Rhinebeck 2010

At 3:30am, Friday morning, I am comatose.  The lists are created the night before, placed where I trip over them, and followed without question.  Tea was autopiloted.

At 4:00am, I am a juggernaut in the driver's seat.  There is a place in Wendy Jensen's spinner's basket class waiting for me at 9am in Rhinebeck.  A torrential nor'easter is forecast, and I've left time to nap at rest stops along the way.

Excitement, anticipation, joy.  They fuel the ride along with tea and the iPod.  I drive through bands of rain across Massachusetts, and into New York.  As dawn slowly stains the sky, I am in a yellow/orange/red Renoir landscape.  Deer scatter at the side of the Taconic Parkway.  The Ethermobile slows to the reach of the headlights. 

Park.  Yawn.  Get out of the car.  Stretch.  I look up.  Surreal.  Fried pickles??  The fairgrounds are empty except for Brooks Farm setting up out of their trailer.

9am.  Wendy Jensen is wonderful again.  Weaving rattan is hard on the hands, but so rewarding.  She coaches us, and makes sure what we take home is pleasing.  I love Wendy Jensen.

The Festival Saturday is chilly, but not punishing.  I get good, warm use out of my Onerva shawlet.  Worn (as advised by so many) around my neck, tied in front once for stability, it is a blue-green beacon that attracts the usual knitterly attention:  "Oooh.  What yarn?  What pattern?"

A picture of the booty has to wait, otherwise this would never get posted.  I shopped early and fast.  Briar Rose was mobbed.  I am weak in the face of her Sea Pearl.  My fiber supplies dyed by her have been depleted over the last 365 days, so I found more in her overflowing baskets.  Spirit Trail was mobbed.  Jennifer is just the best.  Her color sense, her yarn blends, her fibers drew us into her booth.  Anne's Dovecote shawl (sample knit by our Knitting the Blues Terry) in Nona, colorway Ancient Stones, grabbed me by my knitting cojones and would not let go.  Bought that.

Rumors rippled through the knitters like brushfire.  The Sanguine Gryphon was there.  Ask the gate people what booth, and blank looks are your only reward.  She had applied for a booth this year, and was turned down.  The call came on Wednesday for her to fill a cancelled booth.  She jumped, and was swarmed.  Her lines were only slightly shorter than The Fold's.  Knitters tightly clutching Bugga pointed the way. 

Morgaine's booth was a crossroad for spinners and knitters.  Everyone ended up at Carolina Homespun at one point or another.  She had Abby batts into Sunday. 

The time spent with my people, my fellows in fiber, was the best part of all.  Happiness boosted higher and higher.  Time together was far too short, but it always is that way.  So many were there.  The SpunkyEclectic/SouthernCrossFiber meet-up was way fun.  Meeting David, and putting a face and a voice to the name was very cool.

There were several knitting slam-dunks.  Stephannie wore two FOs on Saturday that were the knitting equivalent of winning the marathon.  She had on a Bohus sweater, and her Swedish Heart Warmer shawl.  Later, I saw Vanessa wearing her Heart Warmer, knit out of Bugga.  Colorwork knit flat...they knit backwards.  I want to know how to do that.  I want my brain to hurt like that, too.  (I cannot believe I didn't take pictures of either knitter.  Shame on me.)

The other major slam-dunk came in the form of StashKnitRepeat Amy, and BabyCocktails Thea.  They were wearing their newest design releases.  Thea wore Collins.  Amy wore Ayana on Saturday, and a new cardigan, unreleased,  on Sunday.  They are just hammering my Rav queue. 

 

Amy devised a new way to approach buttons.  I will let her share the details when she does the pattern reveal.  It is innovative, creative, and I have not seen this in cardigan patterns before.  She single-needledly pumped up my sweater jones to full ambition.

Each Rhinebeck is different.  Each one makes me happy.  Some things stay the same.  I hate lines.  I hate food lines even more.  The fried artichoke line, the potpie line, and the lamb lines are more than my stomach can bear.  Several years ago, I ended up getting lunch at the ONE place without a line:  the apple crisp line.  After exhaustive research over the years, I found the best one (top uniformly crispy, apples completely cooked, and serving warmed completely through).  They offer hot caramel, whipped cream, ice cream, or a combination to top the sin.  I'm a purist.  The hot caramel creates one of the BEST combinations I have experienced in my culinary lifetime.  I eat a serving for lunch both days, and stand in no lines.  If I see you at Rhinebeck, I will point you to the correct vendor.

Mr. Woolee Winder sold me a second bobbin for my Schacht WW.  He shared his booth with a newcomer.  They make Pocket Wheels.

At SOAR 2008, a spinner from the West Coast had brought a Pocket Wheel.  I posted about it, catching a picture of Jan Louet and Gord Lendrum taking it apart.  I had a chance to try it on Sunday.

It spins beautifully.  It obeyed me.  It is beautiful.  I did not put down a deposit.

Mr. Etherknitter got several hours worth of Rhinebeck descriptions when I arrived home Sunday evening.  He did not agree with my assessment that a travel wheel wasn't needed in my spinning life.  Me?  I couldn't justify the price for the utility.

He took the decision out of my hands.  My 2011 birthday present will be a cherry Pocket Wheel with a Woolee Winder, to be shipped early summer, 2011.

Can I simply finish by pointing out that I brought home no fleeces?

 

 

 

 

Comments

[thea]

Awesome post! You're a great writer and it's so fun to follow someone else's Rhinebeck as they describe it. Thanks for the kind words about Collins - will see you soon again, I hope!

[Lynn]

I brought home one fleece, and next year I'll put down a deposit on a Pocket Wheel.

So, send me those shawl photos, will ya?

[margene]

You bought Bugga? And an Abby batt? Count me even more envious. It's no surprise you trouted fro Jennifers yarn and Anne's pattern. Both are amazing and, perhaps, you'll have a bigger shawl to show off next year. I'm not so patiently waiting for Amy's new cardi. It's difficult to keep up with either Thea's or Amy's production, let alone anyone else!
Grrl oh grrl, I missed you alL!!!!

[susan]

Look at you -- braving the nor'easter for the basket class. Courage!

[JessaLu]

It was wonderful to see you :o)

[Marcia]

I didn't realize you drove up on FRIDAY! I'd have given you a bigger hug! (My class was great, too.) We got there at 10 ish on Saturday and the ONLY person I saw the whole time I was there was JessaLu! I bought one tiny belt shuttle (less than $10) and some Bartlett Yarn for the blanket I'm gonna weave someday. Obviously, Terry did not go to the right apple crisp guy....he said it was not worth the money or the calories.

[Carole]

I wish I'd stopped at the Sanguine Gryphon booth but I went on by because it was crowded. I stood in the shortest line I've ever seen for artichokes - maybe 5 minutes tops. They were worth it. And Dale tried the fried pickles. I had one and well, meh.

[Amy]

It was so wonderful to see you there. Your post makes me nostalgic and it hasn't even been a week! It'll be a long year ahead. . .

(. . .the waiting made easier by SPA, of course.)

[--Deb]

That's so fantastic! That is a great birthday present.

I'm so glad I got to see you, too! (And Mom and I really do almost always have apple crisp there, even if not specifically for lunch.)

[Lisa]

Did you see the new Patrick Green carder over at Susan's Fiber Shop? Oh man....I'm already saving up...

[Caroline M]

I felt disappointed when you said you'd passed on the pocket wheel so I'm glad that there was a happy ending. Good job Mr E. I like that you can change the ratios, I have a hatbox Louet and it just has the one.

Off to research apple crisp now.

[Anne]

You obviously were filled with reduced-sleep fortitude. I probably would have talked you into the wheel right then and there. I am sort of that way, but I'm glad Mr. E rose to the challenge.

Looks awesomely fun, awesome and fun. :) Let's see some class sample pics when you are here next, eh?

[Cassie]

I can't believe I didn't see you! I was at the festival Friday-Sunday. Oh, but I did get a picture of Vanessa in her shawl (ironically, I took it stealthily and then realized it was her).

[Cheryl S.]

Glad you had a great time! Mmmmm. Apple Crisp.
Those shawls are awesome.

[Jennifer]

So, so great to see you at Rhinebeck! Wish it could have been a longer, and less frenzied, visit! :-D

[Pat]

I really enjoyed your Rhinebeck experience - living vicariously - great post!
(PS - you told me to follow links - they don't work - just letting you know. I'm off to find them myself :)

[Kim]

YAY for Mr. E!!!!! You know you will love it. :-)

[elizabeth]

What a great recap! I'll be on the lookout for a pocket wheel at SAFF this weekend, I really want a travel wheel. And if I come to Rhinebeck next year, I will DEFINITELY need directions to that apple crisp vendor!

[Mel]

It was good to see you, even if it was far too brief, and agreed on the apple crisp, though ours came with the ice cream.

[Martha]

Lucky girl with her pocket wheel! in cherry, no less. It will be beautiful!!

[Lorette]

Your man just rocks, let me say. I am very envious of the folks that got to go to Rhinebeck, but my credit card bill is probably better off.

[claudia]

That Mr. E. He's a keeper.

[Melissa G]

Shoot--I've clicked on the Pocket Wheel link twice now! We've repurposed some rooms and there's actually a space I can slot it in...then reality reasserts and I realize I do not want to protect a new wheel from a new dog. Maybe later.

[Hillary]

Great post and soooo good to see you. Next time I make it up there (whenever that is) you'll have to tell me the right apple crisp vendor. It's the only fair fod I ate and i think I went to the wrong guy. I remember it being better last year.

[gayle]

You make Rhinebeck sound like Shangri-La. (One of these years, I hope to be able to attend.)
Pictures of the basket? I'd drive long semi-comatose hours for a basket class like that...

[Teyani]

wish I had been there too ;-)
Last time I saw Vanessa, she and I BOTH had on our heartwarmer shawls! it was a great moment.
And yes, Knitting-back-backwards is a blast (and easier than it sounds). Come on out, I'll teach you!

[Mary Lou]

A sad comment that I was more attracted by the idea of apple crisp with caramel. What a good idea! One of these years I will make Rhinebeck, it is not far from my sisters. I do enjoy your writing, thanks.