the road to rhinebeck

I tried to think about what my intentions were for Rhinebeck this year as we drove the three hours to get there on Satruday morning.  My goals for this year's trip to Rhinebeck were not extensive; but, it's still good to have a list, just to keep yourself in check.

1) Probably the best part of these festivals is meeting your knit blogging friends...especially when you have never actually "met" them before.  I wanted to make sure tomeet up with one particular knitblogging friend and her family:

Check (she and her family were even sweeter than I thought possible! And man, does Abi LOVE Rhinebeck!)

2) Buy a sweater's worth of yarn, preferably dark brown, preferably wool:

Check. (I have no idea what I will do with it, but it will be brown, it will be warm and it will be wonderful...a winner, if you will.)

3) No more than two skeins of sock yarn, preferably something that I can not easily acquire:

Check. (On the left, naturally dyed goodness from Ancient Threads Farm, on the right Acero from Brooks Farm.)

4) Yarn for some fingerless mitts...(maybe for dashing, maybe not):

Check.

5) Test drive some spinning wheels, at the very least a Lendrum:

Check. (Hello, pretty girl.  Would you like a home?  I have a home for you.)

6) Look at spindles for their beauty and craftsmanship; but, do not buy one unless my life depended on it...and not even then:

Double check. (It was really, really hard.  But I said "no."  That's right kids, just say no to drugs and spindles that you do not need).

7) Buy a goodly amount of fiber to spin on spindles currently in my possession and possibly in anticipation of a spinning wheel (see #5, above) to arrive, oh I don't know...sometime in December...

Many, many, many checks.

I figured it was time to stop with the fiber when I had to ask if it was starting to look like too much (Special K remarked that "it started to look like too much a few hours before [I] asked..."  I am pretty sure he was joking.).  I didn't want to be too greedy with the fiber, I did tell Kirsten I would leave some for her, after all.

I didn't go to any after parties so I missed out on meeting up with the vast majority of knitbloggers who attended on Saturday.  We ended up leaving late-afternoonish to head up to Saratoga Springs.

It was pretty fun.

Comments

[Christine Bateman]

So I was window-shopping on Bainbridge Island yesterday when I noticed a pair of fingerless gloves in the window, on sale for $24! They weren't as cool as my fingerless gloves, and I felt very special for owning a novamade original.

[Nora]

Well, I was at my local SnB here in Sydney, but our minds were at Rhinebeck, thinking of all you lucky, lucky people! :)

[Lisa]

Those were some admirable goals - way to stick to them! Looks like it was the perfect weekend for some major stash acquisition!

[Kirsten]

You did leave me some fiber! Thank you! Once the bag on my back started to make me walk at an odd angle I realized that I had perhaps puchased too much.

It looks like you had a great time. Maybe we will finally get the chance to meet at MDS&W in the Spring.

[margene]

You did a good job! Nice stash of fibery fun you've got there. You really should get that wheel to help you with it. ;-)

[Glenna]

I got a sweater's worth of Wild Apple stuff, too, in red! It was a great time, I'm sorry I didn't see you!

[Liz K.]

I'm so jealous you got to hang out with Abi (and conversely jealous of her that she got to hang with you!). Looks like you did great!

I made a pair of man socks with the same colorway of Acero and my hubby just loves them. Just FYI. I think it would make a great scarf too, and seeing Minty's vest made me think, hmmm....vest.

[Jen]

Next year I'm there! How far is Rhinebeck from Boston? I love that brown wool you bought. Lovely stuff.

[Amy Artisan]

It looks like it was an all around great day! All of your purchase are so pretty - look forward to seeing how they become novamade. :) I knit with the Acero last year & loved it.

[Pat]

I need to get there next year - only 3 hours from here too! Looks like you made excellent choices - It will hard to wait until Dec. to spin that fiber!

[Valerie]

Love all the fiber you've bought. I can't believe you'll have to wait till December!

[stacey]

you did great!!! :)

[SpiderWomanKnits]

Nova~

It was such a pleasure to meet you and your lovely family. Little Sir is just too much! Our poor husbands always get shuffled to the back, eh? Special K is a pretty cool guy too!

Isn't Rhinebeck so much more fun when you're "seasoned". It's like you cross this line where you're in control of Rhinebeck. Rhinebeck is no longer in control of you. I can tell by your haul that you have reached that point. You got some great stuff!

[ann]

Hey, I bought some of that cheap tweed too! It was so lovely and scrunchy. Your Acero is positively luminous. You have some great pics -- maybe next year we'll cross paths!

[Kara]

Oh fun! I am officially jealous!

Looks like you had an amazing time with Abi.

[earthchick]

Oh! Each time I think your pics of Little Sir couldn't possibly get any cuter, I am proved wrong. These are simply lovely. I especially love the one of him in the blue hat. Perfect shot, in every way.

Sounds like a great time at Rhinebeck. I look forward to seeing how all your stuff knits (and spins!).

[leslie]

i am sooo envious of your trip and meeting bloggy friends!!! maybe next year i can make a road trip!!!
that little sir is just the cutest!

[Rachel]

I'm SURE Special K was joking. That looks like an entirely appropriate - nay, even modest - amount of fiber.

Glad you had fun, and good for you for making and sticking to guidelines!

[Heather]

Congrats on reaching all of your noble goals!!

[Haley]

looks like lots of fun. i've never been to anything like that. i think i might be totally overwhelmed, but i would love to meet some you blogfriends in person. someday. anyone coming to the cleveland area? if so, let me know. anyway, my favorite part of the post (although i did enjoy lusting after your yarn) is the little sir part. beautiful/adorable pictures. thanks for sharing.

[Ashley]

Dang, Nova--that kid of yours is cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute. CUTE, I tell you.

[tiennie]

Little Sir keeps getting cuter and cuter! Glad you had a great time!

[kelp!]

Congrats on getting a wheel! That pile of fiber is absolutely delicious, I can't wait to see it all spun up!

[whitney]

Oh, I am so jealous! Thanks for sharing your pictures, though, it *almost* feels like I was there. Almost.

Congrats on accomplishing all of your goals! That tweed looks amazing. And a wheel? How exciting!

[diana]

I'm so far behind on reading posts. Looks like you had a great time, love the new sweater, and the clutches are darling!