NYS&W 2009
AKA I Went to Rhinebeck and All I Got Was H1N1.
No kidding. Well no, I got other stuff too, but after all of my protestations that I didn’t need a flu shot, I’m not really around other people that often, etc., I suppose I was due for a little comeuppance in the form of a good (un)healthy dose of flu. And not even the kind I could’ve gotten vaccinated for, even. Oh well.
As usual, there were friends aplenty:
And although I almost came home with a wheel…
by the time I went back on Sunday to give it some serious consideration, it was gone. Probably for the best; my mum (hi mum!) really would’ve killed me. In the end my haul was pretty tiny, mostly consisting of really awesome fibers that I haven’t tried yet, plus a new tsock kit, which I’ll have to knit up before next year to keep the tradition going.
Unfortunately my camera also took a dive and ended up with a cracked screen, which is why I don’t have quite as many pictures of the weekend as I’d like. I can still take pictures, but I don’t know what they look like until I load them onto the computer. Things may look a little… surreal around here until I replace it.
All in all, it was a fun (if rather adventure-filled) show! Can’t wait to do it again next year.
Packing
Two sleeps left and I’m starting to get antsy and nervous over the logistics of this thing. Did you hear it might snow? I’m packing mittens and a leather coat. But it also might pour rain, so there’ll be a rain poncho and umbrella as well. Either way I’m predicting spending most of my time huddled up inside booth 26D, so if you’re looking for me, there’s the best place to check.
I’ve got two coffee cans full of cookies packed, with more to make tomorrow—
(Obviously the broken ones are not fit for public consumption, and must be eaten by me. Shame, really.)
And the aforementioned spindles and test fiber are ready for travel in their nice, safe, waterproof container.
I was hoping to have my sweaters all finished and packed (both Honeybee and Viv are making the trip), but Viv’s clasps are still not here, so I’m working on rigging a temporary closure.
Hopefully by the time you all see it in person it won’t have loops of scrap yarn through the front. With any luck it won’t be inside out, either, but no guarantees on that one.
NJS&W
In which I managed to sell some spindles—
(Spindles on the right, there. Me looking snarky on the left, obviously.)
And spin a ton of yarn—
And do more than my fair share of chatting and giggling and just generally hanging out.
I may have gone a little overboard with buying stuff, but my wallet was full of birthday money and I spent less than I made, so it’s okay, right?
Tasty, tasty 100% silk laceweight from twisted fiber which is destined for something I’m hoping to design over the next couple of weeks.
Some drool-worthy merino/tencel from my dear Zarzuela, which I believe will turn into sock yarn.
Buttons! I should’ve bought more from these people; they had an overwhelmingly lovely selection.
And 3oz of some gorgeous border leicester from Kate at Roclans. As my sample tells you, it makes a fantastic two-ply laceweight; I’m thinking a large, very textural beaded lace shawl. Mmmmmfiber.
All in all it was a fun way to spend my birthday weekend. Hopefully next year we can do it again!
(By the way, for those who were inquiring after it, the Honeybee Cardigan pattern is now available! It is one of the best knits I’ve ever done so you should definitely go get yourself a copy.)
Home Again
I spent a few days longer than originally intended in the city and finally came home yesterday afternoon. The trip was a lot of fun, although I’m glad to be back in Jersey where it is slightly cooler and definitely more air conditioned. But I got to see a lot of neat stuff—
And we played some outdoor scrabble.
(Couldn’t find an S to build off of, had to play ‘purely’ instead.)
I tried to get some (air conditioned!) pictures of the honeybee cardigan, but for whatever ridiculous reason wore a black tank top underneath it, so I’ll have to re-shoot later in the week.
Still, the cardigan is so comfortable I really don’t mind. I just wish it were cool enough to wear it all the time!
And some knitting was accomplished, despite the heat.
Vacation
I’m spending the weekend in Brooklyn and forgoing most of my responsibilities for a few days—hanging around with some friends and doing an alarming amount of walking around.
If I don’t die of the heat I’ll try to get good pictures of the finished test knit; I sewed the buttons on while on the train yesterday and it fits perfectly and is super comfortable. The Malabrigo Sock stretched alarmingly when damp but a few minutes in the dryer shrunk it right back up. (Actually it shrunk it a little too much; I’ll reblock it when I get home.)
And I may have started a new sock project too. Because I clearly don’t have enough of those. Really. Don’t look at me like that.
No Caturday this week as I forgot to take a picture before I left. It will return as scheduled next Saturday!
MAS&W
Okay, so Rhinebeck is always a good time, and MDSW was epic, but I gotta say, small sheep and wool shows are totally where it’s at. Space to move around? Win. Time to see it all and hang out in just one day? Win. Not feeling totally rushed to run hither and yon to this meetup and that fleece sale and those vendors and oh look it’s time to leave? Win.
Oh, this is a win too, to my utter shock and delight…
But, although I will admit that the ribbon was kind of a highlight of the trip, plenty of other awesome things occurred, like arriving in time to help Jen and Lisa make the booth look pretty:
Playing with Lisa’s wonderful wheel:
(which I was going to steal, but I’m not fast enough to outrun her even without a Saxony wheel slowing me down)
Kathe totally rocking both her Turkish Delight spindle and her new sweater:
Seeing a lovely wheel complete with gnome attachment:
(Dan and I have matching sunburn stripes on our hands and arms thanks to spinning in the sun for too long)
And of course, the sheep.
Baaaa.
Plenty of loot to be had as well, including (but, ahem, not limited to) a tsock batt from the woman herself:
(which isn’t really a tsock batt as it will be turned into laceweight, but tlace batt just doesn’t have the same ring to it.)
And a big chunk of fiber that should look familiar…
As I bought the same thing at Rhinebeck.
Here’s hoping that one pound is enough for a sweater! (Or that someone reading can tell me who the hell makes it, as the vendor didn’t know and didn’t have anymore. It’s corriedale top, mostly blue with various heathery yellow, green, and red threads through it.)
Restock
Spindles, get your spindles!
I’m putting up a ton of new stock in the store this weekend, all of which are the result of the spindle-making spree I went on this week, trying to prep for the two shows I’m doing in the next month. First, you can find me on Saturday the 23rd at Massachusetts Sheep and Wool, hanging out and vending as usual with the Holiday Yarns crowd. Then, on June 6th, I’ll be vending all by my lonesome at the Ravelry Party/Marketplace at Squam Lake, which should be totally fun and exciting and a little nervewracking because I’ll have no idea what I’m doing! But I’m looking forward to it quite a lot.
If you see something specific in the store that you’d like me to bring to either of these events, please let me know and I’ll be happy to set it aside! If not, feel free to just stop by and say hello, or hang out. I’ll be giving free impromptu spinning lessons to anyone who asks (and probably to anyone who doesn’t ask) as well as hugs and peanut butter cookies to everyone. 🙂
Wandering
I’m all over the place this week. Today I took a trip to a bead show, where I scored these pretty whorls:
Which will be turned into spindles today and tomorrow. Keep an eye on the shop!
Thursday and Friday we’re going down to the shore for a family trip, which should be… interesting. I have, of course, made note of all yarn shops on our route.
And Saturday is MDSW. Come find me for peanut butter cookies! I will not be vending but if you see something you like in the shop between now and then I’ll be happy to bring it to you—no shipping costs and I give a 10% off in-person discount.
The foster kitties are also learning to wander, but unfortunately you will have to click to see.
Field Trip
I hopped on a train on Sunday and went into NYC for Franklin’s book signing, and I’m super-glad I did. He read a few excerpts from his charming book, answered questions, and modeled Tsock Tsarina’s gorgeous shawl/circle jacket:
Speaking of Lisa, she totally stole a spindle from me.
Reached straight into my bag and grabbed it and wouldn’t give it back. I plan to start a thread on Ravelry later to ruin her good name—first she’s a tscammer, and now a tspindle tstealer? Tsk.
But I got plenty of sock knitting done on the train :)
Sundays are for Slacking
There’s a snowstorm coming in tomorrow, and somehow knowing that I won’t be able to do any of my errands then makes me less motivated to get anything done now. Which leaves me without much blog fodder. I did take a road trip yesterday, but there’s nothing much to tell about it other than the supplies I picked up while I was there—spindle whorls!
These will be turned into spindles and put up in the shop as quickly as I am able, but it may be a week or two before I get to them all, since I’m out of wire for my hooks and a few other things are about to need re-ordering, too.
While I was there I also got to hang out with some friends, one of whom took this picture of me with the Still Unfinished Striped Sock:
Just past the start of the calf increases and totally stalled. This sock is boring. Everyone who has asked to copy the stripey socks, please feel free (especially since I didn’t invent the idea), but I implore you, do not make them knee socks. They. Are. Endless.
But I will finish it. I will. Velocity’s even promised to keep me on-task.
Jeshknits 