At Last Rhinebeck

Saturday was Rhinebeck, otherwise known as the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival. I couldn’t wait to get to there. My husband and I got on the NY Thruway and made it in about 2 hours, including a rest stop. All the way there we kept trying to guess which other cars were going to the same place. When we arrived we got a terrific parking place, which came in very handy as we made two return trips to the car with packages. We started at The Fold at about 9:15 am and the line for Socks that Rock was already to the back wall of the building. Good thing my DH was happy to stand on lines for me. This time they had mill ends. I bought two skeins of medium weight and one of heavy and I hope they are not too damaged. I just can’t resist a bargain. Next on my list was some supplies for my Ashford wheel and we found a great place that had everything I needed. Then we started strolling around, making up a wish list and admiring the varied offerings, including these angora goats.
It was a beautiful day but a bit chilly and I felt it. I was only wearing my Eastlake sweater, which got a lot of complements by the way. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite things about the day was looking at all the beautiful knitwear others had on. By noon I had to go find the Carolina Homespun booth for Franklin Habit’s book signing. My husband waited on the signing line while I waited on the book purchase line. When I finally got to meet him, Franklin was just the nicest, friendliest and most gracious man ever. He happily signed “It Itches” and then posed for pictures.
After looking in vain for the Ravelry meet-up, lunchtime sent us to the food booths where there was a great food selection. Fortified, we continued our purchases, or should say my purchases because all my husband bought was some terrific Chardonnay. I had read that at 3:00 there was going to be a chopstick knitting contest and decided to give it a try. It was so much fun. I thought I was a fast knitter and managed to knit 35 lines in 15 minutes but the winner did 48! We usually leave early but this time we stayed so we could go to the Ravelry party in Red Hook and I am so glad we did. It was fabulous. We got there early and it was a good thing because we were able to get a parking spot in the lot. We waited on line for a half hour to get in and it was freezing, even with my winter coat over my sweater. We got terrific goody bags and had some wonderful tidbits to eat. The Ravelty and Bob cupcakes were outstanding. Everyone was so nice and we all shared stories of our adventures of the day. We left for home tired and happy. I can’t wait for next year!

The Yarn Harlot in Brooklyn

Last night I left work early and went with a friend to Park Slope in Brooklyn to hear Stephanie Pearl- McPhee. Everything went so well. We didn’t hit any traffic and were able to find parking around the corner from the Barnes and Noble where she was speaking. We arrived two hours early so we had plenty of time to settle in, hit the Starbucks, buy some books and magazines and knit. We weren’t even the first ones there. At 7:10 she arrived and took pictures of the whole audience with her traveling sock. What a great speaker and a lovely person. She told us all about the tribulations of book publishing and then read us a chapter from her new book.
Questions flew and the then we had a book signing. Brooklyn is so wonderful. There are actually people on the streets after 8:00 pm. I got home earlier than I thought I would and with a great feeling of contentment. What a wonderful evening!

This is a Drops neckwarmer made from some leftover Patons Kroy sock yarn doubled. It is cozy and warm for the coming cold weather.

Fiber Festival Fun

Yesterday my husband and I drove down to the NJ Sheep and Fiber Festival in Ringoes. It was fun. Compared to Rhinebeck it was tiny but the people were friendly, the sheep were adorable, the dealers had beautiful yarn and I was able to take a spindle spinning class and the teacher, Gaye Lowe from North Country Spinners, was amazing. She had so much patience that I may have actually gotten the park and draft technique. Then we watched some amazing sheep dogs. I thought someone at the Festival would be able to show me how to work my new spinning wheel but there was no one. Yarn is not winding on the bobbin. Maybe someone at Rhinebeck will be able to show me what I am doing wrong.
On the way home we stopped at the outlets at Flemington and then at a Wegmans. We don’t have that supermarket where I live and we both loved it. I don’t think I will have to cook for a week. The take-out counter alone was worth the trip.

I finally finished Eastlake from Norah Gaughan vol. 3. I love it. I adjusted the neck to make it cleaner and, after all the seamless sweaters lately, the seams were a pain. But all in all it was a very satisfying knit. Look at that great front panel.