Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool 2011

We arrived early, 9:30ish and left shortly after 1:00 and right before the rain, I made it through the yarn booths and visited with the animals before the crowds swelled, all in all it was a good day at Rhinebeck. This has to be my 5th year in attendance and as usual this show never disappoints! I was bummed there wasn't a Rav Party this year, I've enjoyed sponsoring them in the past, but this meant we actually drove home at a reasonable hour!

This year for the first time I went into the Author's Tent, though I think in years past they had their own tent, this time they were in the back of Building B, whatever, I got to meet both Clara Parkes and the Yarn Harlot!

Clara Parkes

I went to see the authors super early, right before 10am and there were already lines. So I went back a little before noon, lines were gone and I got to speak and take pics with both Clara and the Harlot.

Here I am with Clara, she was so sweet. She actually thanked me for what I do for knitting before I barely said anything past my name! Wow, talk about a humble person, she's nonstop knitting, a talented author, her weekly Knitter's Review emails where she critiques new yarns, products etc and she also runs the Knitter's Review forum, so I really appreciate her kind words.

Yarn Harlot

And this is Stephanie Pearl McPhee the Harlot. She had just spent two solid hours meeting and greeting and singing her new book and she still had a smile for me. She was also a pleasure to meet.

Notice the sweater I'm wearing? My Mr Greenjeans in Schaefer's Miss Priss? Take a closer look at the button...I was never happy with the simple plastic button I sewed on when Mr Greenjeans was finished and I always knew I'd find just the right replacement. So as I was strolling through the show I had my eye out for the perfect button when I happened upon the booth of "Melissa Jean."


She had lots of beautiful buttons for sale and the ones that immediately caught my eye were her hand made, porcelain clay ones.


Each of her porcelain buttons are individually made, painted, glazed and fired! Melissa was very gracious when she saw me searching for a button and I told her it was for the sweater I was wearing. She immediately kicked into action and found this perfect rose colored one. THAN, she sewed it on my sweater for me!

No joke, here she is, she found the perfect shade of yarn, pulled out her needle and began stitching. Talk about service. She was a lot of fun to meet and her selection of buttons is amazing.

Nelkin Designs' Jewelry Kits - Coming Soon!

Melissa is also friends with Laura Nelkin of Nelkin Designs. And though I didn't get to see Laura I did see her display for her latest jewelry designs. And I have some great news, not only am I adding her newest necklace pattern Rippled, I'm going to start carrying her Kits!

I ran into some of the vendors I work with, this is Great Adirondack's booth, I carry their Silky Sock hand dyed in the special Yarns On Stage colorway Parakeet.

And of course Fiber Craft Studio from upstate NY, I carry their darling puppet kits, the Hedgehog and the Lamb.

This year we arrived before the crowds, though as we were leaving we noticed more and more people arriving, and traffic was a nightmare getting out! I'm not sure how the locals deal with it, they must know some great back roads!

As I slipped out I stopped by the Ravelry Meet Up, buzzing as usual with excited knitters.

And here were some of my favorite sites...

I really should have gotten this woman's name. She was spinning in one of the 4H buildings and the maxi skirt she's wearing is simply beautiful! She didn't knit it, a friend of hers had and she was more than happy to let me photograph it.

Edited: A BIG THANK YOU to one of our readers, Kris, for sharing..."The woman with the handknit skirt is my friend Toni Kellers from the Shepherd's Croft in Bucks County, PA. Isn't she great?" Yes Kris she's great!

And talk about Reduce, Reuse & Recycle at its finest! These bags are perfect for your grocery shopping and made out of recycled dog, rabbit and horse food and bird seed bags! Loved them!


And of course Rhinebeck is never complete without the animals...

Some day I'll own an angora! I say this every year!

Isn't he handsome? Or she?

I was told this is a special breed of Llama from S. America, though I can't remember it's name!

And this spotted guy was just darling.