Category: sheep show

Adventures · sheep show

CT Sheep & Wool 2011

Jen

What a great day for a fiber festival!

And we had an awesome time, as usual! As for the new fibery acquisitions:


A Starfire batt from Spin a Bit. It literally called my name. It’s sparkly!


Some lovely hand painted silk caps from A Touch of Twist. Also from A Touch of Twist, I picked up some really pretty hand painted tencel fiber.


I don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but it’s so pretty, how could I not get it?

Then I picked up a couple of bobbins from The Merlin Tree

And then after lunch, we watched my awesome bloggy buddy, Kris of the Painted Sheep, give her presentation on dyeing!

Such a great time!

Adventures · Knitting · nanowrimo · sheep show

Why yes, I AM still alive.

Jen4 Comments

Humorous Pictures
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I just stopped by to brush a few cobwebs away. Here’s a quick update:

1. I finished the Knucks, although not in time for Rhinebeck. Which was totally okay because it was way too hot for fingerless gloves at Rhinebeck anyway.

I love this colorway.

2. I know some of you (like me) are into this sort of thing (you perverts!), so here is a picture of the inside:

I seriously considered weaving the ends into the knit side so I could wear them with the purl side out.

3. After I finished the Knucks, I cast on for a pair of Felted Clogs. I’ve finished one clog, but seem to have second slipper syndrome and have been spending a lot of time fantasizing about working on something different.

4. Did I mention I went to Rhinebeck? I didn’t buy much, just this:

and a little bit of spinning fiber. Any wonder I am feeling a little bit of second slipper syndrome?

5. NaNoWriMo is looming (heh heh heh). I have no idea what I’m going to write about. No characters, no plot, no nothing. This should be interesting.

How’ve you been?

sheep show

CT Sheep & Wool 2010

Jen3 Comments

This was our fourth year at this festival, and it was still awesome.

CT S&W

Evidently I was in a purpley sort of mood today.

sheep show

Rhinebeck 2009

Jen8 Comments

To be honest, I went back and forth with myself about attending this year’s New York Sheep & Wool festival. With snow and rain in the forecast, the thought of dragging two children up there wasn’t too appealing, but by Saturday evening, both kids were asking to go. So, this morning I got up, packed a bag full of gluten-free, hypo-allergenic food, and we headed up with my TAS. Now Rhinebeck 2009 is but a happy memory.

First, we made a quick stop at the drive up ATM.

ironic ATM is ironic
ironic ATM is ironic

When we arrived, we saw that the real Aflac duck was there!

along with a Peruvian Pan Flute band (which made me giggle):

Then Isaac threw a Frisbee for the Frisbee dog:

And then I got some fiber and a wheel to spin it with.

All in all, it was well worth the trip. It rained only a little and since we were all dressed in our woolies we stayed nice and warm. Yay Rhinebeck!

sheep show · Spinning

Another Sheep Show Gone By

Jen5 Comments

I love the Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival, but I am a bad bad blogger. I neglected to take any pictures. I am happy and tired, though, and a good time was had by all. I met up with some Ravelers and had a wonderful chat with the the guy from the Merlin Tree about my antique great wheel. Isaac discovered needle felting and I purchased my first fleece.

Luckily, I snagged a few copies of Spin Off from a woman on Ravelry who was destashing them a couple of weeks ago.

I also brought home a sunburn.

Knitting · sheep show

Bad News, Good News

Jen2 Comments

Bad News: There’s now way in hell I’m going to be able to finish the No-Purl Monkey socks (or the Harumi Cardigan for that matter) in time for the CT Sheep & Wool festival tomorrow.

Good News (I guess): It’s going to be entirely too hot for socks (and/or sweaters).

sheep show · Spinning

Rhinebeck part 2, the Haul

Jen4 Comments

So, over the last week or so, I decided that the only way I would learn how to spin and get good at it is to just jump right in and start doing it. I had purchased a Turkish drop spindle at the CT Sheep & Wool festival a couple of years ago, along with some fiber to go along with it, but never really picked it up. Then, I did that post about my Great Wheel and after much thought, decided that one day I would spin on that wheel. I joined a couple of spinning groups on ravelry. I watched some awesome videos on YouTube. Finally I had built up enough courage to do some spinning with my drop spindle. (More on that another time.) Fast forward to Rhinebeck, yesterday. Beforehand, I’d made a little mental shopping list:

1)BFL for spinning.

Check.

2)Qiviut.

Check. (I am intensely embarrassed to say how much I spent on this single ounce of yarn, but it is definitely safe to assume that it is the reason I was unable to bring home my choice of fleece. The first thing Mr. Interrupted said when I showed it to him was, “yeah, but what are you going to do with it?” I have a few ideas. I would also add that I feel enormously lucky and blessed to be able to splurge on yarn this way.)

Not on the list: a doodad.

Check.

Knitting · sheep show

*Happy Sigh* or, Rhinebeck part 1

Jen6 Comments

Today officially and completely made up for last year’s disappointment that was Rhinebeck. I really had a miserable time last year, due in part to the large, rude surge of humanity that was enormously unfriendly to children in general and strollers in particular. I spent a lot of time over the last year, trying to think what I could have done to make the trip better.

This morning I headed up to Rhinebeck with one kid (the other has been sick) and my TAS. It was just the three of us and we weren’t in any particular hurry to meet anyone there so we were able to enjoy a wonderful and leisurely drive with a stop at *bucks and the bank machine. And, since I’d decided not to bring it, there was no stroller to unload and pack we arrived. We all just hopped out of the car and made for the gates.

We hit the sheep barns first, did a little shopping, and had a light lunch. Then the thought occurred to me that the Yarn Harlot might be there, signing books. She was.

Stephanie is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Seriously. She remembered my name from a book signing she did two years ago. Who does that? Here’s what I wish I’d said this time: Hey, Stephanie! It’s so nice to see you again. Wow, I really love your scarf and sweater! They’re gorgeous. Would you mind holding my sock for a picture? Thank you so much. Are you going to be sitting here for a long time? I was just going to get a cup of coffee, would you like me to bring you one? Did I say that? No, I did the fangirl thing: “Duh, I really enjoy your work. Der.” Lame. And then my turn was over and the line moved me on. Oh well. Next time I’ll practice beforehand. Also, I wish I didn’t look so psychotic in this picture.

Then we got coffee and a hot chocolate (the best ever!), moseyed up to punkin’ chunkin’ and then back through the crowds for more shopping. I talked to the Merlin Tree guy (who, I must say, was looking very dapper in his aran sweater and kilt). E2 wanted to do the haunted hall. Then he changed his mind. Then he wanted to do it. Then he changed his mind again.

On the way out, I came dangerously close to buying a fleece but I remembered that I’d already splurged on something else (positively amazing) and decided to wait and get a fleece next year. Also, I don’t spin (well, not officially anyway). I will have to remedy that.

Traffic was extremely shitty on the way home. We found solace in a bag of kettle corn and a box of fudge, managing to make it through somehow.

I had a completely different mindset this time around. I was far less stressed and therefore had a much, much more enjoyable time. Now I can’t wait until next year.

Tomorrow, Rhinebeck part 2: the haul.