Rhinebeck 2009! The Annual New York Sheep and Wool Festival

I have to admit that I actually thought about not blogging about the 2009 New York Sheep and Wool Festival this year -- an event I haven't been to since 2006 because of my 2007/2008 return to the Midwest (well, its actually mostly because of work why I couldn't make it those years -- I otherwise wouldn't let a little thing like 700 miles get between me and lots of unique yarn!).  The reasons I struggled with blogging about it include that it's been a few weeks since the Festival, and I really bought such an incredibly small amount of yarn, that it didn't seem worthy of a blog post.  I got over those concerns though my realizing that if I didn't blog about this, I would probably forget later when I actually use the yarn, where and when I got it from.  And for those of you who don't know, that's actually the whole point of my blog -- to basically provide support for my failing memory about my knitting and cooking adventures, so I actually remember what I've done in the past and don't repeat mistakes over and over (yes, that was an unfortunate problem prior to having this blog).  

 

 So anyways, back to this year's Festival.  We got there around 12:30pm, and I have to say that I am glad I packed my winter coat because it was definitely COLD out.  I thought that a day in the 40s wouldn't be so bad (just a vest and sweater), but when you spend all of it outside and moving relatively slowly because of the crowds, it can certainly get chilly.  I warmed up with some warm cider (VERY excited for cider season), and Andy ate a lamb kebob and lamb burger.  I later ate some fried dough for "hearty" substinence.  

I was very, very good about following my yarn diet -- I had thought hard about what to buy, and I decided to limit myself to only a few yarn products for some holiday gifts, and that's it.  I've told myself that going to festivals and yarn shops in the past with limited success, so this year's New York festival was truly a positive first step in my attempts to limit my yarn intake, which far exceeds my knitted good output.  I only bought the following:

• 1 skein of Sagamore silk/cotton/rayon multi-color stranded yarn in the Wood Rose colorway from Autumn House Fiber Works of Rochester Mills, PA for a children's scarf.  The skein is 160 yards.
• 2 small skeins of 2-ply sportweight Cormo wool from the This and That Farm of Danby, VT.  The smaller skein 96 yards and a marigold color (dyed with goldenrod), and the larger is 212 yards and a lovely greyish-blue tone (dyed with sweet fennel and indigo).  Both will be used for another small scarf, with the marigold serving as the contrast color.
• 3 handwoven greeting cards (blank insides) from the Meadowland Farm in Hinesburg, VT -- not yarn!!

I'm crossing my fingers that I actually use even this small purchase by the end of the year.  This site will of course be updated with my progress!