A passion turns busy hands into a business
Sharon Dreifuss, a part-time Chicago doula, never goes anywhere without her bag of knitting. “I do it everywhere-at births, my kid’s games, during movies . . . even when we eat out. I like to be industrious, but it’s also so soothing,” she says, quickly adding, “I’ve learned how to knit under tables at restaurants,” lest anyone thinks she’s rude. Her habit became a business when she saw the knit messenger bags her friend, a big-name media-star decorator, brought back from Mexico. “I thought they were frumpy and realized I could do better. But she does worry about how they look, and strives to make each one singular. She dreams up trend-driven styles and motifs as she goes, whips them up in premium wools, then felts, shapes, assembles and finishes each bag herself. Currently Dreifuss makes five shapes (messenger, bucket, tote, clutch and wristlet); motifs range from earthy folk or floral patterns to designer-inspired plaids; prices range from $110-$400. Her work can be found at Enaz, in Highland Park, or Cotelac, in Chicago and Glencoe (or go to www.she-knits.com for stores).
53 million American women, or 36 percent of the female population, knit or crochet.
-Craft Yarn Council of America
DESIGNER THREADS: IF THEY LOOK HAND DONE, THEY ARE
Adventurous hand-made pieces come from some of the edgiest designers in the business (at right, a few from the fall collections). These couture creations are both entrancing and expensive, purchased by the fashion-hungry who can afford the splurge or seek instant gratification. If you want to make something unique, or prefer not to spend thousands on one thing, use the designer looks as inspiration and whip up your own.
Grannies aren’t the only ones schlepping yarn-stuffed bags everywhere they go; The biggest gains fall in the youngest groups; participation increased more than 150 percent for 25 to 34-year-olds and 100 percent in the under-18 set.
They’ve got no trouble seeing double
South-Siders Monika and Erika Simmons make an eye-popping, ever-evolving line of dresses, shrugs, sweaters and jackets. Their designs are a challenge to dream up, but their company name was a no-brainer. “We’re identical twins, so it’s Double Stitch,” says Erika. The duo learned how to crochet in 4th grade at Chicago’s Altgeld Elementary School, but didn’t touch it again for more than 20 years. After college at Western Illinois University, they modeled. But when they were short on funds for Christmas presents two years ago, they made their gifts. “Everybody liked them so much that we haven’t stopped since,” Monika says. Their favorite creation to date is a sweeping cream wedding dress with a gold-beaded bodice, though they’re also partial to the super-long duster and shrunken shrug they’re making this fall. Now they’re working on dresses that combine T-shirt tops with crocheted skirts, and are learning how to knit. “The best thing about our name is that it applies to anything stitched, so clothing may be in our future,” says Monika. Find their jackets and sweaters ($250 and up) at new West Loop boutique Koros or go to www.doublestitchwear.com for other local sources.
GRANDMA WOULDN’T KNOW WHAT HIT HER
The venues where women go to knit and crochet-namely yarn shops or coffeehouses-haven’t changed, but their ambience certainly has. Today’s hotspots for knit wits are boutiques and cafes with vibes as trendy as the projects their customers are creating. Nina (pictured above) in Wicker Park (www.ninachicago.com) offers a stylish new take on knitting with its zen-like interior loaded with intriguing yarns and accessories. Knit 1 in Lakeview (www.knit1chgo.com), which oozes shabby chic, features hand-spun yarns made exclusively for the store by a Wisconsin artisan and stays open to 9 p.m. most nights. Loopy Yarns in the South Loop (www.loopyyarns.com) with its crazy-cool fibers caters to students from the nearby schools. Knitting groups-the best sources for camaraderie and info from experienced stitchers-also reflect a new street-savvy mindset. Stitch ‘n’ Bitch Chicago (stitchnbitch.org), which posts its announcements only online, has more than a dozen chapters in the city, while Windy City Knitting Guild (www.windycityknittingguild.com) attracts 50 or more women (and a few men) to its monthly meetings at Sulzer Library in Lincoln Square and sponsors classes and seminars with renowned master knitters.
Local girls make good
Few realize that two national needle arts stars are locals. Like Judith Swartz, a fixture at Lincoln Park’s Knitting Workshop for 10 years who saw a need: “Younger customers were looking for simple, super-stylish projects,” she explains. First she wrote “Hip to Knit” (2002, Interweave Press, $18.95) and “Hip to Crochet” (2004, Interweave, $19.95), both now best-sellers; and now she just started the biannual Crochet magazine (Interweave, $7.99). The second local star, Beth Casey, is the force behind Lorna’s Laces, a beloved line of luxe, hand-dyed variegated yarn sold all over the world. There was a Lorna, who started making yarn 15 years ago in California, but Casey bought the business three years ago, moved it to Chicago, expanded its stock, quadrupled sales and is now a hot export to Europe, Australia and Asia. Locally, find it at Nina’s, Arcadia, Loopy Yarns and Knitter’s Niche.
