rhinebeck 2013

after trudging through the crowds last year, i proclaimed that i was not going to go to rhinebeck this year. the festival was crowded, overwhelming and exhausting.
well, i'm glad i didn't follow my own decree! one afternoon when i was helping amythefibergoddess with her dyeing, she asked if i had thought about going to rhinebeck this year. it had floated across my mind, but i let it go. we looked at each other and agreed to give it a go. maybe. lots of life things had to come together to make it happen, so i wasn't sure we were going until i was sitting in the car!

we took her car and i was able to get a great start on my newest project. i'm finally knitting a tulip sweater as a shower gift. the drive down was lovely, the leaves were in full autumn. i was grateful that we took amy's suv, we were already filling it up after a stop at the vera outlet!

as we made our way to the festival we worked out our plan of attack! stick together, buy it if you want it, follow the plan. it worked like a charm! we hit the first buildings (that usually are the busiest) as soon as it opened. we wandered through the fleeces, visited more vendors..... i was in heaven!

i had a pick-up to make for sandy ( yarn bowls for her booth at new england ) so i had a lovely visit with sue and picked out pottery. the day got very warm, but the crowds seemed manageable. as we made our way into the sheep barn, we found more fiber friends. holly was working at a sheep display and soon introduced us to martin and joy from shepherds lane farm before i knew it, i was out in the vendor parking area meeting four lovely gotland ewes and buying fleeces....

we touched, fondled, oooohhh and aaahhhed...... we were like addicts making a score! we left with four fleeces and lots of great information.we closed the festival and finally were on our way home at 5:30. i now have lots of spinning and knitting projects to keep me busy.