Love love love love love. That's five loves! A 6th love is deserved for getting my fabric order…read moresent on time to my SIL on time for Christmas. I shopped and shipped everything directly from their website and never had to pick up the phone once! Oh, make that a 7th love for carrying Heather Ross fabrics. I'm obsessed with #HeatherRoss. I love to sew. I am crafty, and I have a huge love (can you tell?) with fabrics! Thanks to Evanston Stitchworks, you'll find really fun and unique designs at their shop (currently available online). This isn't your typical fabric store. They support really cool independent designers and quirky fabrics for quilting and making clothes...well for sewing anything really. They also offer knitting supplies and all the books you might need to learn how to sew or knit. Evanston Stitchworks also offers many crafty classes (currently virtual). A few years ago I took their beginning knitting class. For some reason my brain gets all discombobulated when I try to knit, but the class was really fun. The owner was patient and kind and did everything she could to help me fix my mistakes along the way. Everyone else knocked it out of the park, so it's just not something I'm good at. I'm so glad this small local business exists, and I'll continue to purchase fabric from them. Speaking of fabric, don't you just love the designs I picked out for my two little nieces? They are Heather Ross designs, and my SIL is planning to make dresses for them. Can't wait to see how they turn out!

Since I love looking @ different types of fabrics, yarn, and needle crafts, decided to visit here…read more So glad I did! This shop is really cool and has a lot to offer. Excellent quality of all their products! Unique fabrics that are gorgeous. The needlework kits, cross stitch and embroidery, were very unique too. Sashiko products are also sold here too, which is what I decided to purchase some of. Some of the items for sale here I had never seen anywhere else. The staff person working was knowledgeable, helpful, and nice. I also thought the prices were good because of the high quality of the items. Will visit here again on my next trip to Evanston.

My experiences at the shop have been stellar! Amrita and her…read morestaff are extremely knowledgeable, caring and concerned with each customer and their project. I first stopped in only for some yarns needed for a project. Subsequent visits included bringing my young daughter. Amrita was very patience, spending a great deal of time to ensure that my daughter understood the basics of needlepoint. All in all I have been very impressed with the shop.

The owner of the shop has an amazing a summon of fibers and canvases. Her ability to provide…read morestitches and color selection is uncanny. There's no one like her in the city her her classes are more reasonable than any of the other Needlepoint stores in the north side she has a warm and outgoing person whose goal is to make people have gorgeous projects and do what she can to make them family heirlooms.

Mimi Designs had an open house this weekend in Logan Square coinciding with our Farmers Market and…read moreI stopped by just to visit. A few hours later, I left with a new piece of art to add to my own home/gallery and a new couple of friends! Beautiful fabrics, generous host and talented artist who is now working from her home/gallery. What a vital and bright addition to the scene in our ever-changing neighborhood.

If you're looking for amazing (and colorful) artwork for any room of your house - check out Mimi…read moreDesigns! You can buy her wall art that is already made and framed - or work with Mimi to customize a piece of art in the exact colors and dimensions that you want. We bought a wonderful piece that hangs over our fireplace - which is definitely the highlight of the room. Mimi also designed a best-selling rug for Crate & Barrel - how about that!!

Kid's birthday party with an amazingly creative project that really engaged the children. The…read morepottery maven was kind and happy and really knew how to work with kids. I want to make a turtle now!

My mother in law bought us a private pottery lesson! We had a great long two hour session, with an…read moreaaaaaamazing instructor, Carrie. 10/10 would recommend going and signing up for ANYTHING she teaches! This place rocked my socks off I had so much fun I'm prolly gonna sign up for regular classes starting in April I think she mentioned!! Go! Call! Reserve a spot! You won't be disappointed!

Cuuuuuute alert! For all you artsy crafty mavens out there, this is your stop. It's a shop filled…read morewith a well-curated selection of paper goods, books, coloring books, custom art, fabric lamp shades, and gifts in varying price points. From the second I walked in, I was engulfed by a most delightful smell, perhaps a candle burning somewhere? I was greeted by the owner's assistant, Kate, who gave me an overview of the shop and some of the classes they offer in the back, like coptic bookbinding, collage, crafting, and self-motivation classes. They also have a meet up group called The Grown*Up Girls Club where you can meet up with other like-minded individuals and explore new art/craft/maker techniques. The Club meets the second Sunday of every month. The Collage Cafe is a newer business located in an adorable corridor mixed with other art-inspired shops. You can go door to door and visit each one while you're at it! Can't wait to stop back in. But, as I'm writing this, when I go back I realize the selection is too overwhelming for my taste (in a good way of course) because I want one of everything.

One day my young daughters and I where walking by and came in into this beautiful place, what a…read morewonderful store! The owner is such a great lady, great host, kind and knowledgeable. I scheduled a coloring evening for a group of friends from church. We had a delightful experience! The place was set up with a wide variety of water colors, wood colors pencils, markers, etc. the pages provided were also varied, from really intricate to more simple so we were all able to pick something that suited our taste and level of artistry. We already scheduled another event and are looking forward to it. Definitely a great place for gifts, classes and more.

Friendly shop with a great yarn selection. We spent well over an hour looking through everything.read more

My friends and I were very excited to see a new yarn shop opening in our area. We were very…read morepleasantly surprised and excited. The staff are very helpful, friendly and welcoming. The shop itself is so bright and open. Yarn and accessory selection is outstanding and staff are ready to help with yarn and pattern choice. There is a variety of classes offered and are very instructional. This is a valuable gem in the neighborhood.

Stitch(es) opened the day after Thanksgiving, 2010 and it is a wonderful store. The owner is very…read morefriendly, and is stocking lots of wonderful yarns, including Lorna's Laces, Shibui, Madelinetosh, Malabrigo, as well as the popular Berroco, Cascade, and Classic Elite. The shop is bright and open, and Sue (the owner) often has open stitch nights and classes. If you have been looking for a new shop to check out, this is definitely one to put on your list.

Over the course of two months I have been in and out of the store so much. First of all the shop…read moreowner runs the place. She might have the best customer service in all of Chicago. She's fantastic. Secondly, she allows my dog to come in and chill while I knit. Good conversations between me, the customers, and the shop owner. Thirdly the selection may not be immense but it's good sampling of the best yarns out there. Prices vary between reasonable up to luxury. If you need any reason to go in there just go to visit with the owner and get inspired to knit something fun.

Great gallery nestled away in Rogers Park. Recommend going to their open gallery nights for a low…read morekey art vibe with 30+ studios, wine and eclectic people.

I can't say enough great things about the Greenleaf Art Center. Its truly a neighborhood gem and…read moremakes me sad to not live near it anymore as my kids would sign up for all the children's classes. The space is great - a beautiful restored factory building that opens into a busy Chicago neighborhood. Last time I was there, the owners were working on even more improvements and I can't wait for my next visit. I have not taken any adult classes, but, have sat in on the kids classes and was very impressed with the lessons. Kathie Paluch kept my kids happily working the whole time and I've found the lessons to be age appropriate. On the other hand, I have very much enjoyed a few of the Gallery Open Houses. The "long hall" as you walk into the studio has a lot of really great completed work, most of it for sale. But, as you wander through the studio you find that a large majority of the studios are open and the artists are happy to show you all their works in progress as well. The artists are all so great - every one of them focusing on a different style/medium and each of them interesting in their own right. Of course the drinks and snacks are fun and generous as well! My only regret is that now that word has gotten out about the Spring and Fall Open Houses, they have become more busy. Good for the artists and art center, not so good for those of us that have enjoyed a more personalized walk through the studios in the past! Finally, in this busy Chicago neighborhood, parking is never an issue (well, unless you come during one of the bi-annual art shows, at which case, you shouldn't be driving anyway :)).