UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Wine Studio is hosting a special breast cancer awareness reception and fundraiser with local fiber artist Sue Wilson on Sunday, Oct. 7.

The event, which will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., will include wine sampling, appetizer bites and music accompaniment by pianist Jim Waters.

Wilson started knitting at the age of 9 and knitted her first sweater at age 11. Her mother taught her how to knit initially and additional skills were learned from books and by trial and error.

When she first learned to knit in rural Iowa, basic yarns were available at the local dime store. Today, yarns from around the world add style and luxury to her projects.

As a child Wilson entered items in the local county fairs and she carries on the tradition by entering items in the Lake County Fair.

“Of course it is fun to see a blue ribbon, but I hope too, that people viewing these entries will be inspired to take up the hobby,” she said.

In the 1980s Wilson taught knitting at a yarn shop in Palo Alto. More recently she taught knitting at Perlz Beads and Yarn in downtown Kelseyville and taught the art to many Lake County residents. During that time a charity knitting group, Stitch & Give, was formed.  

Even though Perlz is no longer in business, the group continues to meet once a month. Donations of knitted items are made locally to Lake Family Resource Center, internationally to Afghans for Afghans and most recently, the group knit children’s hats for Dr. Paula Dhanda to take on her medical mission trip to Nepal.

Wilson also is a breast cancer survivor. During this October Breast Cancer Awareness month, Wilson will show her collection of items which she has knitted to be sold at Lake County Wine Studio.  

She is donating all the yarn, her hours of knitting and all of the proceeds from the sale of these knitted items to go to help fund breast cancer research projects.  

The one-of-a-kind items include hats, shawls, scarves, lap robes, and a few baby sweaters created with luxurious fibers such as cashmere and alpaca, as well as cotton and wool.

With the holiday season just around the corner, these items could be considered for gift giving.

Knitters are invited to bring their knitting and enjoy the music and wine.

The last of the Cleavage Creek wines in LCWS’s inventory will be available at special sale pricing beginning Oct. 7 and throughout the month until it is sold out – first come, first served.

Lake County Wine Studio is both a gallery for display of arts and a tasting room, wine bar and retail shop for the fine wines of Lake County. Artists’ shows are held on a monthly basis with art and wine receptions held the first Friday and subsequent Saturday of each month.  

The month’s artist on display for October is painter, Claudia Flood.

The gallery is located at 9505 Main St. in Upper Lake. It is open Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030.