Monday, October 23, 2006

Rhinebeck Fever!


Here's a peek at my latest acquisitions...

The Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival this year was overwhelming! There was so much fiber, and so many people! I didn't get there as early as I would have liked (coordination with mom wasn't at its best) but it was worth diving through crowds to get to all the gorgeous hand dyed lovlies. The cream colored yarn is from a llama named "Mabsoot" from Philo Llamas. At 180 yards for $17.50, I'm hoping that it will be enough for wristwarmers for daughter #1 who didn't like my Recycled Wool/Silk (see previous post). The pink yarn is for daughter #3's new socks. She fell in love with the color and texture a 50% merino 50% tencel combo. You can't see from the pic but it has subtle variations of dark pinks. It comes from Ellen's 1/2 pint Farm in Vermont. She loved the hank so much that when husband and I tried to roll it into a ball it became a major operation of tangles... He's very patient and good at getting knots out! The olive green wool is from Sheepy Valley in upsate New York. I'm thinking about using it for a scarf for husband that I found in this Irish Hiking Scarf KAL. The truly yummy SuperKid Mohair comes from Mohair in Motion in Minnisota and owner Betty Todd had a shawl out on display - just a big rectangle. A great easy project for those days when I can't count. I'll treat myself to a funky shawl pin when I'm done and hopefully wear it to Thansgiving. The gorgeous handpainted sport weight 100% superwash merino in shades of brown and green comes from Briar Rose Fibers. I'm using it for a pair of socks for husband. The needles in the pic are size 1s in dpns and 36" circulars, for all the sock projects I need to get to. These are impossible to find locally and I saved on s&h by finding them at the show. But the line at the register, Oy! Now I only worry that I'll snap them, since they are soooo thin.
So all in all I'd say it was a good day, although I wish it wasn't so crowded. There was a grea deal of roving for spinners and felting supplies for felters, both of which I don't do. Seeing it all though made me feel almost like I was missing out on some aspect of the love of fiber. The kids will definately stay home next year, or I'll have to adopt a Llama from the Northeast Llama Rescue to keep them happy...

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Recycled Silk On My Doorstep

My recycled wool silk came today from Himalaya Yarn. It is the most beautiful speckled black. I'm making the Rustic Ruffle Wristwarmers from Interweave Knits. Each skein is 175 yards, enough to make a pair of wristwarmers. I ordered two skeins and they sent a third for free with a note that it was the end of the dyelot. Daughter wanted a pair but has changed her color preference (figures) so now I have these three lovely hanks. Maybe I should rethink my project to something that can use up all three hanks with...

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Fall Clapotis Finis!



And I loved doing it. Really! It took 7 balls of Noro Silk Garden 201 on size 8 Lantern Moon bamboo circular needles. I frogged halfway through, "cleaned up my act" and got serious with paying attention to the pattern, and the result is terrific! I'm not blocking because I love the way it curls up around me. I wore it to dinner in Manhattan down in Soho last week and got looks (maybe "Where DID she buy that gorgeous stole?" LOL)


Knit Side













Purl Side - LOVE the valleys!