge was the perfect end to a long day.  Gates AuSable Lodge just outside Grayling, MI is a fly fishing destination and a fisherman’s dream. I didn’t have a chance to fish but most of the guests were there for just that. Fishing report: excellent. I met with Ali Baynham, owner of The Icehouse Quilt Shop in Grayling, the next morning. Quilt shop and knitting needles? Yes in deed. The Icehouse is a nationally renowned quilt shop stocked with the most wonderful fabrics and every notion that goes along with fabric and crafty projects. Ali and her staff, all extremely knowledgeable and willing to assist with any project you undertake, are dedicated to top of the line merchandise for quilters and sewers of all descriptions. The Icehouse also hosts an artisan boutique, showcasing unique artworks and handcrafted items from Michigan. (This is where the knitting needles come in.) Many quilt artists enjoy a wide range of crafting with fiber, paint and other mediums. Personally I love knitting, quilting, watercolors, pastels, acrylics, stamping, needle punch, felting, mixed media and photography, you get the idea…multifaceted creative endeavors inspire me. Tell your friends about Ali’s shop and that they will be able to purchase Indian Lake Artisans’ knitting needles there.  If you are traveling north this summer and are looking for that one fabric, or 10, needed to complete a quilt or just need to find a special gift, the Icehouse is a can’t pass by destination. Say hello to Ali for me and enjoy your shopping.

A beautiful drive on a picturesque sunny day in Michigan along the shores of  lakes Michigan and Charlevoix brought me to Stonehedge Farm and Fiber Mill, a 150 year old working farm just outside of East Jordan.  Owner Debbie McDermott operates her fiber mill here and also has a well stocked shop where she sells her beautiful Shepherd’s Wool. Her wool comes in an expansive assortment of colors, perfect for today’s fiber artist. Stonehedge also has roving from a variety of wool types and other fibers, including already made needle felted sheets, ready to make into a great project. Debbie and I hope to assemble a Michigan Gift basket with wool, needles and a pattern, a perfect gift for any craft enthusiast and we’ll be helping to promote our homegrown talented artists. Stay tuned to the blog  for more details and updates on this endeavor.

I headed up north to Cedar, MI and met Melissa the owner of  Wool and Honey, formerly and known to most of you as Inish Knits. What a great shop! The minute you walk in the door you know you are in a warm welcoming place filled with great yarns, fiber and gifts that will inspire you and leave you feeling happy.  Melissa is celebrating her fourth anniversary of ownership and has rededicated herself to the shop by putting her personal stamp on it, and has just reopened as Wool and Honey.  She has her own wonderful story to tell and in life we are all knitting our experiences together to become a greater whole, enhancing our journey and keeping us connected. Melissa’s shop is the perfect place for Indian Lake Artisan needles as she showcases the smaller deserving brands and locally made yarn and fiber, unique artisans and women owned businesses (me), and the wealth of local Michigan-made talent.  Wool and Honey will be carrying  my knitting needles exclusively in the Leelanau area, so when you travel north plan a visit to Wool and Honey and select some great materials for that next project. Melissa is very friendly, knowledgeable and extremely helpful and will insure you have everything you need to complete your next masterpiece.

Later today I will be loading the Wrangler with two red chairs.

Thanks everyone who made it out to the Launch Party yesterday. What a great day and it was so good to see everyone. After some much needed sleep, I am energized and ready for the week. The Traveling Chairs are back at Indian Lake waiting to see where they are headed to next. Stay tuned.

It is really hard to believe this day is finally here.  I am so excited I hardly slept a wink last night.  The adventure so far has been pretty incredible with the inception of the hexagonal knitting needles three and a half years ago to a finished product today.  Receiving the patent for the needles and then finding a way to create them has been a wonderful traverse around our great state of Michigan with many connections to friends who have had a hand in the production of the prettiest darn needles I’ve ever seen. I would like to thank my husband, Mark, for all of his support. I never would have arrived at this day without him. My family and friends have given me so much support and there were days  I would have thrown in the towel but they offered much needed encouragement and urged me to keep going. A quick thank you to Robert and Susan Walker for being such great friends and keeping Mark and me sane. Thank you all! A special thanks to Lou Brown, Brad McCardell and Johnny DiPonio.  And Kirsten Hydorn, your artistic eye and guidance, invaluable! You all are awesome. I will never be able to express just how much you have all meant to me and my needle project.  I also would like to thank all the Michigan businesses who have an integral part in the needle production; Rader, Fishman & Grauer, Bloomfield Hills, MI, Iannuzzi-Manetta & Co., Troy, MI, H&L Advantage, Grandville, MI, Plating Technologies, Warren, MI, Armstrong Millworks, Highland, MI, Dave Hellman, Ann Arbor, MI, Continental Cutting Tool, Ann Arbor, MI, Beedazzled Candleworks, Benzonia, MI, Brand-First, Madison Heights, MI, McCormick Technologies, Oxford, MI, PC Miracles, Clarkston, MI, Lindmeyer Studios, Rochester, MI and  finally Signature Press, Rochester, MI.     Yes, you’ve noticed a pattern, all Michigan companies.

Please come out to the Launch Party – Open House today at Lindmeyer Studios in downtown Rochester, 117 W. University. Enter from the north side of the parking lot behind Mr. B’s Restaurant. I’ll be there from 2-6pm with knitting needles, food, friends and fun. Needles will be $10 off all day. And as a surprise, a special musical appearance by Lewis Meyer and Hawaiian Dave. Come on out and enjoy the moment.

Pam