Sad Face....

    I have one of those on. See, my best knitting buddy and I have decided we aren't going to Rhinebeck this year for the Sheep and Wool Festival. We just have no money with which to splurge on fibery goodness.


    But we have pinky sworn to get a "Rhinebeck Wish Jar" and every time we get even just a little extra money, we promise to put it in the jar. In the course of the next year, we should have saved enough to be able to go.


    It's a shame really, because we only live about 10 miles away from there, so travel money isn't an issue. It'll all be spending money for us.


    I get all excited reading about Clara Parkes and The Yarn Harlot going to Rhinebeck, and it's kind of surreal. It makes me want to go stand out on Rte 9 here in town and watch to see if I can spot them driving by. I'd even get a sign that says "Honk if you're going to Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool!"


    I just hope that they will all be there again next year. The festival is kind of a big deal in the knitting world, so I imagine they will be there.


    On the plus side, I've been knitting on the garter stitch baby blanket today while watching TV. I feel that I should mention again that it was designed by Elizabeth Zimmermann, and is in one of her books.

Go Big or Go Home

    I wonder why I was surprised about having to abandon plans A, B and C... I have never liked working on a small scale. Before I started knitting again, my hook of choice was the N size, which is pretty big. Big enough that when you crochet with it, you usually use two strands of worsted weight yarn.


    I like the instant gratification that comes with crocheting with a bigger hook. You can make so much progress in so little time! It's perfect for satisfying that creative urge.


   When I started knitting, I was willing to work with small needles. But it turns out that sock or lace weight yarn is just too darn tiny for me to see the stitches. Especially in black, and in my house. We keep my house kind of dark, since my Hubs works the night shift, and sleeps during the day. Minimum light works best for this.


    A few years ago, I crocheted a shawl, it turned out to be most awesome, and it was HUGE. Of course, I used a bigger hook than recommended. Now, I am fairly tall, at 5' 8". When this shawl was done, and I wore it to Rhinebeck last year, the point actually dragged on the ground.


    I recently gave that shawl away, and made a new one, which turned out smaller. I love it just as much. I haven't yet had an opportunity to wear it out, but I am looking forward to it.  Stay tuned to watch me make a fool out of myself over and over again. It seems that it's inevitable. But I hope it's at least fun!

In Which I Go Stash Diving!

    Yup. Today I went stash diving. I was looking for something specific, a pair of crocheted pot holders that I had made for my MIL and that we got back when she passed away. I wanted to show them to Kim, my knitting buddy. I couldn't find them. I've looked all over this house and still can't find the stupid things.


    However, while stash diving, I did make a very interesting find! I pulled out a skein of  > gasp <  black Malabrigo sock yarn! Then a second. Then a third! And OMG there was a fourth! I was in sock yarn heaven! Much to my surprise, I also pulled out a skein of AtKnitsEndYarns sock yarn too! I'm not sure which colorway it is, but as it's dark red and black/brown, I think it might be Tip It Ewe Lush. It's probably a skein she rejected as not "perfect", I am the luckiest minion on the planet, to know a dyer who gives you her "failures"!!

    This discovery got me thinking, I could make another Arachno Shawl, by Jennifer Dassau!! A black one! I think I could also work in the Ewe Lush, between the cobweb edging, at the beginning of the main body.


    So I got out my swift and ball winder, and started winding. I did two of the Malabrigos for now. If I can get the edging going without any mistakes, I will wind up the Tip It Ewe Lush. So there I was, casting on 301 stitches of sock yarn on a size 7 circular needle. I put stitch markers every fifty stitches, because hanging around with someone who can't count seems to have rubbed off.

    As you can see in the above photo, one of the little buggers gave me a harn time while I was winding him. That's why the left one is so small, and why I'm using it first.


   I have completed the first row of the cobweb edging. It's a bit difficult working with the black sock yarn, as it's hard to see the stitches because they're so small. This may take a while.

    I love going diving in my stash, I never know what goodies I will find! Somewhere in there are the two big hanks of Lace weight, one natural one back, that I bought at Rhinebeck last fall. And who knows what other goodies I've bought and forgotten about!! It really is like Festivus in July! So watch this space for photos of my progress, if I dont' have to frog and start over....

Getting Ready For Sheep And Wool!

   This morning, at our Stitch n Bitch, those of us who are going to Sheep  and Wool decided to go together! We will meet up with the rest of our little group at the festival, as they are coming in from out of state. So Deb will get to meet most of the Hyde Park Posse! I would really love to get T-shirts for us, one that says Hyde Park Posse, and one that just says Minion. Kim's shirt would say Minion Master, or something like that, to show she's in charge of the rest of us.

   When I got home, I gathered up all the clothes I might possibly wear tomorrow, and started the laundry. Now I have to go get them out of the dryer. I have my outfit in mind, I am definitely wearing my bright pink, really long, head scarf. I just need to decide which shirt to wear with it.  I think it's going to be warm again, like it was last year!

   Poor Kim, she's having such anxiety about this festival. I tried to help, but really, there's nothing anyone can say to ease that kind of anxiety! I point out that she's so much more well know this year than last year. We will have to keep her calm all day.

   Then there's the chore of deciding which bag I will bring. I ended up deciding to bring the bag I usually use for my knitting. I will empty it out, and just put my wallet, my camera and some business cards in there, that way it won't be too heavy, and I can wear it cross-body so it won't bother my shoulder.

   It's a really cool messenger bag, I bought one year from Barnes and Noble with a Christmas gift card. It has silver swirls on the flap, which I customized with a bright pink highlighter. Now it looks different than all the rest, just like me!

   Hopefully tonight I will be able to sleep!  I will report tomorrow, or Sunday, on the festival, complete with photos, with any luck! Maybe I will see some of you there!

Kim out!

NY Sheep And Wool Festival!!

   This year will be the second time I will be attending the NY Sheep and Wool Festival! It was a real blast last year. My friend Kim, of AtKnitsEndYarns, goes every year. We get to walk all around, admiring all the wool, sheep, yarn, and fiber. As well as all the other cool stuff! And this year I will be bringing my camera, so I can snap some photos of the really cool sheep I admired last year. This year, Deborah, of ObliviousKnits will be joining us, with her fiance! This is really gonna be a blast!

   Last year, I wore a sweater I had made, but it was so warm, I didn't get to wear it very long. So this year, no sweater. We got to eat the best foods last year too! And there will be at least one famous person there, I hope we get to see her!

   I was so tempted to buy so much stuff last year, from hand warmers to slippers, that some enterprising crafters had made. Unfortunately, I will have to abstain again this year, as I really have no extra money! I really hope Kim's yarns sell as well this year as they did last year! I think they might, as she is more well known this year.

    It is so very exciting that I get to go! My beloved Hubs isn't working this weekend, as it's the opening weekend of deer season for bow hunters. I hope he is successful, as we really love to eat venison all winter! He manages to get the most delicious deer in Dutchess County!

   Time to say goodbye for today, as I have some work to do. Until next time!

Kim out.