Speaking of pretty, the trees were all changing colors and stuff... gorgeous!
See that white tent on the left in the photo above? That's a hot chocolate stand. Gryffinitter saw this in their tent, and thought it was the coolest thing:
that's a LOT of cocoa powder!
We went to The Fold first so I could get my STR fix. Last year at Rhinebeck Clidonia introduced me to STR , so I had to go back, right? I got a pattern (inside out socks) and a couple of skeins of the mill ends - one is apparently a christmas edition but if my goishe radar wasn't tripped, I think the xmas tie-in is subtle enough that I can still use the yarn :)
The authors were also in that building (B), and can I say that I was really disappointed this year? Last year we had the Yarn Harlot and a LOT of other knitting book authors. Including the other Knitbot who was awesome. This year it seemed like 1/3 of the books weren't even knitting books! Lily Chin was the "big name" - and she's cool, but the table had a sign that she'd be there at 12:15, so we didn't stick around 2 hours to meet her.
Next Sarah and I went to Building C and Building A and Gryffinitter hung out with an old college friend for a bit. At 12 we hit the Ravelry meetup. We chatted with Erica, who might be my favorite Rav staffer even if she's technically off the staff, and her husband, Jess's brother, who is also very awesome. Frecklebrother hooked us up with buttons and we all chatted a while. Then we took a photo with Jess and Casey and went someplace warm and dry.
Back in Building C, Sarah talked me into some sock yarn and in revenge I talked her into a skein, too. Gryffinitter made sure nobody bought an inferior wheel, and I talked her out of a sweet deal on a 4' loom. Her husband would've been angry, so I pointed out that either she or it would fit in my car to go back to Queens, but not both.
We went to the Horticulture building next, where Gryffinitter bought a much-smaller-than-4-feet loom. Sarah and I punked out and ate lunch - not as good as what Carma packed for MDS&W, let me tell you! Gryffinitter was still at it inside when we finished :) Then we dropped our stuff at the car and hit the Holiday Yarns booth to see the Tsock Tsarina's kits. I got the beer socks kit, and I have my eye on the margheurita socks next. Gryffinitter went straight to Carolina Homespun, Sarah & I detoured to Sheep Incognito & Creatively Dyed yarns and met her there. Gryffinitter taught me what a Wanda is (and talked me into a couple, of course). Sarah & I found a great deal on some Noro silk yarn at Cadogan across the aisle.
At some point Sarah got a skein of alpaca that she wore as a cowl for the rest of the day.
Gryffinitter tried out this cute wheel for us.
Sarah won our Scavenger Hunt, which was to find a copy of The Joy of Sox so we could see Emma's/Ann's Snow Bunny pattern!
On the way out we hit one of the food booths for donuts and hot cider - although Sarah was good and just bought 2 apples. That's willpower!
It was a looooooong day.
