Rhinebeck!

Whew!  It has been a crazy week!  I have lots to say about New York City and my adventures here (I have two more days left), but first up is Rhinebeck!

Brooke, Rachael, and I took the train north from Grand Central Station on Friday.  The plan was to be rested and ready on Saturday morning. We arrived mid-afternoon, had a late lunch, and got to see a bit of the countryside before it started raining.  I'm not talking drizzle; this was torrential downpour rain.  No problem, we were planning a quiet night in our rooms and going to bed early.  We had some local micro-brew beer and knitting to occupy us. 

Little did we know that we were across the hall from Jess & Casey of Ravelry fame.  With our beer, we crashed their party and had a great time.

Saturday morning we hit the festival early.  Brooke & I walked through every barn.  I admit I bought a couple of things.  I only got things that I can't buy at home, mostly spinning fiber and naturally dyed items.  The pictures of my loot will come tomorrow as I forgot to take pictures before the sun set.

I did get carried away taking pictures of animals.  They are so cute!  As always click for bigitudenesss.

So fluffy!

So happy!

So much chocolatey brown goodness!

So surprising (a note on the pen stated the sheep is naturally colored).

So regal!  I love the nose of a Leicester sheep.

I staggered through the day.  This is a very overwhelming fiber festival.  It goes on forEVAH!  Barn after barn after barn.  A few highlights (that I have pictures of):

A vintage Indian spindle wheel.  It was amazing and functional.

The lovely women of Green Mountain Spinnery with Brooke.  I love this company and their yarn.

Always a good idea!

After closing we headed up to Morehouse Merino's yarn buying frenzy after party.  I got a bunch of the broken lace singles for a pittance.  Seriously, it was $2 a skein!  I have plans, fabulous plans (insert maniacal laugh and hand wringing here).  It was a surgical blow, we were in and out in a flash.  Dinner was calling us.  Did I mention that I started the day with a basket of fried pickles?  Why, yes, I did.  I also had most of a basket of roasted garlic.  (Photographic evidence is forthcoming, pinky swear.)  Both were yummy, but made me more than a bit queasy.

We had a wonderful group for dinner.  Alison, Sarah, Joanna, Brooke, Rachael, and I set out in search of something edible.  Every where we went there was a wait.  The third spot turned out to be a gem.  The Downtown Cafe was awesome!  Homemade pasta and cloud-like gnocchi.  Just what the doctor ordered.  We also had a great waitress.  She recognized our lovely lime green bracelets (proof of a 2-day ticket) and confessed to being fiberish.  Check out the creativity that is Jill Draper.

One might think that was a complete day.  And, one would be right.  And wrong.  There was the Ravelry party.  It was held at a bar that is tucked away in a residential neighborhood.  When we got there, it was already crammed full of fibery fiends.  I don't think the locals knew what to make of a us.  Why do mobs of knitters keep having to prove that we are a real force?  The raffle numbers went from 001 to about 200.  This photo shows a small portion of the mob waiting for free loot prizes.

There was much revelry and merriment.  We ducked out at 11:00.  It party was going strong but we weren't.  Had to save something for Sunday.  More tomorrow.

Comments

[Lisa]

It looks like you had a blast! I'm looking forward to pics of your loot - woo hoo!

I love that smiling sheep pic the best! Awww....

[michelle]

We must have crossed paths somewhere along the line and just never realized. I'm so sorry I missed both you and Brooke - hopefully next time.

The only yarn I bought was from the Morehouse Merino after party. I got enough yarn for little man a sweater for only $20. Love that stuff!

Can't wait to see what you picked up at the festival - I'm already madly spinning away on some of mine :)

[Abby Franquemont]

I have nothing meaningful to add, but I had to say I love the phrase "confessed to being fiberish." I came super dangerously close to snarfing my coffee over it.

[Marlena]

I spied you at the Foxfire booth on Saturday, but it was impossible to say hi in the crush of people! We skipped the Ravelry party altogether on Saturday because we were so wiped from the festival. Maybe next year when I'm not trying to inhale the whole thing at once, I'll have some pep left over for a party.

[Vicki]

I'm glad I got to spend a few crazy minutes with you!
; )

[Alexis]

I'm glad you had fun at Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck, Rhinebeck (and how I will miss saying Rhinebeck 3 times!). And you got your pickles!

[Charlene]

You're going to need another week off to recover! Love the pictures you took especially of the Indira spinning wheel. What an amazing piece of history.

[Keri]

Loved meeting you at dinner on Sunday. Can't wait to see pictures of the results of your re-spinning the Moorehouse Merino yarn.

[Ronni]

Looks like you had a good time. I wish I'd been able to go. I think I'll try really hard to plan for it for next year.

I'm looking forward to loot photos.

[CC]

jealous [mutter, mutter]; sooo jealous!

[Sarah]

It was great meeting you and hanging out! We'll have to do it again sometime... like, say, next year?

[Stephanie]

Hi! I'm here via the blog post thread in the Rhinebeck! group on Ravelry. I think that's my head in the group shot! :) You got some great festival pics.

[Judy]

Slowly getting caught up...

It looks like you had a wonderful time, and I'm jealous! But perhaps it's just as well I don't go to too many fiber gatherings.

I'd love to know more about the zebra sheep. That's very cool!

[denise]

I would love to go to Rhinebeck. One of these years...

I *love* the photo of that happy sheep!