Fiber Overload

Thursday. Arrived at Dutchess County Fairgrounds for our pre-NYSW festival class. Beautiful day, piles of luscious fiber in a pile in the center of a circle of whirring spinning wheels. It was a great class taught by Jillian Moreno. I know so much more about yarn construction now.

Then it was back to the hotel room for some pizza and knitting. Our brains were full! 




Friday Morning:
My eyes open with a random thought. I grab my phone from the nightstand and do a quick check in the map App.
Me: You know... Web's is only 2 hours away.
Pause
StringthingGirl: Let's do it. {it's her birthday today, btw} That's what we're doing today.

A few hours later, we crossed the threshold.

I know why people say "I was high on yarn fumes" 

Yarn. Yarn. Needles. Spinning supplies. More Yarn. Amy Herzog.

Yup. Spotted the lovely creator of CustomFit in the check-out line. I'm a few rows from being done with the first sleeve. Not in time for the festival tomorrow, but I didn't think it would be done.

Spent some time this evening plotting tomorrow's fun. Can't wait!

Rhinebeck Week

It's Rhinebeck (officially New York Sheep and Wool Festival) Week! I should have been spinning... I should have been knitting the sweater. Nope. I had to stop on Friday evening and make this bag. I have been thinking about this bag pattern ever since I saw it a week or so ago and pinned it to my "Want to Make" board on Pinterest. A quick trip to the fabric store and downstairs to the printer and I had everything I needed. Three hours later, I had a bag. A fabulous 241 Tote by Noodlehead. I have been knitting and spinning so much in the past few years that I'd forgotten how much I love to sew.

In other news, it's Rhinebeck Week. By this time Thursday morning, I'll be in a spinning class. Not that I'm at all excited. To celebrate, I've put my Roadtrip to Rhinebeck sock pattern on sale half price for a week! 50% off! You can get a great sock pattern for $2.50 this week! Coupon code: NYSW

Getting Ready for Rhinebeck

I have a Rhinebeck sweater. I'm working on another. I really need to stop that and get my wheel out, since I'm taking a class (I sound so blase about it... quite the opposite!) I was lucky enough to get a coveted spot in the sold-out Jillian Moreno, Yarnitecture: Building Exactly the Yarn You Want class. I'm feeling half excited, and half terrified that my spinning isn't up to snuff, and that I'll be shamed out of the class. Luckily, fiber folks tend to be accepting, kind, and helpful. I can "spin a consistent yarn" as the class requires, it's just that I spin the same yarn every time.  Boring.

This is where I am with sweater #2.  It's a pattern from the new Amy Herzog CustomFit system. I couldn't stop myself from casting on and knitting like crazy. Using some lovely Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Shire Heather .I'm about 15 rounds away from splitting and shaping the arm holes. I have a week. Plus work. Plus kids. Plus spinning. No pressure, right?

In other news, I've had sales of my Roadtrip to Rhinebeck sock pattern to strangers. Non-family/friends have bought it. ::Happy Dance:: 

{I really do love these socks. As soon as Rhinebeck is over, I'm back to designing - I've got a Fingerless Mitt pattern bounding around in my head, begging to be knit and written up.}

Roadtrip to Rhinebeck Pattern available!

Holy nerves. I've published Roadtrip to Rhinebeck.

Beta testing Roadtrip to Rhinebeck

My dear test knitters are approaching the slightly tricky but very cool part of my sock pattern. The leaf motif on the back of the sock begins at the bottom of the heel - perfect for when you wear your open-back clogs (or birks). I hope they don't have a problem with the instructions. I can't wait to get this pattern out there!

First leaf of Fall

My kids hate me for it, but I love Fall. The crisp mornings, the changing leaves, the back to school, and best of all I can start wearing all my hand-knit socks again. 

I have sent a sock pattern out to some beta testers. I plan to post a sneak peek in the next few days. I really love this sock. I hope others will too!

Snow and Seeds

It's snowing.

Again.

I think we've made up for the past two years where we had little to no snow. It can be done now. Really.

I went out for the mail and was surprised to find what had looked like flurries had covered the road and the yard. No wonder the birds were complaining for me to fill the feeder.

We have a fabulous window feeder that allows us to easily fill it and to view the birds up close and personal. The birds don't even seem to care when we stand next to the window and watch them eat. The cardinals are the only ones that are shy. I do love the little chickadees.

Ah well. The upside to that trek to the mail box was that there was a Burpee seed catalog waiting for me, which made it all worth while. I will be sitting down with the curly girl tonight to start planning this year's garden. Happy times.