Rhinebeck 2008

Rhinebeck started differently this year.  I continued spinning immersion with Judith MacKenzie-McCuin in her Friday class at the Fairgrounds.  Marcia, Margene and Terry and I constituted 25% of the class. 

I'm percolating 17 hours spent with Judith in the past two weeks.  That deserves a separate post.  Her class on spinning exotic fibers was sprinkled liberally with Marcia's cookies, Terry's quiet intensity, and Margene's calm and vehement participation.  (How Margene can be both at the same time is one of the amazements of knowing and loving her.)

Left:  Judith spinning a silk blend off her Clemes&Clemes handcard,  Center:  Judith demonstrating a three ply technique,  Right: spinning from a puni.

The crowds were epic.  Sparkling moments with people and roving and yarn stacked up quickly enough to feel like emotional fireworks.  And it lasted ALL day, Saturday and Sunday. 

Sadly blogless Connie (who started spinning April 26th) and Lorrie (who has a blog in name only) confessed to buying six Border Leicester fleeces.  SIX.  That was after the purchase of at least two Shetland fleeces. 

The quality and quantity of exceptional knits parading on the Fairgrounds was a testament to how cold it was.  My head snapped around innumerable times to see beautiful sweaters pass by. 

If anyone recognizes this woman and her beautiful FLAK, leave a shout in the comments. 

The WryPunster had a beautiful Wisteria.  Her FO post shows it off to advantage.  (I am always amused that it is socially acceptable to accost perfect strangers. )

The antique engine display at the Fairgrounds belched smoke and stink and noise.  The engines sounded a cacaphony based on only 2 1/4 cylinders each.  The rhythms of sputtering and firing were random.  Men were glued to the rails of the corral that enclosed belt driven oddities and dinosaurs of the machine age.  Only Stravinsky and Bartok could have written the music that entertained them while their women immersed themselves in fiber.

SOARites greeted each other with hugs, and the secret handshake.  (Yes on the hugs, but no, there was no secret handshake.  I lie.)  Bonds are made tighter before winter because we gathered again so soon after the last time.  At SOAR, Lynn and Cheryl and I were Marcy's SOAR virgins, like comet dust trailing in her wake.  At Rhinebeck, we traced our own paths through the fiberverse.

Margene dragged me bodily out of the Brooks Farm booth.  I was attracted by blues that made me weep in joy.  I would buy no yarn without a project in mind (Knitigator's Rules).  She had to pull me by my sleeve, another time by my collar, a third time by my arm.  I was allowed one purchase, and the color is Etherknitter.

I fell hard for a sweater at Foxfire Farms' booth.  The winter edition of Twist Collective will have a simple and exquisite sweater designed by Nathania Apple.  It's been bumped into the immediate queue for its simplicity, and the yarn (merino/alpaca/silk).  The stockinette means airplane and post-work mindless knitting ease.  My knitter's Pavlovian responses kick into high gear.

The Poop Scoop was the final chapter of the Black and Tan story.  I won't soon forget the musical collapse of beer bottles every time Carole's mini-refrigerator door was opened.  It was a miracle that floor wasn't shampooed with alcoholic suds each evening.

And so continues our Rhinebeck, year after year.  We are such fortunate fiberistas.

So, the spoils of victory are next:

-baby camel/tussah silk top (Spirit Trails)  Judith had us spin some of this.  I was smitten.                         -Sea Pearl (merino 50%/tencel 50% from Briar Rose)                                                                                                   -American cashmere, plum over taupe (Springtide Farm)                                                                                          -Spinner's Hill top, signature wool cross                                                        -my first Golding spindle, 0.6 oz.  I'm loving the laceweight honeys.

-Tongue River Farm, laceweight and sock yarn, a purchase made in tribute to an exceptional shepherd who has passed from among us;

-and last, an uncharacteristically soft Jacob bump, dyed with indigo from Handspun by Stefania.

Typepad will inevitably scramble all this.  The exercise of what description matches which picture is left to the student.                                             

Comments

[Mel]

Typepad did indeed scramble, but I recognized the Briar Rose at a glance and could sort out the rest. I regret that I didn't get any Tongue River, and wonder how I managed to miss you if you were that close (maybe a dozen strides).

[--Deb]

It all looks so PRETTY! Lovely, lovely, lovely. And it was so good seeing you!

[naomi]

Very nice choices. :) (Two of those, I bought in different colors.)

[Cheryl S.]

Sounds like a good time was had by all!
I have been trying to live by the rule of buying no more yarn without a project in mind. It's been working, except that I've been too good about coming up with new projects.

[Caroline M]

Lovely, all of it.

[gayle]

I've been laughing over the "deer poop" all week!
You found lovely things to bring back - and to spin and knit into memories of a fabulous weekend. (poop and all)

[Kathy]

You brought home GREAT stuff! I also love Nathania's sweater. And that YARN -- oh my. Such fun! I think I'll post how I did living by my rules -- :-) You did great -- as best I can tell from your post, four projects!!

[pumpkinmama]

Great post, thanks for sharing your memories. That green/blue bump (Spinner Hill?) makes my heart stop.

[margene]

The music of collapsing beer bottles and the cacophony of old engines was indeed the music of Rhinebeck. The chorus was laughter. My Rhinebeck was all the more fun and wonderful because so much of it was spent at your side. It was a blast!

[Carole]

You described Margene perfectly. I must take a class with JMM. And as for the rules, did you hear Kathy's rule for me? She said I could buy anything I wanted. I love her.

[Cheryl]

That Spinner's hill top is beautiful! I didn't even get to thatbooth this year - I figured I could hit her up at NH.

[Cassie]

I think I've met the knitter in the red Aran at a shop in NYC. Actually, I think I tried to convince her to give me the sweater. Alas, I don't remember her name. Sorry.

[Marcia]

Boy, if I can't hang around with you guys next year, I'm not going to go! (Or, maybe I should just get there to all the good stuff BEFORE you!) The weather forecast has me reconsidering the trip to Deerfield this weekend....I really don't "need" anything!

[elizabeth]

I didn't know it was your first SOAR! I think the secret handshake has something to do with cotton seeds....

Great haul, particularly the Spinner's Hill top - those are my colors!

[Danielle]

Nice to see you, albeit quickly. I love your purchases, but (seeing as how we share a color-brain) you probably could have guessed that.

Now, how long before SOAR comes back into drivable distance from home?

[Kim]

Actually, the secret SOAR handshake is petting a sleeve or shoulder of the fiber wrapped person you are greeting; complete stranger or intimate friend - it's the same - and usually accompanied by a long "Oooooo".

As for Rhinebeck, I am green with envy. Should we begin making plans for a group reunion for Maryland S&W?

[claudia]

Yours is actually a Golding product that I...sort of like.

[Sylvia]

Oooh, I like that murky olive top with the soft blue.

Nathania and Sandi's store is a haven.

[Anne]

Uh huh. I heard about how you shop last night from Margene herself.

Glad you were able to go and enjoy!

[Lorette]

Lovely stuff! It looks like a good time was had by all!

[Lorrie]

Actually, I miscounted. We purchased only FIVE border leicester fleeces, and they were before the two shetlands. ;-)

[Jackie]

It was wonderful seeing you Laurie. I too fell down under the spell of Brooks Farm, but was able to (barely resist) the Spirit Trail Fiber... only because of a strict no fiber comes in, until some fiber goes out rule I imposed before leaving for the weekend.

Her colors were just so gorgeous. Sigh.

[Jeanine]

The woman and her FLAK is Elaine from the Upper West Side Knitters.

[JessaLu]

Gorgeous haul - it was wonderful to see you!

I must be hungry because the only thing I can think right now is: mmm...cookies.

[Lynn]

That is exactly the baby camel/tussah I won from Spirit Trail at SOAR. And Knitigator might want to know that my most successful FOs have been knit from my stash - yarn bought simply because it was good yarn cheap. Or good yarn. Or yarn.

[Manise]

Super recap and wonderful haul! The wee spindle is so cute.

[Elaine]

Aha! Jeanine identified me. Thanks for the picture and kind words. I found your blog through the link on Margene's blog. I am Elaine Linet of NYC, a member of the Upper West Side Knitters and the Big Apple Knitters Guild. You lost the business card I gave you. My FLAK has been (at least so far) my most empowering knitting experience.

[lynne s of oz]

Lovely meeting you, if only briefly!

[Teyani]

17 hours with Judith... swoon. I'd be intoxicated from the fiber fumes and all her wisdom.
Don't you just love spinning the bison from a puni?! It's amazing.

I can just picture Margene tugging you out of various booths.. (grins)

[Lucia]

Will there be show & tell (& touch!) on Wed?

[Bev]

It was amazing! And, to actually meet you was the highlight of my weekend. Your hugs are so intense and full of energy. Next year a few fleeces may find their way into my possession. This year was just too much sensory overload and gawping at the size and feel of it all.

[Charlene]

Well I for one don't see what's sad about purchasing fleeces, even if it was six, and even if they were Border Leicester. I rather like Border Leicester, actually. It's really lovely crossed with merino too...