Rhinebeck 2016

My artwork was #5. Fingers crossed that I win this one...

Above: Annie Rowden, my favorite designer. I was star struck. I love everything I have ever knitted by her and I may of gushed a bit too much over her. 

And is there anyone better than Amy Beth (aka The Fat Squirrel)?!??! She's the best!

RHINEBECK!!!!!!!!!! It was wonderful. A group of 7 ladies all sharing a rental house for the weekend. Two were Rhinebeck newbies and as excited as I was to be there, it made it even more fun to see their excitement. Our house was perfect. The wine, food and friendship was plentiful. The "celebrity" sightings and photos ops were awesome. The podcast meet up hill was like a scene from a boy band concert!!!! Too funny. Wow, we get excited to see people we only know through the internet and podcast world!

I'm thankful for the knitters that make up this community. We are happy, dorky, goofy people and there are thousands of us! The love of a hobby that weaves us all together forms a quick common bond to strangers, designers, farmers, shearers, knitters, weavers, crafters, fiber junkies, podcasters, bloggers.

Three of the women that were in our house this weekend were my students. How happy I am that they walked into my life and wanted to learn how to knit. Life long friendships have formed.

Now, how many days until next year's festival??!!!!

My Rhinebeck Sweater

If you go to The New York Sheep & Wool Festival, otherwise known as Rhinebeck, than you know there's a "thing" about the Rhinebeck sweater. Knitters knit all year on that one special sweater to wear proudly at the festival. There's even a # on instagram with over 3,000 sweaters! It's a chance to show off your skills and get inspired by everyone around you. It's even ok to run up to someone, touch their sweater, ooh and ahh and ask what the pattern is. It's also ok to stalk people, take their picture, drool (well, not actually drool on because that would be rude) but drool over other's beautiful knits and talent. For non-sweater knitters, shawls of every shape and size will be worn proudly. Hats and scarves, gloves and fingerless are also seen everywhere. 

This year, I fell in love with a sweater at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival back in May.

It was at the Bare Naked Wool booth. The sweater was the Illas Cies pattern by Anne Hanson.

The yarn at their booth was so beautiful but out of my price range for a whole sweater.

So I sadly walked away from their booth and a last ditch effort to find affordable yarn led me to the fabulous Miss Babs. I found 2 skeins of her Yowza in a beautiful gray called, Oyster.

I knew it was perfect. Yes, I would have loved the natural wool from Bare Naked Wool, but like I said, too $$$ at the time.

I casted on and went to work. With Rhinebeck as my deadline, I knitted away here and there throughout the summer months. It was a hard pattern because the lace was on both sides. You never got a row off. Lace knitters know what I'm saying. I mean, you kind of need that one row off....you know? It wasn't a sweater I could knit on the go. It was a sit down, in the living room and concentrate kind of sweater. The pieces were coming together and I knew that I could do it.

So, with two days to spare, it's done. It's DONE! My "Rhinebeck Sweater" this year is the Illas Cies sweater. It began at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival and is coming to life at Rhinebeck.

If you're going to Rhinebeck say hi!!!!!! Can't wait to see all my buddies and enjoy the happiest weekend of the knitting year.

Ravelry notes: Illas Cies