The Moments You'll Never Forget

When you think back on your life, there are some stand-out days and moments. Have you ever thought about those days? You know the ones...the days you can revisit in your mind like they just happened. Yes, there are bad ones that will always stay with you but there are also the good ones. The days that you would like to relive over and over again. My top days are my college graduation, wedding, the birth of my three babies, playing my flute with the Greater Shore Concert Band at Carnegie Hall, watching our first born graduate from college, and winning the Rhinebeck logo in 2019...

Now to top it all off, I won the art contest for Rhinebeck "NY Sheep & Wool Festival" 2024. I got the news a few weeks ago while throwing the ball to my dog, Buddy, in the pumpkin patch field. I had a REALLY good feeling about this one. I love to enter the contest and I have entered many times. When I sent the "VW Bus" design I had the same feeling as I did this time. I just knew the bus design was special and I thought people would love it. It's hard to top that one. I've tried. The past year, I started drawing more and did a few drawings with an animal and big knitted shawl around them. So I went with it...but added some color to the original pencil drawing. 

We were heading to a wedding in September. I don't get fancy too often and was putting off getting ready. So naturally, I grabbed my drawing paper and a pencil and started drawing. As my husband kept "reminding" me that we needed to go to the wedding, I said, yup. I know. Hold on. I have a good feeling about this one. I drew it with pencil and then scanned it to make it digital. I added the color in Illustrator. I wanted to make everyone feel included. So I added a muted LGBTQ Pride rainbow and transgender colors in the shawl. After a few different font treatments, I settled on the final one and sent it with my fingers crossed.

My artwork was picked as a top contender an visitors of the 2023 festival had the opportunity to vote.

People voted and I was chosen as the winner. What a thrill. It's hard to explain. My two worlds get to collide again...graphic design and yarn, knitting, all together as one. It's one of those days that will stay with me forever.

My sister, Andee is working on a beautiful shawl pattern to match my logo. Yay!!! She's so talented. Can't wait to see what she comes up with (spoiler...I've seen the prototype and it's fantastic!) I also casted on my official "Rhinebeck Sweater" using some yarn I bought at Rhinebeck 2023. I am making the Cold Sunshine. I just started but I'm thinking about our upcoming trip to Rhinebeck every stitch I make.

New Knits

Sharing a few knits I've completed recently.

First up...Inspira Cowl. I bought some yarn at Rhinebeck from Feederbrook Farm. She did a collaboration with Miss Babs and I couldn't resist it! It was a fun and quick knit and I've been wearing it a lot.

I just finished up this Hola Canela Hat by Carolina Castillo. It's a free pattern celebrating the love of knitting friends! We always see Carolina at fiber festivals and her smile is the best!!! I finished it but I need to take a final picture. I used Malabrigo yarn my son Chase bought for me this Christmas. I need a fun pompom for this one.

I have two co-workers expecting babies soon. I made these little booties and a bonnet for one of them. He and his wife have two little girls and they don't know what this one will be. So I went with a mustard color and off-white. I thought it would be a good gender neutral knit. And they are soooo cute! 

Tom Stay-On Bootie and Wee Morrie bonnet. I also busted out the watercolors and made a little card to add to the gift box. I forgot how much I enjoy painting.

Another co-worker is about to have her second baby boy. I made a little sweater and bonnet for her first baby boy (he just turned one). So I wanted to do something different for her new baby.

I went crazy with some squishy garter stitch knits, perfect for babies!

I made the Knit Four Points Baby Blanket by Purl Soho. I have made a bunch of these but I modify the pattern. I prefer little blankets that can easily go in carseats and strollers. So I use worsted weight yarn, larger needles and cast on 70 stitches. It's a very fun little blanket to knit and it's a free pattern!

I also knitted this Going Home Bonnet. It's adorable! I'm such a sucker for baby bonnets. 

For the first time in a while, I don't have a knit on my needles!!!!!!!!! Ah!

So I'm trying to figure out what sweater to knit for Rhinebeck. I have it narrowed down to a few.

 

VKL NYC 2024

So much fun! Mom treated me and Liz to a fun day and night in NYC as our Christmas present. 

VKL (Vogue Knitting Live) takes place once a year in NYC at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. I have attended many times, sometimes taking classes, some years just hanging out and shopping and meeting up with friends. This year we did a little bit of wandering around the marketplace. We weren't looking to buy anything but I was very inspired by all the knitted samples. I don't know if there are always lots of knitted samples or I just noticed them more this year, but it was fun to see so many sweaters I've only seen online in person. I immediately wanted to knit all the things!!!!

After we walked around Vogue we headed to see Moulin Rogue. What a fun show! We LOVED it!

Back to the room for a drink and then out to dinner at Becco. I lost my mind when I walked in to let the host know we were there for our reservation!!!!! There was Lidia Bastianich (the chef, owner, tv host) and her son, Joe. I was thrilled and totally geeked out! She was so nice. I think she thought I was a bit crazy at first! I mean...I was freaking out! My mom bought her cookbook for me, which she signed. Our meal was delicious as always. It's always a highlight of my year.

We headed home on the train the next morning just in time to watch playoff football. 

I am so thankful for times like this. I also finished up a cute little baby knit over that weekend. 

Booties and a bonnet for a co-worker's third baby-to-be. Details on Ravelry here and here.