Rhinebeck 2014 Roundup

This weekend was an event that we look forward to every year. An event that people will travel thousands of miles to go to, the Dutchess County Fiber Festival, better known as Rhinebeck!  A good friend of ours moved to New York a few months ago, so Jess and I headed up on Friday and stayed the night with her.  She lives outside of Albany, so we went there for dinner to a place called the Recovery Room that is on the hospital campus.  

The next morning we headed out bright and early to Rhinebeck!!! Jess took some great pictures of the trip there.

We made it in pretty quickly and I sprinted to the Miss Bab's booth. Thanks to our friend Yana getting in line for me, and a woman giving me a skein out of her hand I got one of the Rhinebeck 2014 exclusive colorway skeins! We then headed to Into the Whirled, where I got some Falkland Fiber to try out.  So in less than 30 minutes I had gotten all the yarn and fiber that were on my list. The rest of my haul included a Sheep Incognito print! I have been wanting one of these and now that I have a craft room I decided to get one.
While Jen and Yana made a mad dash to Miss Bab's, I ran to the bathroom.  When I made it to the booth, Jen had already grabbed the Polydactyl Set for me that she knew I wanted.  I purchased the Coffee Break set so I could make a tubularity.  

Jen's Sheep Incognito print

I participated in a recent Kickstarter for Going Gnome and received a cute hedgehog kit.  So I was eager to stop by their booth and see all the new packaging.  I came home with a little mushroom home kit, it is an advanced kit so I plan to do the hedgehogs first and see how that goes hehe

One of the most fun parts of Rhinebeck is meeting knitters from around the world.  I was super excited to run into the ladies from the Must Stash Podcast!

Stacie and me!

Steph and me!

I even managed to get a skein of the awesome Must Stash yarn. It is self-striping, Martian Rainbow #12. I cannot wait to knit it up!

When I ran into Stacie from Must Stash, I asked her if she had a booth so I could try her yarn.  She didn't have a booth, but she had a few skeins on her to sell.  I purchased a skein of the coveted Dark Side of the Moon and am really looking forward to knitting a pair of socks with it soon.

Jess and Stacie

Jess and Steph

Must Stash-Dark Side of the Moon

I ran into so many Ravelry and Instagram friends.  We got to hang out with sarahbee for awhile.  It's always nice to see her each year.  We have been Ravelry friends for a few years, after being paired up together in a swap.  I also got to meet Vintage Rose, which was exciting for me since we are now pen pals!  We got to meet the Stockinette Zombies after Miss Babs.  Sadly, no pictures of them since the building was super crowded.  I also met Karen from Knit 1 Geek 2.  Finally, I got to meet Diane, from Knitabulls podcast.  I have been trying to meet her for the past 3 years and was on the lookout for her.  It was so nice meeting her in person.  She is one of the sweetest people and I adore her.

Me and Vintage Rose

Me and Knitabulls

Me and Karen from Knit 1 Geek 2

We ran into other fabulous knitting friends, but I do not have the pictures on my phone.  It almost feels like a reunion every year.  I am also proud of myself that I remembered to get a pic with Jess! We go to these events together and have very few pictures together.

It was perfect sweater weather and even though there were a couple of raindrops, the day was perfect.  I am currently in a Rhinebeck hangover and am having fun looking at everyone's photos from the weekend.

WIPs Wednesday 10/8 plus a little more fall fun

So last weekend Jess and I went to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.  I had never been to this faire, and have not been to any faire since about 2002.  I did not go dressed in period clothing, and I am glad because I was cold enough in jeans and a sweater heh. It started as a super rainy morning and it was one of the colder days we have even had recently.  Anyway, I ended up having a great time! I got to see falcons, men in kilts, and a few sips of mulled wine before some yellow jackets claimed it for themselves.  I dipped my own candles too. Here are a few photos from the day!

Notice I remembered to bring knitting with me too

Didn't try one, but maybe I should have....

Much harder than it looks. I ended up with two candles, one I like more than the other, but still a fun activity!

We also ran into many fabulous knitters. In fact, I can safely say I have never run into this many knitters outside of a fiber festival! Jess and I also managed to not get any pictures together (I swear we will never break that habit), well except for one when we had an impromptu dance party on the way.

It's all about the bass, about the bass.....

So back to the WIPs, I started a project that will remain secret until after Christmas. I am not sure if the hubby reads the blog, but if he does I do not want to spoil his surprise.  I have been working on my Jane Eyre shawl (I do know my sis in law reads this, but I am warning her now if you do not want to be spoiled, walk away from the blog).  The shawl is getting huge, so huge I added a connector and another cable to see if I could stretch out the stitches more.  It still gets bunched up heh

I really wish you could see how pretty this is turning out

Close up of the flame lace panel down the center

I am almost to the last repeat where the flame lace is the majority of the stitches instead of the center.  It will be slow going for those last 24 rows I am sure, but I am getting there. I plan to work on this as much as I can over the next few days.

I started spinning up the alpaca batt that I got at the alpaca fest a few weeks ago.  I have been remembering to add more twist to the ply and it still has a nice fluffy halo.  It is going to be so soft and squishy when I finish. This is the first ply all finished

I have also started my next stitching project. This is another one from the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. It is the 12 days of Christmas.  Maybe I will finish it in time this year!!

I've also been busy the past few weeks.  As Jen mentioned, we went to the Renaissance Faire with a new group of friends.  I had so much fun and I hope to go again next year!

Jess and her new boy toy

Two weekends ago I went apple picking with my mom after church.  We went to Grim's Orchard.  We picked about 13 pounds of jonagold apples and I picked a couple of a darker type of apple (I forget the name).  The orchard is really cute.  They have a corn maze, hayrides and a play area for kids.  They also sell apple cider donuts and apple cider slushies.  (SO GOOD!!!)  When I came home, I found a bag of cider donuts from Jen hanging on my door.  <3  I was going to freeze some, but I ended up devouring them instead.  With the apples I picked, so far I baked a diabetic friendly apple crisp  and want to make some battered apple rings and a pie. 

My beautiful mama

Pumpkin head Jess

So many apples!

I have a few FO's to share on Friday and a couple of WIP's I have been working on. 

Jen and I are both knitting with our Miss Babs MDSW exclusive yarn.  I am knitting a pair of Jaywalkers.  The pattern is crazy easy, I am just hoping they aren't too snug.  I decided to do an afterthought heel, mainly because I was at work and couldn't concentrate on the pattern heel.  

Jaywalkers in Miss Babs Cosmic-Inspired by Tulips

Jen here, just wanted to put socks up here so you can see how the same yarn in a different dyelot, with a different pattern knits up. I am making Charade socks. I love the herringbone pattern and the bright spring colors are fun, even if it feels weird to be knitting these in the fall.

 I have also been working on some cross stitching.  Since I already finished my Halloween Sampler, I felt that finishing my Gingerbread Lane was more crucial than finishing Halloween Town.  I am almost done with the 2nd house.  I decided that I am just doing the houses, not the scene underneath or the countdown.  I am hoping to be done before Thanksgiving.

Gingerbread Lane pattern by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery

FO Friday 10/10/14

My FO's this week are all about my mom.  Her birthday was earlier this week and since she is one of the most knitworthy people I know, I wanted to make her a pair of socks.  I did a basic 3x1 rib, fish lips kiss heel.

Into the Whirled Pakokku-A Musing Anecdote

I think it's funny how they pooled almost in a tie dye pattern at the leg and then striped at the foot.  I have plenty of yarn left over so I plan on making some fingerless mitts for myself with the leftovers.

Since my mom is also a knitter, I decided to spin her some yarn.  I managed to get 302 yards of a heavy fingering/sport weight yarn, 2-ply.  

Knitting Knorth Polwarth

Overall, I think she was pleased with her gifts and I can't wait to see what she makes with the yarn!  

I have another Christmas present off the needles, and the last pair of socks that I am making as a present this year too!  I finished up the socks that I was working on for my mom. They are soft and squishy and I think she will love the color'

Angee by Cookie A knit in Cephalopod Yarns Skinny Bugga!

I also knit up a few bibs for the Hufflepuff Baby Gift Brigade this last week for Quidditch.

Stay on Bib - Lily Sugar n cream ombres

Grandmother's Favorite Baby Bib in Plymouth Fantasy Natural