Midwest Meetup 2

Lettuce Crafters, this is Jennie. Do you copy? Over.
Lettuce Crafters, this is Jennie. Do you copy? Over.
Lettuce Crafters, this is Jennie. Do you copy? Over.

Whose in the mood for a sequel???

I’m thinking it’s high time for a good, old school, analog style Meetup. No Zoom calls; just a group of friends sitting around a table in the basement. (Or dining room.)

Who is invited: Any member who wants to join the party.

What: An LC Meetup full of talented friends, tasty food, group crafting, and a little exploring.

When: Summer 2026* - Exact weekend to TBD

Where: MistressJennie’s house in Champaign, IL. (Part of Urbana-Champaign, IL, two towns that together are home to the University of Illinois.)

Why: Because Goonies never say die! Oh wait, that’s the wrong hit of nostalgia for the theme…

Food will be a mix of homemade meals at my house, and local takeout, with care taken for food allergies & dietary restrictions. We will have some crafting & visiting, some summer pool time, a few group activities, and optional side trips to local craft stores like the Idea Store, which is a craft thrift store (more details below).

Rough outline for the schedule of events:
Friday

  • Afternoon Welcome Party, with snacks & a group craft project (supplies provided)
  • Dinner (provided by Jennie - will include a vegan/vegetarian option)
  • Dessert & Gift Exchange

Saturday

Sunday

  • Make & Take Project (materials provided) and Mimosas (maybe breakfast/brunch?)

So that’s the rough plan. What do you guys think? Who’s in?

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Useful Information from the 2023 Meetup

Nearby Airports
Willard - Small airport just 10 minutes from my house; flights connect only from Chicago & Dallas/Ft. Worth; often more expensive to fly in here.
Bloomington-Normal - 1 hr drive away
Indianapolis - 2 hr drive away (via 74)
Chicago O’Hare - 2.5 hr drive (without traffic); route has tolls
Chicago Midway - 2.5 hr drive (without traffic); route has tolls

Nearby Hotels
Best Western Paradise Inn - Savoy, IL (1.8 miles/5 minutes from my house)
Home 2 Suites by Hilton - Champaign (1.5 miles/6 minutes away)
I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center - Champaign (2 miles/6 minutes away)
Holiday Inn Champaign (1.9 miles/6 minutes away)
Hilton Garden Inn - Champaign (1.9 miles/6 minutes)
Homewood Suites by Hilton - Champaign (2.1 miles/7 minutes away)

Local Points of Interest
Craft Supplies
the Idea Store - awesome craft supply thrift store
Klose Knit - local yarn store
Everyday Quilting - Urbana
A Quilting Bee quilt shop in nearby Mahomet (20 minute drive)

Local Treats
Baldarottas Gelateria - Gelato flights
Jarling’s Custard Cup - Beloved local spot offering frozen custard
Coldstone Creamery - Non-local chain, but it does offer vegan ice cream & shakes

Local Beer
Rigg’s Brewery

Triptych Brewery

Local Wineries
Alto Vineyards
Wyldewood Cellars

Confirmed Attending!

Interested Members

Looking to Carpool

Looking for Hotel Roomate

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Ahhh! Definitely interested if I can make the details work. 2023 was such a blast; I
might currently be wearing my meetup hoodie…

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I was planning a trip to Kalamazoo to see my sister this summer. I might be able to coordinate it with this and head down for the weekend.

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Definitely interested! I’d love to do an in-person meet-up.

A lot will depend on dates and logistics as I’d be flying in from Dallas/Fort Worth.

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I’m interested! The summer is pretty open for us except early June.

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Funny thing: only two cities fly directly into Champaign. One is Dallas/Ft. Worth! Hence it would be cheaper for you, than from elsewhere. (The other city is Chicago.)

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I have a tentative Midwest/Great Lakes trip in the pre-planning stage, so if dates worked out I could maybe add this meetup on one end or the other!

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Aw, I won’t make it this year. But in this chilly spring evening (waiting on the plumber to arrive to see if he can fix our heating!) I’m dreaming of floating in your pool.

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Time to break out your hot tub jacuzzi!

Bookmarking :wink:

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I am interested, but it depends on the date. I want to take my husband to Acadia National Park for our twentieth. I asked him about it and he was unsure, but probably if I planned it he would go. :crossed_fingers:

It would be both weird and cool to see y’all in person!!! Like weird for me because I write better than I speak :sweat_smile:

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Oh it’s already on the go. Nothing like it on a chilly winter’s evening. Reading and soaking

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This sounds really fun but the location is a real challenge for me time and money wise. If that’s true for me, it might be also true for others who dearly wish they could participate.

Perhaps next meetup we could switch it up a bit. Maybe just all head to Vegas and spend the weekend at a nice resort hanging out and goofing off? Or we could plan something around a Pinners Conference. I go to the one in Phoenix every year and it’s amazing! Classes, make and takes, yummy treats…

Just some food for thought.

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I think they would be great for those who can’t make this location.

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Wow! I had no idea there were Pinners Conferences. How fun!

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Hey Bunny! I have actually already hosted a Meetup in a location the group chose. (Multiple options were suggested, and folks voted on Asheville, NC in 2019.) We had plans for one to happen in Portland, OR in 2020, but then the Pandemic hit. During that time I had my daughter, who is currently 3. So the choice to host at my home, is because that is what I can actually organize at the moment.

In future, I hope to hold one in Paducah, KY, home of the American Quilt Museum, and there are a few other options on the back burner, when I am an in different mom era. If you would like to organize and host one elsewhere, you are very welcome to do so! :slightly_smiling_face:

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tempting… very tempting…
No idea of feasibility yet but following just in case!

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oooh, AZ, Utah, or Colorado in the fall?
Any of those sound fantastic!

and @MistressJennie , I might be in for the Midwest; just have to see what family plans are brewing for this summer (as well as Ravelry meetups I might try to attend)!
Hopefully everything doesn’t hit at once~~

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The more I look at this and possible driving routes, the more this has the potential to be a leg on a road-trip that’s been on my to-do list forever.

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