Maryland Sheep & Wool Part 2: Vendors & More

Now that I have gone on and on about my wheel...  *grin* The rest of Maryland Sheep & Wool which is just as awesome!


Here is a pic that tells a lot of the story without words...  *grin*


It was so terrific going with my SIL, her husband & their knitting daughter.  They were terrific & super patient with me as I scurried around trying to track down spinning wheels.  *laugh*  It was nice having the company.  And I am hoping next time I go, I can go with them.  Because I was so fixated on wheels, I didn't get to do as much shopping with them as I would have liked. 

I did get to share some funnel cake.  At 9:30 am!  Seems way decadent.  And a lot of fun.  *grin*

I was checking out the items for the used equip auction in the afternoon.  I almost bumped into Leslie from the Knitgirllls podcast INSERT LINKS .  She and Laura were checking out the items.  I told them how much I loved their podcast.  They were both really sweet.  Leslie took the time to ask if there was anything in particular I was looking for.  I told them I was looking for a wheel & was leaning heavily towards a Ladybug.  Laura said how much she loves hers.  They were great and all.  I have to admit that I was impressed by how much time they took to talk to me.  It was above & beyond.  So great.  They seemed as genuine as they are on the podcast which is terrific.  *smile*

I tried to hold off on any purchases until I made my decision on the wheel.  I had taken out cash to buy the wheel.  I figured it was a better thing as I couldn't overspend if I had the money in cash. 

The one booth I hit *before* buying a wheel was Loop!  I adore her stuff.  And getting to see so many lovely Bullseye Bumps & her Clouds up close & personal was amazing.  I hope I wasn't too fangirl with Steph from Loop.  I did tell her I adore her Bumps & had loved being in her club.  I told her how beautiful her work was.  And I hope I contained myself.  But she will probably make a sudden escape next time she sees me coming... *grin*

I limited myself to one Bump & 6 oz. of some Cloud.  I got the Cloud in hopes of pairing it with The Devil Made Me... Bump I bought already.  But the Cloud all has shimmer in it.  And on thinking more about it, I just don't think I want that with the Bump since it is red, grey & black. I am thinking about pairing it with something different instead.  I still have two other Bumps I haven't spun.  There is an Ultraviolet that my SIL got me the year I couldn't get to MD S&W.  That might pair nicely with it.  We shall see.

My SIL, her husband & daughter all headed off about 11.  Her hubby was kind enough to lend me his cell phone.  My battery was already in the 50% range.  And I had been trying to be kind with using it.  Some update recently has the battery dying by about 2-3 in the afternoon!  And I needed to be able to reach the two people selling their Ladybugs as well as call my husband to get a ride!

I grabbed some yummy lunch at a place that was making Middle Eastern food.  I had some tasty Moussaka along with some lamb sausage in pastry.  Yum!  They also had Moroccan mint tea!!  Perfect with the temperature climbing.  (One of the food trucks that used to come to my office area had it.  I miss it and haven't had it in ages!)

During lunch I texted the two people & made arrangements to meet up.  (See part 1 for more on that.  *grin*)

I finished up my wheel shopping about 1:30-2.  So it was kinda late in the day.  But since I came in below my budget, I was able to do some shopping!!

I got to check out several vendors the Knitgirllls have talked about in their podcast.  I had been wanting to check them out for a while. 

Into The Whirled had amazing stuff!  I love their colorways.  They were beautiful.  It was hard to limit my choices!  The funniest part was that I got some Pakokku Sock yarn & a Falkland Wool Carded Batt both in the Excursion colorway!  Don't know why, but that was the one talking to me.  *grin*

I hit the Hobbledehoy / Marigoldjen booth.  Though it was late in the day.  So I fear that it had been hit pretty hard already. 

I wanted to check out the Hobbledehoy batts in particular.  There were many lovelies.  And in retrospect, I wish I had grabbed a chunky, bumpy batt as it would have been fun so see how that spun up on the new wheel.  But I didn't.  There were some beauties.  But nothing said I needed to take it home.

On the other hand, I found the most *stunning* skein of Marigoldjen yarn.  *happy sigh*  It is on her Merino/Silk Sock base.  It is called Magic Potion & is marked a OOAK skein!  Too bad as I would kill for more!  Stunning!

I had some Superwash Merino/Nylon Sock Yarn that I knit up by her.  Love it.  So I know this will be lovely to knit.  Can't wait to see what it becomes.

The woman I met from Arizona who encouraged me to start spinning was there - Kathy Withers.  I was going to thank her for getting me to think I could spin.  But she was busy with a customer.  And it was late in the day & getting too hot to stand still!   Also, I wasn't sure when my DH was going to arrive to pick me up.  So I didn't speak with her. 

I stopped by Susan's to do some shopping for other things & to see if they had a bottle of oil.  Of course I can't find mine!  I swear I should by a case of the things.  *laugh*

I had picked out three lovely things, two fiber & one yarn.  All in amazing reds.  Then I looked at the line!!  It was *really* long.  And there was only one person at the register.  So I put them back and headed elsewhere.  Too bad as I *really* want some more reds.  But alas, it wasn't to be. 

The funniest thing was that the line that had been out the door & half way down the walkway outside for the Miss Babs booth was only a few people!  I almost did some looking as I have heard good things about Miss Babs yarns.  But I also figured why get addicted to something so popular unless I really wanted it?  *laugh* 

I also stopped at Gale's Art.  I recall the Knitgirllls mentioned her stuff.  And she had sock blanks!  I love them but don't see them often.  Problem was, I didn't look close & grabbed the Special Secret Sock Blank instead of the double sock blank.  But I suspect I will just snip a stitch at the center & do my normal routine of two socks at a time.  They won't match but that doesn't bother me.  The colors are similar throughout the blank.  So I think I will really like them.  *smile*

I also got a skein of Wonder Sock in the Misty colorway.  Purples & pretty. 

I also picked up a braid of alpaca/silk fiber.  The tag says chocolate alpaca 70% / silk 30%.  Though the Ravelry listing says 80% Alpaca / 20% Silk so this seems to be a slightly different blend.  It really does glow with the silk content.  And is super soft. 

I skipped Fiber Optic.  Not because I didn't want to go.  But it was nearly 3 & it was still jam packed!  I just wasn't up for dealing with so many people.  I was all peopled out by that point.  Mind you, the timing was perfect as my husband called right about then. 

I stopped off at the vendor with the Ashford wheels & got my bottle of oil.  Hooray!  So I have oil again.  Hoping that means I find my other bottle.  *laugh*  Wish I recall who that was.  The woman at the register was super nice & tracked it down for me.  *smile*

So it was a llloooonnnnngggg day, but really wonderful. 

I am not sure why I decided that the Gale's art needed to be first on the wheel.  It is kinda a funny choice given normally you would want something to play with, that you didn't care if it turned out right. But I needed fiber.  And it was sooo lovely...  On the end, I think it was a perfect choice.  It is really highlighting just how wonderfully & consistently I can spin with my new darling.  She spins like a dream and it feels amazing.  Also, it is allowing me to test things out.  And I working on making a three ply with it.  Since it is a rich color without a lot of variation, it means it really will highlight the spinning even more than the colorway.  So that is kinda perfect. 

I am really hoping it will become something with which I can make a shawl/ette with some design to it.  I am not certain it will.  But it is a nice idea.  Most of the time with handspun, I stick to simple patterns.  In part because there is too much variation in my finished yarn's WPI.  And in part because the colorways I tend to like are too busy for much pattern.  Most ornate designs would just be lost in the work.  But I am hoping that won't be the case with this one.  Though given it is only 4 oz. & a three ply, I probably won't get a lot of yardage from it.  But still...

On a spinning wheel note that I forgot to add, it was *such* a good idea to bring my own fiber.  It meant I was familiar with the fiber when I was testing out wheels.  And that told me a whole lot about the wheel.  Since I knew the pull of it, I could gauge what was the fiber & what was the wheel.  I would recommend that to anyone buying a second wheel.

Though I suspect as per usual, my route to a second wheel isn't the same as most peoples.  I know a lot of people go to guilds or have friends with other wheels.  I don't.  So the fiber festival was the best way for me to test them out.  So very glad I did.  I think I found the perfect wheel for me.  And I also got some amazing fiber & yarn. 

I also realize I really miss this.  It had been too long. It helps that I had saved to make the trip possible.  So that helped a lot.  But I am hoping I can get back to NY S&W too.  Don't know if this will be the year that happens.  It is always anyone's guess about that!  Depends on if the family is well.  Though the beauty of NY S&W at this point is that so long as *I* am not sick and none of the kids are too bad off, I can daytrip there.  So it is less pricey. 

But NY has also gotten a bit crazy as it is so large.  People come from all over the country at this point.  So it is a bit insane.  MD seems more manageable.  Mind you, I don't know how much of that is about the fact that other than that the last time I went was 2008!  My first Rhinebeck & my first fiber festival was 2007!  So it was all overwhelming.

I tried to go again in 2011.  But I mistakenly thought my husband & kids should come.  I really don't know what I was thinking...  We got there at about 10:30 to 11.  The parking lot was a *mile* away from the grounds.  We would have had to take a bus to get to the grounds.  With two kids & a stroller.  Uggh.  No way. 

We will see what comes.

I am grateful I got to Maryland Sheep & Wool this year.  It was a great day all around.  I left wiped out, but also so excited.  It is amazing to see all the lovely fiber & all.  It reminds me why I love knitting & spinning.

Maryland Sheep & Wool Part 1: My New Wheel

I had an amazing time at Maryland Sheep & Wool.

It is my first fiber festival in years.  I went to MD S&W in 2010 when my daughter was under a year.  So five years to be exact!

I went with a mission.  I wanted a new wheel. 

I got my Babe wheel in June of 2008.  Wow.   I have been spinning for almost seven years.  Kinda hard to believe.  Some times more than others, but still. 

While I adore my Babe, I am feeling like the Irish tension is holding me back a bit.  It is hard to spin very thin.  Since the bobbin is pulling the yarn, it was really hard to get it to get super fine. 

Again, could be me & not the wheel.  But after so many years with it, I was feeling it was time for a new wheel. 

So I had been researching.  Spreadsheets.  Info about the ratio, drive type, prices, materials, you name it.

I had a list of wheels I really wanted to test drive.  Along with some that really just wouldn't work for me (too little room to grow, out of my price range, etc..)

I went to a yarn shop about an hour away to test out wheels.  Myra at Woolbearers was so sweet.  It is a terrific store.  I wish it was around the corner & not an hour away. 

They had four for sale & the owner had one of hers she was willing to let me test out.  Two of the wheels, the Ashford Traditional & Louet S17 were both single treadle.  So they were out right off the bat. 

I had been looking at the Schacht Ladybug for ages.  But I hadn't gotten to try one out.  The other double treadle was the Ashford Kiwi. 

Myra had her Matchless which she graciously offered to let me try.  But I knew it was really bad idea to test drive it!  It was soooo out of my price range.

So I tested the Ladybug first.  It sang to me.  I was IN LOVE! 

I did try the Kiwi for about 30 seconds.  But after the Ladybug, there was no way I was going to get that.  (Also, it is also kinda limited.  A good starter wheel.  But I already have my Babe...  So I needed to grow.)

I *almost* tried the Matchless as it was in double drive & the Ladybug was in Scotch.  I wanted to see the difference in the feel of the drive systems.  The Ladybug can do both. But I just knew it was a Bad Idea TM!  So I didn't do it.

It was so hard not to walk out with the Ladybug...  But I knew Maryland Sheep & Wool was the following weekend.  And I would regret it if I tested out wheels & fell in love with a different wheel.  So I waited. 

I confess that I also wasn't thrilled that the floor model was the same price as the new one from the Woolery.  It is my understanding that the Ladybug was used for beginner classes & such.  That makes me a bit nervous honestly...  Mind you, my Babe was used for spinning classes.  But it was half the price of a new model.  So it was worth it to get it.

I kept it in mind that I could go back and get it if I decided I wanted it...

So then it was off to Maryland for the weekend.

I decided to go MD S&W on Saturday.  My SIL always goes on Saturdays.  I was open to either day.  Though I was leaning towards Sunday as it is supposed to be less crowded.  However, my SIL told me a trick which I won't share on a public blog.  *grin*  So we headed off Saturday.

I spent some time walking around.  And I have to confess I was really surprised there were only four vendors at MD S&W that even had spinning wheels. 

One only had Ashfords *in their boxes.*  (They may have had a couple out to test.  But given I didn't take to the Kiwi, I wasn't very interested.)  Another had a Lendrum Original & the discontinued Kromski Mazurka.  Another had the Kiwi & a few others that weren't that appealing to me.  (I completed forgot about them until just now since none of their wheels appealed to me.)  But Susan's Fiber Shop had a whole bunch to test drive.

The Yarn Barn of Kansas was supposed to be there with a really large booth.  But they weren't.  No idea what happened.  But they might have had more wheels as their website shows a bunch & they had MD S&W deals listed.  So perhaps they normally have a bunch.  I am not sure honestly.  Then I went last time, I wasn't looking at wheels.  So I don't know if there were any. 

I plunked myself down at the wheels at Susan's booth.  They had a lot of different models, including three of the Schachts - the Ladybug, Sidekick & Matchless. 

I tried the Sidekick.  I just didn't like it.  No real reason.  But I knew it wasn't my wheel.  I avoided the Matchless again.  Just knew it was a *terrible* idea to try it.  *laugh*

They had the Kromski Fantasia.  I have been drooling over it since I first saw it.  It is gorgeous.  But I tried it.  Within seconds, I knew it wasn't my wheel.  The treadles weren't right for me.  Again, nothing bad, but not right for me. 

They had the Kromski Sonata in its bag.  The booth owner wasn't there and neither of the people working the booth knew how to set it up.  They said I could come back later & perhaps the owner could set it up.  A bit disappointing honestly.  When I returned later, I was told it hadn't been assembled.  So there was no chance of trying it.  But the treadles look very similar to the Fantasia.  So I don't think I miss anything in not trying it.

I avoided the Majacraft wheels.  Beautiful.  But out of my price range.  So best not to get attached.  Though they look like stunning wheels.

Next to the Ladybug sat the Lendrum Original.  I really liked the feel of the Lendrum as well.  So I went back & forth between for a while.

I decided to wander a bit more.  This was in hopes that I could try the Sonata later. And I wanted to check out other places.

I came across the vendor with the Lendrum & the discontinued Kromski Mazurka.  Really nice guy.  Was kind enough to take the Mazurka down to let me play.  It is *gorgeous!* 

Though since it was discontinued, I hadn't even put it on my list.  The moment he took it down, I suspected it wasn't the wheel for me.  It was a single treadle!  While testing it out, it landing in my lap *four times* within a few tries.  I knew single treadles aren't for me!  I push too hard on the treadle.  Just not what I need.

The woman at the shop came back to the stall.  She told me about how it was a rare find since the wheel was discontinued.  I told her it was stunning.  I did tell her it wasn't my wheel.  But assured her it would find a good home with someone.  I really hope it did.  I am sure it was user error & not the wheel.

I went back the Susan's booth & went back and forth between the Ladybug & the Lendrum Original again.  It was really down to those two.

It was feeling a bit torn until I heard the woman tell someone else the Lendrum was over $900!  I thought it was less.  My phone was dying or I would have checked the spreadsheet. 

But I knew it wasn't that pricey or it won't have been on the list to try.  They have it listed for $630!!  That is crazy...  In hind sight, I am really thinking I must have misheard the woman.  It can't have been nearly $300 more!  That would be crazy.  And I checked their website.  Their price is the same as the Woolery.

The woman said that was their last Ladybug.

Before heading down, I had read the Ravelry MD S&W board.  There were two people selling used Ladybugs.  One was $200 less than new.  The other was the same price as new, but it had a Woolee Winder.

So now I was debating if I should get a new one or used.  I contacted both people.  All the while praying my phone wouldn't die.

The woman with the newer one without the Woolee Winder was terrific.  She was so kind.  I met her briefly but told her I had scheduled a time to look at the one with the Woolee Winder.  She said to just let her know & she would meet up with me later if I wanted.  So awesome.

I met with the woman with the one with the Woolee Winder.  She was super sweet.  She took me to her car & let me sit on the front seat to test the wheel out.  It was a bit tough on grass & all.  But it was good.

Here she is:



Thing was that with the Woolee Winder, 6 bobbins (3 regular & 3 high speed) and the on board Lazy Kate, it was a great deal.  (Doing math on new it would be almost $500 for the add ons alone, not to mention $650 for the wheel.)  And I have been tempted by a Woolee Winder since I have heard about it way back in the days of listening to the Lime & Violet podcast, so 2009-2010 maybe...

After spinning with her for only a few days, I can say happily that I adore her.  The treadle is sweet & so easy.  She is quiet and super responsive.  I am already able to spin finer singles than I had been with a lot of effort on the Babe.  All in all, an amazing wheel. 

And the Woolee Winder is incredible!  It is so sweet not having to pause unless I need to adjust something with my spinning.  It winds so evenly and easily.  Honestly, I think it helps with the quality of my spinning.  But I could be imagining that.  That could be about the wheel.

I confess that the tiniest part of me wonders if I shouldn't have just gotten a new wheel.  But honestly, I wouldn't have gotten the Woolee Winder.  And I think I may be an addict & advocate for WW now.  And the WW bulky flyer is *cheaper* than the Schacht!  So when the time comes, I suspect I will go with the WW.  I don't *need* the bulky yet.  I have my Babe wheel.  Do you hear the "but..." at the end of that statement or is it just me?  *grin*
 
I am going to end this post here.  I am hoping to write some more about the *rest* of MD S&W.  But if I don't splice it into two, who knows when I will get done with it!  ALso, as always, I am long winded.  *grin*

Maryland Sheep & Wool

I got to go to Maryland Sheep and Wool!

Here is the beautiful distraction that keeps me from posting here:



This is Elanor at her first fiber fest!

Her dress was made by her super talented aunt! Sorry. I don't know what the pattern is. Bad blogger.

Maryland was an amazing festival. I really enjoyed it and would have enjoyed it more had it not been so $!*@ hot!

I ended up at Creatively Dyed Yarns. I *love* their colorways. So yummy. I got two skeins of Fatima Grace. It is for an Elanor sweater. I am leaning towards a top down yoke cardigan. I think it will show off the yarn well and look adorable on Elanor.

Need to get back to work! I would love to say I will post more, but... *laugh*

Finished Baudelaire Socks in Dharmafey Bamboo Dexter

Cast On:

January 26 2008

Finished:

February 14 2008

Pattern:

Baudelaire by Cookie A.

http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/PATTbaudelaire.html

Made for:

Me - Size 9 shoe, 9" at ball, 9 1/4" long

Yarn:

Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers Bamboo Sock in Dexter Colorway

http://dharmafey.etsy.com

60% superwash merino/30% bamboo/ 10% nylon

1 skeins = 385.0 yards

Needles:

US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm

Knitpicks Options and Harmony

2 socks on 2 circs method

I wanted to do something interesting with the Dexter yarn I got. The batch I got is mostly grey with some flecks of red. I had been looking at the Cookie A. patterns for the Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL for January. So when I went to my ravelry queue, I spotted the Baudelaire pattern. It is a beautiful pattern.

I wasn't sure if the flecks would obscure the pattern. But I don't think the flecks detract. I think the yarn works pretty well with the pattern.

I *love* the Bamboo Sock yarn. It is very soft yet nice and smooshy. I liked it so much I ordered a couple blank skeins to dye myself. They just arrived today, so I think it might be a weekend for yarn dyeing... Mmmmm....

I really like the Baudelaire pattern. It was definitely a good pattern and a pleasure to knit. The only part I loathed was the Front Cable Increase & Back Cable Increase for the larger size. You have to create 4 stitches while simultaneously doing a cable. I think it should have just had the increase without trying to twist them at that same time. There was a ton of swearing involved. But it only happens once in the pattern. So two sets of each and then no more. If I had to do it more than that, I wouldn't knit the pattern ever again. *laugh*

Overall, I like the socks. They are very pretty, yet the coloring of the yarn doesn't make them super girly which I like. *grin* Though Paul keeps saying the color is pink not red. *growls* I do not do pink! It is red. *chuckle*

Rhinebeck Stash Acquisitions

Look at all the lovely Rhinebeck stash!!

I got all the yarn at NY Sheep & Wool on Saturday.

I should post to my general journal about the beer. *chuckle* I didn't get this at NY Sheep and Wool, but at a place on the way home. But it was the same trip. Just a different sort of stash! *grin*

Schaefer Lola

I have been drooling over the Schaefer yarns for a while now. A couple different podcasts have mentioned them, including one with an interview ('course I can't recall which one now).

Their colorways are so beautiful. I really love them. But many of their yarn lines are pretty pricey.

I found some lovely Lola. Lola is made with superwash wool. It is pretty soft. Though it is also pretty thick. So I didn't honestly know if I could use it for socks. So I did it as a purchase that was open to use.

It seems Lola isn't done in specific colorways like the ones listed on their site. So they are less expensive. I read that Lola is made with whatever dyes are left over for the day. So they vary a good deal. And why may not ever do something similar. I think that is pretty nifty.

The upside of that is Lola is a yarn I was able to actually afford! *grin* I love the one I got. It is different reds with some browns & grey. Pretty thick so it will be quick to knit up.

I am *definitely* going to do these toe up. I want to use every bit I can of the yarn. I am not sure if I want to just do a simple pattern or something more complex. If the gauge is right, I might try the toe up Jaywalkers. I think that might work well. I need to knit a swatch & see.

I hope I remember to look when I get home. I can't recall what booth I got this from.

Peruvian Alpaca

I picked a lovely bunch of Peruvian Alpaca at A Touch of Twist. It should be plenty for a nice, simple, black cardigan.

This was my big splurge item. I really debated if I should spend the money on it. This was my last purchase. I had picked up the Lola and a $10 mixed bag of yarn. So I felt like I had been very restrained. I had set aside a pretty good chunk of money for this. So I figured it was the time to take the plunge.

I have been wanting to make a black cardigan for a while now. But I am always hesitant to purchase that much yarn. I knew it would be a pricey item to make in anything I wanted to wear much. (Yes, I could get acrylic for cheap enough, but I sorta felt like if that was the case, I should just buy a black cardigan.)

Paul said I looked kinda white after making the purchase. *laugh* I guess it is that I spent a good deal of money so now I want to make something good with the yarn. And that makes me nervous.

Now, I need to find a simple top down cardigan pattern. Preferably one knit in one piece. I really do loathe sewing seams. *grin* Too funny given I can sew. But with knitting, it just seems so wrong to do it. *laugh*

It is so super soft. I kept kidding Paul I could just use it as it is as a pillow. I was resting my head against it. It is definitely yummy.

I also think I want to figure out some way to have a way to attach different cuffs and collars. I figure I can do a simple round collar. But then I can create collars and cuffs to attach to it. For instance, I have that lovely hand spun & dyed purple silk yarn. It would be great to make cuffs & collar to compliment the sweater.

Mixed $10 Bag

One of the vendors has boxes of bags with yarn in them. They are seal so you can't always see what exactly is in there. But with a bit of moving them around, you could make it out with some of them. It was sorta like treasure hunting. I did pretty well.

I ended up getting a bag with 4 different yarns. I think the blue cotton was what drew me to it. But the fact that two others were machine washable stuff made me think they would be ideal for some charity knits. So I figure it was money well spent.

Mystery Fiber

No idea what it is. Looks like it could be wool. Not sure. Greyish blue with some purplish flecks. Really wish I had a clue what it was as it could be good to use for something. But without having any idea how to care for it, I don't think I would know what to do with it.

There is about 50 gms of it.

Reynolds Gypsy

100% cotton. Very shiny. Like the blue color.

50 gm/ ~82 yards

I don't know what I will do with it. Though I am thinking that if I have changeable collars and cuffs for the cardigan, this might be kinda pretty for that.

Bergere de France Bergereine

50% wool / 50% cotton. Machine washable. Not sure what I will do with it. Thinking perhaps a baby hat for charity. There is only 50 gms/~104 yards.

So not my color. But the fiber feels pretty nice actually. It might be a bit slippery to knit. Not sure.

Reynolds Eternity

Color 764 - Burnt Orange

51% wool, 49% microfiber.

Washable

50 gm/ ~88 yards

Probably gonna be for a charity item.

All in all, I think I did pretty well. I am excited to cast on something with the Lola & the alpaca. I started the alpaca swatch this morning. I will probably swatch some of the Lola tonight. Though I am sorely tempted to hold off on casting on a second pair of socks until the pair I am working on now are done. Not sure yet.

*does a happy dance* Happy stash.

My First Rhinebeck!

My first Rhinebeck! Woohoo!

I am happy that I was warned there was sooo much there. I am also so thrilled with the Ravelry forums. They really helped me to get a good fix on things. The spreadsheet & research really helped before hand. It gave me some good ideas about what I should see and what I could skip.

Paul dropped me off around 10:00. He headed off the Aerodrome that is super close to the fairgrounds.

First thing I did when I got there was check out The Fold. I had heard on the Ravelry forums that they had a bunch of Socks That Rock. I wanted to see the STR up close & personal. And I am happy to say, it is some yummy stuff. I definitely see what all the fuss is about. They are some beautiful colorways and super sock yarns. I definitely will buy some of their stuff.

Thing is, I got there at about 10:15-10:30. There was already a huge line to pay. So there was no way I was waiting in line to buy something I could get online. I don't really get it. I suspect I would have had to wait at least 30-45 minutes. That would have been a waste. I really do wonder why The Fold gets such a small booth & why they don't have more registers. Seems like they are loosing business. Ah well.

I did check an alpaca vendor. The yarns weren't what I wanted but they had a simple pair of premade socks. Figured that was a good purchase as they would be nice and toasty. I am sure winter will appear sometime soon, right? *grin*

I wish I could recall in which booth I found the Schaefer yarns. I have been eyeing their yarns online in a big way. I heard about them in a couple podcasts. Their colorways are so beautiful. I really love them. But they are pretty pricey.

However, I did find some Lola. Lola is made with superwash wool. However, they aren't a specific colorway like the ones listed on their site. So they are less expensive. I am going to do a separate entry with what I got & all the pics as a separate entry. So that will have more details.

I had decided to limit myself to two sock yarns with superwash wool. After doing the test swatches last week, it seems some superwash wools will work for me. Some won't. So I set myself a two types of superwash wool for socks cap to make sure I didn't go overboard.

There were a couple sock yarns I absolutely adored. There were several of the Mountain Colors sock yarns I sooooo wanted. But they are one of the price fixing companies. So there was no way I was going to buy that. I put them back and swore at them a lot. *grin* There was one or two other companies I found that had the same issue. *sigh* I really hate that. But I can't support people who won't support fair pricing.

I found a couple places with bargain bins which was kinda fun. One had $10 bags. The bags had 3-4 different yarns in a sealed bag. I purchase one bag with some mixed stuff. It included some pretty cotton yarn that was very shiny. As well as some other ones that I will probably use for donation stuff. I figured for $10, it was worth picking it up.

I did stop by the Ravelry/Blogger meeting at noon. The problem is that I am so not good with going up to people. I did say hello to Necia as she is on the 6th Borough group. I have posted to that board a lot and knew she was local. There were a lot more people there. I was already feeling overwhelmed by the number of people around. So I just couldn't bring myself to stay long. Hey, for me, going up and introducing myself to a complete stranger is an achievement. *laugh* I am just *terrible* with large social groups.

I kept seeing Cat from the Let's Knit Together podcast wandering around. I debated saying hello and telling her how much I love her podcasts. But I figured she had enough going on already. *smile*

I did have a Yarn Harlot spotting late in the day (about 4). Though again, I didn't say anything as I suspect the poor woman was probably already getting too many people coming up to her. She had on her amazing Kauni sweater which looks just like the pics. Pretty cool.

I feel a bit of an idiot though. I put together the info on all the vendors, maps, etc. What did I forget? I forgot to write down what booths had collection boxes for Hats for Alex. I did look, but didn't see anything obvious. So I carried the hat with me all day. It was small & in my purse. But I feel so goofy that I have to mail it because I forgot to write it down. *laugh* Ah well.

At about 2, I gave Paul a call. He was just about to head over to the fairgrounds to join me. He had a great time at the Aerodrome and grabbed a beer at a local brewery bar. I was glad when he joined me. But I was just as thrilled that he got a lot of time doing things he enjoyed.

When he joined me, he was amazed. I only had the Lola & the $10 bag of yarn. He was stunned. *laugh* I had seen some yarns that were nice (like the Opal ones and some others). But there wasn't anything was screaming buy me right this instance! There were some yarns that I will probably buy online at a later date. But I knew I could get them online so I didn't see the point of getting them there unless they really spoke to me.

Though on a surprise note, there were some of the Lion Brand hand painted sock yarns that tempted me. I nearly did get some. But again, didn't see the point when I could get them online.

So I spent some time thinking. I figured *if* A Touch of Twist had more of black alpaca, it was a sign that I should splurge and get enough for a sweater's worth. I have really been wanting to make a simple black cardigan with something I would wear. But it is challenging when getting enough yarn for a sweater is pretty pricey in any yarn I would really want to wear for a long time.

I went back and low and behold. They must have gotten some more stock put out. Because when I was there the first time, there were only 2 skeins. This time there were 5 large 8 oz. skeins. Which are approximately 691 yards, so 3455 yards. I think that might be more than enough.

Wow. I really should have used my calculator. I was trying to make sure I got enough for a sweater. What I found for yardage said I should have about 2500 yards. So that was what I was aiming for. Oops. Ah well. It is black. It isn't like I won't be able to do something else with it! *laugh*

I was so happy that I got to see Diane. She mentioned she might be there. She is the woman who taught me to knit. She was on the look out for me which was good. 'Cause I was not looking at all at that point. I was in overload already. I think this was around 2:30-3:30.

It was so wonderful getting to meet her daughter Claire at last. She is sooo adorable. Though the poor girl did not fair well with the car & all the commotion. But her baby booties where adorable! *grin*

In review...

I don't think I need to stay overnight. I know a lot of people swear you can't do it all in one day. For me, that wasn't true. I had enough time to look over what I wanted to see and enjoyed the experience. I was definitely in overload by the end of the day. I don't think I could have faced going back to the crowds the next day.

If I started spinning, I can *definitely* see why I would need two days. There is a ton of spinning stuff there. Since I don't, there were entire booths I could skip easily.

Also, since I have allergies, I tend to just give a quick glance to all wool places. So that also cut down on how many places I need to see.

I would love to get to some of the workshops. If I took the workshops, I would want to stay a while longer.

But I suspect next year, I will just stick with day tripping again.

I am definitely glad I did all the research. It helped me to figure out what I needed to see. I think I wouldn't have been as interested in A Touch of Twist if someone hadn't recommended them. I found with the recommendation, I took the time to take a closer look. And their prices were good for the yardage. So I am pretty thrilled.

I was definitely exhausted by the end of the day, but happily so! *grin*

I will have to do another post about the other stash acquisitions. But they should probably go on my general journal as they weren't knitting related. *smile*

Superwash Wool & Allergies

My allergies are about itch factor. I find it itches and I get red bumps in the area where I am wearing something that affects me. I don't have hives or trouble breathing. It isn't that sort of thing. It is mild. But it is too irritating to actually want to wear anything made with wool.

When I posted to a dyeing group about my allergies, a woman told me that superwash wool should not set off my allergies. She explained they are treated with a polymer to coat the wool (thus making it machine washable). This coating should allow me to use superwash without the response I normally have.

I was certainly willing to give it a try. There are some beautiful superwash wools out there, especially a lot of hand dyed ones that are amazing.

My mother-in-law was kind enough to give me some Sockotta yarn. It was leftover from pair she did. I made a swatch in the round a couple days ago. I wore it around my wrist for all of about 10-20 minutes before I took it off. I found it was scratchy and not good for me.

I check online and read some reviews. It seems that people without wool allergies have also had some trouble with that yarn. A lot of people complained it was rough, scratchy & hard to knit. One woman even said it was so scratch she threw out the yarn. So it may not have had anything to do with allergies.

So I knit a test swatch of Sarah's Yarns Superwash Merino/Bamboo/Silk Blend. It is 65% super fine grade merino, 20% bamboo and 15% silk. Machine-wash-and-dry which has so much appeal. I wore the swatch for about 3 hours yesterday and another 2-3 in the evening. It didn't seem to affect me at all! Woohoo!

So it seems I may be able to wear some superwash wools. But it seems to come back to *some*. Not all. So I need to feel it & do a test swatch before committing to it.

On the plus side, I can always check out some of the superwash wools at NY Sheep & Wool this weekend! Woohoo! I definitely want to feel the Socks That Rock yarn after hearing so much about them. I don't know if I will buy any there. I will see. I have heard the Fold is the place that sells them. And last year the wait to pay was 30-60 minutes! That seems way too long to wait if I can order them online. But I will see.

I suspect I should limit my superwash purchase to enough to make 2 pairs of socks for me. I can always pick up wool yarn for others. But in case it doesn't work for me, I would rather not have a bunch of yarn I can't knit for myself.

*wiggles happily* In less than 24 hours I should be there!

Rhinebeck and the Geek I Am...

In my typical geeky fashion, I find when I am heading off on a trip or to a big event for the first time, I need to research it to no end. *laugh*

So in order to be less overwhelmed when I walked into Rhinebeck, I decided to put together a spreadsheet with some of the map & vendor info in it. (Any you say anal, boys and girls...*smirk*)

I have put in the vendor name, map location, booth, Ravelry recommended, website & type of items (when I had the info).

I figure others might find it useful. It isn't pretty at all. I am going to be making it into a Palm database for myself so I don't need to be.

I have posted it as a zip file & and excel file.

Please, if you can unzip a file, download the zipped file. It is smaller & won't use as much bandwidth.

Zip File
&
Excel File

I am going to convert this into a Palm database today.

I posted it on Ravelry as I hope it might help others.

It did help me to look at the different vendors. It gave me a better sense of what might be there and where I should go. Definitely some interesting vendors.

What I am happiest about is how many alpaca vendors there will be. I am hoping to find some good stuff.

Ideally, I would like to get enough black alpaca for a cardigan. But I am completely aware that that might not be in my budget. But I figure it can't hurt to look.

Misc. Knitty Bits

I am glad I caught up on my knitting project babble & pics. That is progress. Now for the various babble bits.

Swifts!

Paul made me two swifts. I need to take pics when I have them set up. They are pretty cool. They are the windmill type. I figured that would work better. He did a really great job though of course, he isn't happy with them. *shakes head*

Carrie/Dharmafey from the Socks in the City podcast mentioned on Ravelry that she uses two skeins to help with her dyeing. I figured I would give that a try.

I was hoping that it would work for creating a long skein. It didn't honestly. I tried but it was not working for the long skein. They work beautifully for a typical hand dyed skein though. It just doesn't work for creating a super long skein for self striping yarn. I really think I need to create a warping board that is bigger to see it that will help.

I dyed a smaller skein batch of the Sarah Yarn's 100% bamboo yarn during my vacation. I did it in various greens with a little bit of blue. The thought is to make my sister-in-law Jennifer some socks for Xmas. She doesn't like wool as she gets too hot.

Thing is, my sister-in-law Tee is making her some socks already with some Panda Cotton in Roses. Which is actually my fault! *laugh* Jennifer mentioned that Tee *might* make her some socks. I thought Jennifer said Tee *was* making her socks. *chuckle* Ooops.

Tee is a super-experienced knitter. So of course, the socks she is making are looking really good honestly. So I am hesitant. I also feel like I have been taking on a lot of knitting for the holidays. I will see. If they get done, great. If not, no worries. *smile* Or hey, give Tee the yarn and she can make them for Jennifer? *laugh* (Just kidding if you read this Tee.)

NY Sheep & Wool

I am excited that NY Sheep & Wool is so close! *wiggles happily* I am going up this Saturday. Spending the day, though not staying overnight.

I really do hope I don't get too overwhelmed. It does seem like there is so much to see.

I have been reading the Ravelry boards about it. Getting lots of helpful hints for the NYS&W newbie.

The consensus seems to be:

You can't see everything so don't stress it.

I know I want to see everything, but good to know I probably won't.

Buy things you like when you see them.

They probably won't be there when you go back.

Bring cash.

Not all the vendors take credit cards. (And hey, it is probably better not to get into too much trouble frankly!)

Wear mud resistant shoes.

It is a fair ground. So if it has rained at all recently, it will be muddy.

Take lunch & snacks with you.

The food lines can be really long. So it helps not to spend time online. And hey, more money for fiber. Though I may not be strict about that. I love lamb and all. And you can rarely get it. But I heard the lamb burgers are like hockey pucks. So I will definitely skip those.

The fried artichokes are worth the wait.

Might have to find out... *grin*

Get there as early as you can.

Things sell out throughout the day. The later in the day you get there, the less vendors have. Though I know Paul isn't getting up at 7 am no matter how much I want him to!

I am sure there is more.

I want to go to a couple of the after parties. Seems that Morehouse has one. They are the people I got my nifty dragon scarf pattern from which I love.

The Ravelry folks are talking about having one. But there haven't been any details posted yet. I doubt I will go as Paul will kinda want to do other things with the evening.

He will probably spend the day at the Aerodrome museum. It actually looks cool. Though they won't have the air show this Saturday. It seems that stopped this last weekend.

Missing the Yarn Harlot

I am sad. The Yarn Harlot and a bunch of other authors will at NYS&W on Sunday, but not Saturday. I am going on Saturday so I won't get to see the Yarn Harlot speak. On the other hand, more shopping time, right? *grin*

I do want to see her speak sometime. But she has just finished up a new book so I suspect she will be doing the rounds again when the new book is released. Her publisher really does seem to have her working hard.

The Never-Ending Scarf

I really think the cable scarf for Kyle is the bane of my knitting. I am knitting at least 8 rows a day. It is my homework. And it takes about 15 minutes for the 4 rows. I am guessing I am a very slow knitter. Thing is, I was praying it would be long enough at the 4 skein mark so I could use the last skein for a hat. No such luck. I can't recall if Kyle wraps his neck once or twice. But either way, it just isn't long enough to wrap. It would be fine without a wrap. But I know how he wears his scarves. So I have started #5. *sigh*

Mind you, it isn't terribly challenging. It is just taking soooo long.

There should be a link on the side with a pic and such so long as I am working on it. *Love* that I have my works in progress from Raverly in my side bar. Soooo cool.

Teaching a Coworker to Knit

I spent my lunch hour trying to teach a coworker to knit! I really hope I explained things well. I am not sure if I did.

She ordered a cupcake kit from Etsy. I have the same kit which I am planning to do for my neice for Xmas. Thing is, the vendor shipped the completed purse. The coworker's daughter loved it so much she didn't want her to return it. Mind you, she isn't sure if she could have gotten the order wrong anyhow. And given it was a Friday at 5:30 when I was talking to her about ordering it, it could have easily been mixed up.

Instead I am doing a hat with her. She has a 4 month old son who is wearing 24 month old clothing! He is a big boy. He was 10+ pounds at birth. She doesn't have little babies! All three of her kids have been 10+ pounds. Wow. *shivers*

So I figure we can do a rectangle that will become a hat. I mean, I found a scarf a good starting project. But the Yarn Harlot and others say that is a lot for a beginner to take on. The hat should be small enough to be manageable.

I hope it comes out alright. I took the measurement for a 24 month old head, added 1/2-1" and did it according to the gauge. She is knitting kinda tight. Which I so get as I did too. But I think it should still work. Hey, we can always add a panel if it comes out too small and say it is a design element, right? *grin*

Okay. I think that mostly catches me up with any new stuff. Not sure but I am heading off very soon either way. The NYC Homebrew club is meeting tonight. Paul and I haven't gone in ages. So I figured it would be fun. Off to that.

I think I might have too many expensive hobbies between knitting, beer & bellydance. Though have to say, it has been ages since I have gotten to bellydance class, much less spent money on it. Ah well. Maybe I will get to class *this* week!

Stating My Intention to Not Buy Knitting Stuff Til NY Sheep and Wool

I am going to state this here. It is my hope that I will abide by it. *grin*

I think it is good for me to be on a yarn and knitting supply diet until NY Sheep & Wool festival. I know, that is only two weeks away. Not a big commitment. But I still think it would be wise.

There are three exceptions I might make:

1.
I really want to find a yarn to work with the Bernat Lana I bought. I really want to do a pair of Fair Isle mittens with it. But I need a contrasting color. There is a marine color that is a dark blue that would work well with it. But Lana is a discontinued yarn. So finding the marine might be challenging.

I did write someone on Ravelry in hopes she might want to either sell me or trade one of the 6 skeins of Lana she has. She is in NJ, so I am betting she hit the same sale. Smiley's sells them in bags. The Lana was $10 for the 6 skeins. If I had seen the marine, I would have picked that up as well. But I only saw the denim that I picked up.

2.
Socks That Rock has a cotton sock yarn but there hasn't listed since I found out about STR about a month ago. I emailed them about it. The woman who dyes it has been recovering from surgery. So they said to check back in about a month. This was about 2 weeks ago. So I will keep trolling their site in hopes of getting cotton yarn.

3.
Stuff to make the swifts for reskeining. I meant to pick the stuff up already. But Paul and I haven't settled what I want and if it will work.

But other than that, I should just save up for NY Sheep and Wool. And that does include everything else involved, not just the yarn. I can sooo easily spend money on knitting related items.

Damn. Forgot to mention the new Cat Bordhi book in the exceptions! I sooo want it. Ah well. Maybe at NY Sheep & Wool. *grin*