This is the first post in my new knitting blog. Hopefully there will be lots of content with this public front here to rat me out if I don't keep up with my knitting. It's a good time to start this off since soooo much happened this weekend, what with the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, New York. I did attend with several local knitty pals and I do believe that an excellent time was had by all.
While I wait for my photos to upload I'm going to try to remember all the good times so that I can get them arranged in literary format and then pop in the pics.
I traveled with greatness:
The Integrated Martha,
I heart knitting,
Knitbrit 
and, last but not least,
Knitgrrl.
We rendezvoused at about 8:00 am and had a few choice words to say about the rest of the world's driving abilities and then we commenced our journey. There was much knitting and hilarity throughout the not-quite-endless ten hour drive. We did stop for forty-five minutes at 2:00pm for the Knitgrrl podcast with Vicki Howell.
We got into Kingston around 6ish. We navigated away from the Hoe Bowl
and found our hotel. Sushi dinner (or Chinese) around the corner from the lovely Hampton Inn was the order of the day. I think it was called Kingston Wok, and it was really, really good (and busy). Sweet potato tempura rolls = yum!
You know what came the next morning. We were up and at 'em pretty early. I was a little late to breakfast, so we canceled the Starbucks pitstop and headed straight for the Socks that Rock, arriving around 8:30 am with plenty of time to spare and not much of a crowd. I got some of the lovely mediumweight County Clare colorway. I'm very happy with my choice, especially because I don't think it is available on the website. I'll post a pic soon.
For now, you can look at sheep:
Next there were some bargain needles to snag and after that we wandered all over. I think the others stuck together a little more than I did with them. That seems to be my way whether at the thrift store, rummage sale, antique mall, yard sale, or the grocery store. So, if you want to keep ahold of me and we're doing some kind of shopping or thrifting you might need one of those kiddie leashes.
Look! More sheep.
I did not know that there was also a gem and mineral show going on. I was definately getting overwhelmed. I looked at all the pretty things and then I got some flint from Poland. It has beautiful grey and white swirls and stripes and it has a cool touch. The sound of two pieces striking each other is distinctive and more high pitched than you expect from most stones. They feel very elemental and primal when you touch them. That might have also been the story of the cavemen that highly valued these stones which drew me in. Either way they're lovely and I may have to try striking them hard enough to create sparks.
After that I went into the demos and food building. Ah cheese, wine, fudge,
Shong Guo Cha(tea), biscotti; what have you all got to do with yarn and fiber? I don't know but I couldn't resist. Mostly the cheese and tea, but I tried the wine and the fig and walnut biscotti. Yum and double yum! Then I watched a great demonstration on a vintage sock knitting machine put on by Frantic Fran Silvert. It was mesmerizing.
Then I got to try weaving on a darling little fold-up Saori loom. From their brochure, "
SAORI is the free-style weaving association founded by Misao Jo, in Japan. The SA of SAORI is the first syllable of the word SAI. SAI, found in Zen vocabulary, means everything has its own individual dignity. The ORI or SAORI means weaving." SAORI seems to be a creative weaving program aimed at especially at the young, old and disabled. (Which sounds sort of like some get rich scam, but this isn't that.)
Then, there were more vendors: yarn, roving, spindles, wheels, fleeces, needles, soap, and more that I'm sure I can't remember.
There was the roaming man on two horses, who was quite elusive when it came to taking his picture.
There was fabulous fair food. There were fried dough, and fried pickles. There were lamb chops, lamb tacos, and lamb raviolis. Knitbrit enjoyed the scrumptious lambchops while Martha worked on a sock.
I had a taste of I heart knitting's lamb ravioli and they were delicious. I did veer from my normally pescatarian diet to really get into the mood of things. I also had the macaroni and cheese and it was really yummy. Fair food prices for fabulous food. It couldn't be beaten, unless it had been cheaper than fair food prices. But, you know what I mean. You don't get food like this at Ohio fairs that I know of.
The usual fair food represents:
Yay sheep! They make wool for yarn AND we can eat them.
Oh and the whole thing was so darn pleasant, just delightful.
I really did have my head spinning. Perhaps that is why I sound like such a foof when I talk about it all. The festival was just great and I can't wait to go back next year.
So then we took a break for awhile and it was finally off to the
Ravelry after-party. It was a blast. I mostly just had fun being around so many knitters. Hopefully it will be an annual event. Riccardo's Hideaway probably had no idea what hit them as typically seems to happen when people say that knitters are coming and you better prepare yourself. Jess and Casey and their whole Ravelry team were awesome, gracious and fun. This Ravelry thing really is amazing. Good job you guys! There were incredible giveaways like yarn, sweater kits, AND portraits of Bob. We were all so lucky that Ravelry had four generous sponsors: Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Berroco, Webs, and The Loopy Ewe. We would not have had such an inebriated evening otherwise. Everyone was of course terribly good. Once the raffling began (after all the teary-eyed thank yous) everyone behaved like librarians, (according to the librarian next to me whose name I didn't get.) and quickly shushed each other any time we all got too loud to hear Jess, Casey or Kyle. Hooray for knitters. Ah, sorry for being a goof, I just had a really good time.
Look! More Sheep: check out the sheep teeth here\/
So I'm sure we all slept well after a long enjoyable day. Next morning Martha and I got up early to go see her brother and his family near Woodstock. They live in a beautiful old barn they're renovating. Her sister-in-law makes incredible woven rugs using fibers she dyes herself and weaves into strips using a top-secret, vintage, machine. We met Chicory, a delightful lavender parakeet who had a penchant for nibbling on ears and earrings. We also met Tibby, their sweet, little, black, fluffy dog. Tibby is a schipperke, a dog bred to live on boats (Thanks Martha!). I had a lovely, lovely time and hope to see them again someday.
The time to go always comes too soon, but it was a beautiful day for driving as we headed back to Ohio.
