Rhinebeck 2018

sooo.. its been some time ....

We did a spur of the moment decision and went to Rhinebeck on Saturday.  The drive was good - good friends and a lot of good conversation.  I dont think any of us really even minded the road construction and back-ups.  We spent the night and an AirBnb in Kingston, it was an older building, but very clean and comfortable.  We had dinner at an Italian restaurant, Frank Guido’s Little Italy.  Really good food!!  In the morning, we had coffee and pastries from Monkey Joe’s.

As usual Rhinebeck was very crowded, but the weather was co-operative and we had fun.

Miss Babbs ... the line was 45 minutes long.  We split the wait time, 2 of us would wait in line while the other one shopped.  It worked.

Neighborhood Yarn Shop - we had much better luck with the line here ... found our purchases, and got in line.  Credit Card purchases were handled in line.  So we paid while standing in line.

A lot of my favorites... Brook’s Farm, Maple Creek Farm .... vendors that are gone.  A lot of new vendors.

BY 2 we were tired and had walked from one end to the other.  Happy with our purchases, we departed.  Luckily for us we left when we did, as soon as we cleared the fairgrounds - it poured.  On the plus side - it was a quick moving storm and our drive home was uneventful.

A good day of yarn shopping and good friends.

Post MSW...

WOW... I thought I had alot of yarn before..... Now I have even more.  I played with it a bit this morning, but was so over-whelmed, I stopped.  I must clean... get rid of the yucky yarn and keep the nice stuff.  I hate to admit to becoming a yarn snob but it is true!!

Now I do admit there are times when acrylic is the correct choice.  I have not and will not knit something for a baby out of a nice wool or silk.  They are just going to throw up on it, or get it dirty in some way with body fluids.  And I'm not going to force a new mother to hand-wash a baby item.  They wont have the time - and the item will never get used.

So ... I'll keep some of the baby acrylics and use them to make baby blankets.  Usually if I dont know a baby or someone that is having a baby, I make them for Project Linus.  One of my favourite organizations. But the rest of it is yard sale bound.

Tomorrow is yarn clean up day.  So pictures tomorrow .....

Its Been A While

hhmmm... I cant even remember when I last posted anything. It was when I went to Vogue Knitting.  What an amazing weekend that was!!

And now that I read it... hahahhahaha - I still haven't finished the baby blanket.... and the baby turned 1 last month.  The other sweaters have been completed.  And now that its getting cold again in the MidAtlantic states, its time to drag them out again.

Also time to look at sweaters that I haven't worn for awhile.  Some I never liked, some I didn't care for the construction, some I just plain didn't like.  So since I had a really bad week at work, I gave myself permission to rid myself of the handknit sweaters I didn't like.  I de-constructed three (yep 3) sweaters.  One was a rib warmer that just never was big enough.  One was a roundish sweater out of Noro - I just never liked the way the ribbing didn't lay flat.  Third was a bolero made from Rowan Calmer that I just never liked when it was finished.  So they are all going to become something else.

And I feel better after taking them apart.

Oh - and I pinned out two shawls for blocking.

Yup - productive weekend.

New Year - No New Projects

So as I working on another scarf (I love knitting little scarfs - they really do pull an outfit together!) I think of all of the wool upstairs and the sweaters I need to start.

yeah - I have a bit of yarn.  And it is organized, to a degree or another.  Anyways - so I decided to start a sweater this morning.  Then I looked at the baby blanket promised to a niece over the summer.  Her baby is almost 6 months.   I need to finish that. Then I spot the afghan I need to finish for a friend's mother that's been sitting for a year.  I found the "Bigger on the Inside" shawl that I finished - but needs its tails tucked in.  Then the lace cardigan that I started last spring.... and the t-shirt sweater I started over the summer.  Found them in the bottom of my knitting bag.  The grey sweater that I knit last year, but still need to finish the front band and neck for.  Its assembled, I just need to finish it.  The baby bear outfit from Debbie Bliss book, which I now see the feet are backwards and the mitts aren't right.  Oh, and the cotton green summer sweater that I finished just after labor day, too later to wear for summer .

OH - yeah and I'm heading to Vogue Live in NYC in 18 days. (ok - I do have a pair of socks to start - but that's different, I need something to do on the train ride up and back)  And I'm taking a class in lace knitting.



I cannot start a new project.  I must finish these projects. No new projects ... must finish these projects.

There I've publicly said it.  I have to do it.  Stay tuned .....

After a brief hiatis

It's been a rough year and I'm just getting back into the swing of things.  After a 13 year battle with cancer, my mother lost her fight.  It has been a rough year of coping.  She was our last parent, my significant other and I have no parents remaining.

But to the yarn.....
I was at MSW in May.  Maybe I have too much yarn at home, but I wasn't buying alot of yarn.  I bought mostly supplies.... Glass needles, glass cable needle.  And of course Sheep Incognito pictures.

Yesterday I went into the city with another yarnaholic and we went to Sophie's Yarn Cellar,
loop and Nangellini.  We had a blast.  All of the stores had very friendly staff and wonderful yarn.  Naturally I bought more than planned... But hey isn't that the reason for working??.

Shenandoah Valley Fiber Fest

Whew ... just got back form Berryville, Virginia at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Fest.  We had a blast.  I was with my friend Eileen from Maple Creek Farms.  We did alot of knitting and talking.  Oh yeah - and yarn shopping....  Didn't go hog crazy because ... RHINRBECK is just a few short weeks away!!!

So here's what I bought...

Alpaca from Furnace Mountain Alpacas.  This is from one of their alpacas Gabriel.  I thought it was funny my nephew os Gabriel and my friend's son is Gabriel.  He's even the main picture on their page.  I just think alpacas are adorable!!! And they coooo!!!

ok - this is a place that I love her yarn colours ... Dragonfly fibers.  I still have some left over from last year but I couldn't resist.   Some sock and alot of lace!!!

 Now this was just FUN!!  I dont know that the colours are going to show up well - but its NEON!!!  This is from Wild Hare  they were across the isle from us and when I saw this - I just ran across and bought it.  I have GOT to cast on a pair of socks out of this TODAY!!

And my last purchase was this yarn bowl.  Isn't it pretty????  Now if I could remember WHO I bought it from..... I know their card is somewhere in either my purse, knitting bag or garment bag... but I'm not really sure where.... I'll post later when I find it.



Enough for blogging today - I got the day off and plenty to do.  Lunch with my sister and Aunt.  Then a dr appointment to get release for back issues ... Then make a birthday cake for a co-worker.
Whew ... back to work will seem like a breeze!

I dont have a problem... I can stop whenever I want.....

I hope there is no 12-Step program to stop me from buying yarn.  My fiancee may disagree, but I love yarn!!  I enjoy looking at yarn.  I enjoy fondling yarn.  And I enjoy bringing yarn home.  I can stop any time.  I just dont want to. Not an addiction, just an obsession.

I spent 3 wonderful days at the Michigan Fiber Fest in Allegan Michigan.  While it is true that on Saturday we had horrific thunderstroms and on Sunday lost power for most of the day, it was still wonderful.  And I did emerge with lots of new yarn!!!

From Left to Right:
first 2 Studio June Yarn,
next Heritage Hand Paint,
 last 2 Miss Babbs

The Studio June Yarn, the blue one is a fabulously soft Baby Alpaca lace weight.  The red and black is part of a collection I'm making of red yarns for a shawl.  My mother's name was Ruby, whenever I'd be at a show, if a yarn was called Ruby, I'd buy it.  Unfortunately Mom passed away last month, before I could make her something named Ruby.  So I'm expanding the collection to include Red/Grey/Black and will make a shawl incorporating all of these colours. The Heritage Hand Paint is a silk merino - not sure what it will become, but it was calling to me.  I just really liked the colour combos in the Miss Babbs yarn, and they had the perfect pattern to go with it.

From top to bottom:
Blackberry Ridge.
.

The pink yarn is a silk/wool blend lace weight.  They also had a beautiful lace neck scarf, with beads... while I dont usually like beads, I think it'll sparkle perfectly.  The blue/green/yellow variegated is a silk... need I say more?

From top to bottom:
Bleating Heart Haven,
The Weavers Loft,
the last 2 Socks that Rock

My friend J loves RED yarn, so I picked up this red for her.  I think she'll like it.  The turquoise/brown/purple is 2 different spins of  Rayon/nylon and cotton. I think they are going to get blended into a t-shirt type summer top. Socks that Rock ... need I say anything about what they will become????

Well now that I've caught everyone up on my yarn purchases ... I need to get caught up on house work.  It rained all weekend, so B couldn't mow and now the lawn is OUT-OF-CONTROL!  The cats are well... cats and the house needs vacuumed.  So no knitting today ... I gotta CLEAN!!