First, the non-knitting stuff. Went to Boston to visit Kate, dear friend who has undertaken the adventure of creating a new, exciting life which involved moving to Boston. After four days there, who wouldn’t. This is an amazing place and I’m in love. I may even watch the Red Sox–while knitting them, of course.
First was the Duck tour. That’s the boat/car above. You can read all about the WWII vehicles they use and where they go here. The tour is great fun because you ride a car into the water, but more so because your conducktor is insane—but very knowledgeable. Our Conducktor was Hardly Davidson and we could have asked for no one better.
He knew the city, the history, and how to entertain. If you go to Boston, if you even live in Boston, you must take this tour.
The other tour that is required is the Samuel Adams Brewery Tour. It isn’t a long tour, but is entertaining and smart. Most of your time is spent in the tasting room which is why you went in the first place, and they give you plenty to taste. All you have to do is cheer on cue. Hop on the T and head south. When we got off the T and looked a bit confused, two different people asked, “Looking for Sam’s?” They know their tourists.
That ended the first day and we went back to Kate’s very charming apartment perched upon a really steep hill and spent the evening with wine and beer and heirloom tomatoes and other good stuff that Steve fixed. Joy.
Day 2–the Classic Elite Mill Store, Vicky, Jack, Ann, artists, and a meatball sub.
In Lowell, MA, about 20 miles from Kate’s apartment is the Hub Mill Store which is attached to the Classic Elite Warehouse, etc., and a huge artist’s complex similar, but larger, to the McCall Center in Charlotte.
You know you are there when you park in front of this. Wire and yarn, both good things.
We went in and I could barely breathe. The store is a yarn store and carries yarn not made by Classic Elite.
Kate bought Claudia Handpaints Silk and Artyarns stuff with little sequins.
I bought mostly cotton blends that I haven’t seen before and immediately started swatching.
Best of all–this is where Classic Elite sells their overruns and discontinued yarns at a discount.
Vicki, a local school teacher who works here the odd Saturday, was so patient and kind to us. She just laughed as we worked our way through the stock over and over.
When it came time to pay, I was nervous.
She let me sign my receipt while she covered the amount.
We had planned to go to the National Quilt Museum and the home of the artist James Whistler, but stayed on at Western Avenue Studios to meet various artists and do a bit more shopping in the Gallery. Western Avenue Studios is really a large former textile mill which houses over 200 artists. They receive studio space at a nominal fee as well as a community of creativity and a place to sell their work.
The sponsors of this space also have a tremendous public outreach. Check out their site.
I bought a great photo from Jack Holmes to give to Steve. It is being shipped. Jack was there and I got to spend time talking to him about his work. He travels everywhere to take pictures and then returns to his homebase in Andover and Lowell to tweak his work. Site with gallery. Look for El Claustro in Grenada in the Landscapes gallery.
Ann Lee took us to her Fabric art studio and let us play and ask questions. Kate bought a marvelous jacket from her which is truly an art garment. Ann shares a studio with friends and they call the place Friends Fabric Art. I also subscribed to her blog which has many more pictures of her work.
If you mention Lowell to folks around Boston, you will get a sad look. It is considered a working class town gone downhill. That’s why we were so shocked to find this huge artist community and a bustling downtown with lots of restaurants and nice people. Just one warning–parallel parking is required in downtown Lowell. And you may have to drive many blocks from your restaurant in order to find several empty spaces in a row to park your rental car. So embarassing.
I’ll show you my yarn purchases later–
[/url]
