Rhinebeck!

It is sad beyond words that this is only the second time I've been to Rhinebeck, and I hereby declare that such a travesty as missing Rhinebeck will never ever occur again. 

I went by myself, something that clearly very few knitters do, but actually I loved.  I am too rarely by myself...or, I guess I am by myself for twelve whole hours every week now, but it's still not enough.  I drove by myself, I walked around and looked at stuff at my own pace, and didn't feel rushed because of child obligations or people waiting for me or anything.  It was heavenly.

And holy mackerel, that's a lot of knitters!  (People who live in Rhinebeck must hate us).  I don't think I've ever been in a place where so many people were all in such a good mood.  And it was like being surrounded by a fashion show of handknits!  Everybody trotted out their favorite sweaters and scarves--and I was no exception, mind you; I wore Aislinn and Damson and Ripley. 

I didn't see everything, though I put in a good effort--but once I'd found everything on my list plus two more things, I had to stop spending money, and at that point walking around is a form of cruelty, really, though I did make note of somethings--anybody know anything about Grinning Gargoyle?   I spotted a delicious brown laceweight something, but I'd already bought a delicious laceweight I wasn't supposed to buy and so had to leave it behind.

But see what I did get!

Two skeins of Tess' Superwash Merino Worsted, which is called Cocoa Brown on the website, but you can see is a grey with just a hint of purple.  I'm planning on making Barrett by Veronik Avery...very classy.

One skein of Ellen's Half Pint Farm Merino/Tencel Laceweight, intending to make something I've been sketching out--for women!  It's a little, ahem, complicated, so don't expect to see it for a while.

 This I simply couldn't live without.  I never can.  Sliver Moon Farms Superwash Fingering, in Smoky Plum.  It's my favorite yarn in the world.  I have no plan for it...but what do you think about Brise?  Or Tern?  I might not have enough yardage for that one, but 3/4 sleeves?  Or maybe Abigail?  Or Vitamin D?  Or Plain and Simple?  Or even Rock Island?

Cephalopod had the longest line of anybody I saw...people walking by us kept laughing at us.  I don't care.  I love it.  This Traveller is going to be a Rikke someday.

These were another impulse by, and my favorite purchase of the day.  That colorway on the bottom, Winter Woods--the picture doesn't capture, and I simply can't describe it.  I was completely swept away by it...it perfectly evokes the silence and stillness of a forest in the winter, and I just nodded in agreement when I saw the name.  I love it.  It's going to be either Stripe Study, or Daybreak, and actually I bought way too much yarn for either of those, so the leftovers could be Marin or Orchid Thief, or maybe one of the patterns I'm considering for the Sliver Moons.

 This Jan Marek Razkowski BFL DK is because clearly I do like orange, and I want to make Autumnal Cardigan with it.  There's no link because I can't find him online, but his stuff was gorgeous and so reasonably priced--absolutely wonderful.

And this because I simply couldn't help myself.   Melissa Jean Buttons.   Because they're beautiful.

I am most pleased with my purchases, and have refused to put them away because I just want to keep admiring and squeezing them.  I can't wait to get knitting, and am sort of resentful of the knits on my needles right now, because they're keeping me away from my new yarn--not that they're crappy knits!  An Owl Sweater, and my very first shawl design using Sundara Fingering!  I shouldn't be sad--and yet I am.

I was also sad, at Rhinebeck, because I felt totally left out of the fiber love.  I almost bought some fiber, though I would have no idea what to do with it.  A friend bought me a spindle, but I've done very little with it so far because a) I don't know what I'm doing and spinning scares me because wool is beautiful and I don't want to mess it up, and b) I'm really, really busy.  But I think next year I'll make some time to take a spinning class and then go buy all the wool in the world.

Off to go hug my yarn.  And then I'll put it away.  I swear.