Last weekend, I had the good fortune to be invited on weekend trip to Minneapolis, MN with some inspiring creatives and a few brands who care deeply about craftsmanship. Liberte´ yogurt hosted a weekend stay at the new Hewing Hotel in the North Loop district, and Faribault Mills gave our group a private tour of their incredible factory, which is about an hour outside the city. Midwest Living published a nice itinerary for an overnight getaway in the Faribault area, just as an FYI. And if you want to see pretty pictures of the hotel, fellow designer and blogger Sarah Gibbs, just posted some great shots on her blog.

I highly recommend taking the tour and visiting the factory store at Faribault (tours are on Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays – call to make a reservation in advance). The wool mill employs approximately 105 people, all working to make incredible blankets, and other wool products all made here in the USA. Its history began in 1865, the year Lincoln died and the Civil War ended. Faribault has a long history of making blankets for all areas of the US Military (more than 100,000 blankets during WWI), and had to close its doors during the 2008 recession. They have come back strong since re-opening in 2011, with many consumers now caring more about quality and USA made products. As you can tell, I’m a total fan of such a handmade and local product!

Do you remember the Lake Forest Coach House Project? I used a classic Faribault Mills blanket as the bedding in this ‘cabin chic’ guest bedroom. They had so many blankets, scarves and bags – I went a little crazy in the factory store! Their classic stripe blanket will never go out of style, and I loved the color options for the cozy scarves.

I was also lucky enough to have two local ladies to show me around town as well! I got the scoop on the best shops, restaurants, and other accommodations from DIY blogger Erin Francois of Francois et Moi, and painter/illustrator Ashley Mary of Ashley Mary Art. Ashley’s studio and interview will be coming up on Women Who Make soon!

Side Note: Do you remember when Erin shared her guide to Minneapolis vintage shopping with us this summer?

I ATE a lot in my 48 hours in MN. Minneapolis is definitely a foodie town, I was really impressed. Here are the neighborhoods and places that stood out to me. Thanks to Ashley and Erin for showing me around!

Where to Eat, Stay and Shop on a Visit to Minneapolis:

North Loop:

• EAT – The Bachelor Farmer – Eco-conscious cafe in a historic venue serving Nordic-influenced fare using local, organic products. They also have a cafe for more casual eats and the decor in both places was spot on.
• SHOP – The Foundry – Hello home goods heaven! Great place to pick up a gift.

Uptown:

• EAT – Copper Hen Kitchen – Farmhouse-chic restaurant & cake bakery offering market-to-table cooking, plus beer, wine & coffee. They had the most amazing sweets case, and super cute decor. Lots of ethnic restaurants in this area too!
• SHOP – Perfect area to stroll the stretch of shops and do some window shopping.

Lynnhurst:

• EAT – Saint Genevieve – Stylish French restaurant with vintage flair and gorgeous details and decor. Perfect for brunch, or cocktails and dinner.
• SHOP – Hunt and Gather – To die for quirky antique store that is really worth the visit!

STAY

• The Hewing Hotel was really fabulous. Love that they have a restaurant, gym/yoga, and this summer they will open a roof deck with pool! The rooms had plenty of space and a desk for working, which I appreciated.
• Ashely also highly recommend the ALMA, which is both a restaurant and bed & breakfast. From the looks of this ARTICLE it looks wonderful.

Hope you take a little midwest jaunt to Minneapolis! I really want to go back for a romantic weekend with Luke. I had a lot of fun for a weekend in January in MN. : )

XO – CLAIRE

* all opinions are my own, this trip was sponsored by Liberte, thanks to the brands that help keep the blog running!