Sunday, November 7, 2010

Where do I begin?

I have been so busy doing things that I haven’t made the time to blog. I told you all about the retreat held by the women of The Unique Sheep in the last episode. Two weeks later was Duchess County (NY) Sheep and Wool, better known as Rhinebeck. I went to my first Rhinebeck festival last year and was somewhat overwhelmed. However, I did get to meet Leo Pola otherwise known as MMario. He was there with Auntie Nin, Rarely and a few others whose name escapes me now. I had on my Scylla that I had just finished. Leo recognized it and it did get photographed by several people. He did say the design wasn’t as “viney and tendrilly” as he imagined, but like the execution. This year I was in less awe of the place and saw more. That in turn led to me buying more. I finally got all the yarn I need to do the Civil War Shawl. I had picked up a yak and silk blend from Skaska Yarns last year, but it wasn’t enough to do the whole thing. I got more this year. Thank goodness it doesn’t have a dye lot. But I will be alternating between the three skeins I have for the project just to be safe. I found the Fiber Optic booth and bought a beautiful red fingering weight for Leo’s current mystery shawl KAL. I also picked up some pencil roving in a beautiful coppery/ green autumnal color way. I was turned onto this yarn by Bad Cat of Bad Cat Designs. I took part in her Summer Swatch Me KAL and saw their yarns there. Bad Cat had used some of their yarns to do bookmarks with the different pattern stitches. The color of the yarns were so lovely and saturated, I knew I wanted some. I picked up some Shetland 1 ply for an heirloom shawl pattern that I recently purchased. Then I hit the Sanguine Griffon booth. The line was ridiculous on Saturday, so I went back on Sunday and got some of their DK wool for a sweater. I was there early so the line to check out was a bit more manageable. I went to the Ravelry meet-ups on both days. Saturday was massive, but I did get to talk to some designers and bloggers I follow. I talked to Ysolda Teague and Amy Herzog. I looked for Anna Dalvi but couldn’t find her in her World Heritage shawl. And then I stopped at the Fold to score some Blue Moon Fibers’ Socks that Rock yarn. I found a booth that was run by the Duchess County Spinners Guild. I picked up a beautiful hand-spun, hand dyed yarn there. It was a variegated blush pink to dusty rose. Not normally my colors, but it was love at first sight. I normally like pinks in combination with creams and greens, you know, the Santa Fe color scheme. I may add a solid green to it because I may not have quite enough for a sweater. I’m on the low end of what I would normally buy on speculation, but they didn’t have any more. I do have the spinner’s contact info, but I’m not sure if she could duplicate it well enough to get another skein. I was thinking of a cardigan anyway, so all the edges can be in a contrasting or coordinating color. And if I do a lace design and continue losing weight as I have been, I may be okay with what I bought when I get around to knitting it.


I have committed to doing a design for the Mohair contest being run by Vogue Knitting in conjunction with their Vogue Knitting Live event. I have finally come up with a design that I like. It is a bohemian, romantic feel with lace and ruffles. I think the haze from mohair translate well to a more romantic design. Now to write the pattern and knit it. I have the gauge swatch done and drying as I write this. Wish me luck in finishing it before the Dec 1 deadline. At least the sample can be made in a small. Less knitting than if it were for me. More to come on the NYC yarn crawl and Stitches East in the next few episodes. Bye