Tres Chic Veronique

I don't know about you, but I love reading about Rhinebeck over and over. I'm just so curious to find out what treasures knitbloggers have discovered, and I never tire of sheep, alpaca, llama and angora bunny photos.
Like this:

It's a snobby polka dot llama! It's tough to look snooty when your name is Cookie Dough, but if anyone can do it, this llama can.

I had a great time this year, and forced myself to do more than just shop. Because after a while, all the undyed farm wool looks the same from one booth to the next...

Here's what stood out for me:
Hanging out with Brainylady Alison, sheep shearing (check out my slide show), the Windy Valley Muskox stand (specifically this lace pattern that was *sob* sold out), Green Mountain Spinnery's New Mexico Organic yarn (which has a thumbs up review on Knitter's Review--so I got 8 skeins), eating apple crip, "french" artichokes (even though I have no clue what makes them french) and lamb kebabs, sheep dog trials, dogs catching frisbees, and petting these cashmere goats.

The drive on the Taconic parkway saturday morning was beautiful and relaxing:

The ride back on sunday evening? Not so much...

Yep, bumper to bumper traffic all the way to NYC... Good thing a knitter is never bored (unfortunately, the same cannot be said for drivers). During the 85 mile trip from New Paltz which took 3.5 hours, I finished one Embossed Leaves sock! Oh, and check out the cube bag I bought a while back from Cathy (aka Schrodinger). She sold the Spiders her first batch of cubes before putting them up on her Etsy store. We unanimously adored them, and sure enough, they've been selling out pretty quickly :)

Next up: an FO photoshoot in an apple orchard.

Labels: Rhinebeck

If you can believe it, this has been the very first contest on my blog. I was surprised and happy to see my comment box explode! I've discovered quite a few new blogs too, which is always a blast. So thanks to all my readers who have delurked to participate!

And the winner is.....

----drumroll---

Emma, from StitchnSue!

Emma suggested using my Fuzzy Navel colored yarn to make Drunken Bees, a pattern by DomestiCat. This brilliant idea really cracked me up. Bees getting drunk on Fuzzy navels! Hee hee! Emma, this 260 yds skein of merino sport weight sock yarn with matching lip gloss will be on its way to you shortly.

The pattern that was on everyone's mind though (mine too), is Flint Knits' Marigold (<--pdf link). Am I the only one who thinks that it looks even better in self-striping yarn? (Check out Katie's version and Sandra's if you're not convinced). The only thing keeping me from casting on right away is the difficult problem of choosing the perfect yarn. I have a choice of Vesper's Strange Little Mama, Yarntini's Chocolatini and Mimosa...

By the way, like most of the east coast, I went to Rhinebeck this weekend!
Pictures and stories for the next post.

Labels: contest, Rhinebeck