A trip to Chicago for the Renegade Craft Fair

When I first started out making jewelry, the path to success was... craft fairs! So many craft fairs. I don't know how many I did, but it was a LOT. A lot of traveling, setting up, selling jewelry in the heat, the rain, the wind... all over the country! I sold at shows in Brooklyn, San Francisco, Austin, TX, and so many cities in between.

Most of the craft shows I did now blur together in my memory, but there is always one standout: the RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR in Chicago. It always had the MOST shoppers, the BEST weather (usually), the COOLEST vendors, and it's in Chicago! It's the city of endless awesome restaurants, AND they serve Bloody Marys with beer chasers! What's not to love? 🍺

With my craft show days long behind me, I have not been to Renegade Chicago in many years. I do miss the show, and I miss the city!

Fast forward to my recent interest in embroidery (thank you, Craftcation!), I am now following some incredible embroidery artists on Instagram. One of those artists is Sarah K. Benning. She wrote an entire book called Embroidered Life, and it's so full of inspiration! 

Well, lo and behold, Sarah posted to Instagram that she would be exhibiting at Renegade this year. "SIGH," I thought. "I would love to go and see her booth."

Then I remembered I am a grown ass lady and I can go to Chicago for a couple of days if I want to! So I booked a flight, grabbed a friend, and we went to Chicago for a whirlwind 36 hours of amazing fall weather and indie shopping!!

It. Was. Everything. 

My first stop right when it opened was Sarah K. Benning's booth, obviously, and I bought an original coffee-themed piece she made, plus a plant-themed "stick & stitch" kit that I can't wait to use.

After my mission was accomplished, we spent the next few hours exploring the other booths. My friend Lindsay and I both fell for the artwork of Jill Kittock, and we each bought a print. I can't wait to get more of her work in the future!

I also bought some soap, incense, an ornament by an old craft show buddy Paper Parasol Press, and a bracelet (shhh it's a birthday gift for my mom). I took a ton of business cards, and I will be bringing some of these amazing artists into the shop, so stay tuned!