rhinebeck the third

So, the Rhinebeck recap:

I was supposed to go to Rhinebeck with my friend cre8ivgramom from my Monday night knitting group, but last Tuesday she backed out on me :( I was really bummed, but a friend from the Madelinetosh Lovers group (handdyer fanclub) had arranged for me to give her friend Christina a lift, plus there's really no excuse to miss Rhinebeck, so I was going anyways. Thursday night I spoke to Christina and she asked if I had room in the car for her friend Leslie. Shabbos lunch at Chavi's, I realized that Rochel's a crocheter, and even though she's not crazy into yarn like some people, I thought she might like to go. The enthusiastic "Yes!", even after I explained I'd be picking her up at 6:20 am, was awesome :)

Despite my strict "I am not picking anybody up, you need to come to Rego Park" rule, I left at 6am to pick up Rochel at 6:20 & then Christina & Leslie from Christina's in Astoria at 6:45. It was a beautiful drive through fall foliage and some incredibly picturesque fog


(Don't worry, Rochel took all the photos while I was driving)

We got there at 9:05, because someone (I won't name names here) had told me that Rhinebeck opens at 9am and I didn't double-check :( :( Some booths were open to early shoppers, so I introduced Christina & Leslie to Holiday Yarns and the awesomeness of the Tsock Tsarina sock kits. Of course I name-dropped and told Jen I'm friends with Rachel. Nobody bought anything - I need to finish last year's Oktoberfest kit before I get another - but Leslie & Christina went back later & Leslie got the Golden West sock kit. We then went to building B for The Fold & Socks That Rock, and found out that Rhinebeck opens at 10 on Sundays. I still feel terrible about making everyone leave so early, but otoh we browsed buildings A and B in like 20 minutes, so there was an upside :)

I was the first purchase of the day at Spirit Trail Fiberworks. Thank you SO much Moutons for the recommendation, their yarns are gorgeous! I bought 1 skein of Helen in Waikiki:

Rochel got 2 skeins but I don't remember what base. They were a dark blue and also very beautiful. We then backtracked to pick up some STR. Rochel bought a skein of Lightweight in Mesa for a Beret, and I got some Mediumweight in Paula Mae.

Rochel was a really good sport and let me drag her all the way across the fairgrounds, without any sightseeing along the way, so we could hit Sanguine Gryphon next. I kinda fell in love with Painted Desert on Traveler, until two awesome knitters in front of us in line told us where to find the Bugga. I bought 2 skeins in a color called Red Spotted Purple Butterfly:

Their colorways had the most excellent names.

After SG it was almost 11am, so Rochel & I went to Building C to find some Yarn Hoars. KangaNYC had texted me that she was running late, but I was also expecting to meet Fairfield2002 & family. We didn't find them :( but we did have morning snack :) and then continued hunting yarn :) :)

We accidentally scheduled our day in the best way possible, because after the Big Three - Spirit Trail, STR, and Sanguine Gryphon - all other yarn had a lot to live up to. We made it to every building and only got a tiny bit more yarn. We bought a skein each of this weird-but-beautiful mohair yarn, because the booth displayed a beautifully simple, seed-stitch sample scarf (tonguetwister! :) that we just had to try.

I'm halfway through mine :)

I also bought a skein of "Random Grey Mohair" to recreate this:

I think it will go perfectly with a sleeveless mauve dress I sometimes wear to weddings, and needed to find a shrug for. Oh, and I also bought a beautiful print of a pen-and-ink drawing of a moose in the snow. It reminded me of skiing in Montreal :)

At around 1:30, KangaNYC texted me that she was at Rhinebeck, and we met her & her friend Teri (I think - I'm terrible with names!!) at Jennie the Potter's booth. I owe a HUGE thank-you to Andrea for explaining the Yarn Hoars & Madelinetosh stalkers to Rochel with me - Rochel probably still thinks I'm crazy, but now knows I am not alone in my insanity and that some people are much worse....

We followed Kanga back to Building B for some STR. I think Teri got something. Then Rochel & I went next door to Brooks Farm, where I talked her into a skein of yarn by promising to knit her some fingerless mitts. What hardship - I get to enable her, and play with the pretty yarn, and contribute to her continued crocheting. It was basically a triple win for me! I bought a pattern at Brooks (Counterspell Shawl). We hit Maple Creek Farm but weren't into the colors they had left.

For the first time (in three tries), I actually made it to every building and barn. We saw lots of adorable sheep and goat.
This sheep was getting a haircut prior to entering the show ring. Adorable!


Did this sheep use a hairdryer or what?


CUTEST SHEEP EVER:


Camouflage sheep blended into his environment:


Last stop of the day:


Continuing the tradition started last year with T & S, Rochel & I stopped at Pita Hot on the way home for post-Rhinebeck Shwarma :)

rhinebeck the second

 The day started out drizzly and cold and finished just cold.  Perfect weather to pile on the handknits!  I wore a tan Divine Hat (my fave hat pattern at the moment), a purple & green Malabrigo Darkside Cowl (first time wearing it!), purple, blue & green Fetching, and handknit socks that noone beside Sarah saw 'cuz they were in my boots.  Sarah rocked another of my Divine Hats, and some wristwarmers that I'd crocheted last year.  She forgot her scarf home, but I saw it today and it's very pretty.  Gryffinitter wore handknit socks and a handknit-by-someone-else shawl - both also pretty.

 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.

 

It was really squeeky.

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!

(Please note the Darkside Cowl keeping my neck toasty warm.)

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.