Quite a while since I last wrote a post, but those of you who follow me on Instagram will know that we were away on holidays. We had a great time travelling the northeast of the USA and I guess it comes as no surprise that this trip was planned around one of the fibre festivals I always wanted to visit: The New York State Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck.
It took place last weekend and wow, it is by far the biggest event I've ever been to. Even if we had been there both days during all opening hours, I doubt I could have seen everything. Livestock, vendors of anything fibre related you can think of, demonstrations, workshops... it was mind-blowing. Best of all for me was that several of my Ravelry friends attended the show and after years we've 'known' each other online, it was fantastic to finally put faces to names. What a wonderful time we had - a lot of chatting and getting to know each other and since we are all knitters...
... drooling over yarn. ;-) As I already mentioned, there was sooooo much to see. I admit, I concentrated on things I love: yarn, yarn, more yarn and nick-nacks and I more or less skipped the livestock barns (we've seen all this last year at Woolfest) and only glanced at fleece and roving and spinning supplies. Well, have a 'walk around' with me. The yarn I'm coveting in the picture above is this
100% Qiviut Lace by the Bijou Basin Ranch. So soft and I'd so like to give it a try some day. But since the show was at the end of our holidays, it was a bit above budget. Well, there'll be a time for it. I did take home some new to me yarn, though, these lovelies find their way into my luggage
Bijou Spun Shangri La, a lace weight blend of 50% Yak Down and 50% Silk and Bijou Spun Tibetian Dream, a fingering weight yarn of 85% Yak Down and 15% Nylon. No concrete ideas yet, what I'll make with these, but I look forward to giving yak yarn a try.
Do you believe that were all my purchase on the first day of the show? I know, it's quite incredible, but it's true, the rest of the day was spent looking only.
The Flying Goat Farm yarn display in 'so me' colours.
Sock blanks by Yarn Over New York. So pretty!
I loved the themed yarn displays at the Misty Mountain Farm stall: Trick or Treat yarn and 'All American'.
Felting is not for me, but isn't this just wonderful? A felted dragon and gnomes at the Going Gnome stall.
And even though I agree with the fab sign I found at the stall of the Buffalo Wool Co...
... I didn't buy any of the beautiful greyish blue Tess Designer Yarns either. But I was so close to give in... but well, you know, holiday budget restrictions and of couse the one I liked was a very pricey one.
I discovered Indian Lake Artisans needles, a needle type I had never seen, hexagon shaped and the cable rotates in the needle, how clever. I've got to try their circular needles one day.
And of course I didn't want to leave the Fiber Optic Yarns stall...
... and I went there more than once. I just adore the vibrant colours and their gradient sets... sigh... I want them all, lol.
But I was good and on the second day I purchase only one skein of Footnotes Sock Yarn in 'Berrylicious', a saturated pink, a colour completely underrepresented in my stash. The same applies to orange, which is the reason the pretty 'Traffic Cone' colourway by Yarn Over New York had to come with me.
Another stall I spent quite a lot of time looking around was the one Sheep Incognito one. The paintings by Connie Togel are so cute and funny!
After adoring them again and again, Ulli bought me a print of one of the paintings. I love it, but since I got it after I started to try and fit all my 'holiday yarns' into my luggage, I wonder if there comes a message with it... ;-)
Ah well, I am a yarn-addict, can't deny it.
I had a fab time on holidays and I feel very lucky I had a chance to visit this fantastic event and meet so many of my Ravelry friends in real life!
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