first snow...

Rhinebeck!

 My friend PB and I spent Saturday at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY.

 We made a beeline for the gyros stand, then walked to meet my friend Ann of The Adventures of Traveling Ann.  She blogged about Rhinebeck here.

I am not going to lie.  Most of my time at Rhinebeck was spent eating the amazing food that can be found there, ogling all the gorgeous things for sale in the booths, and stalking amazing knitted items worn by those attending.  I came home with only a set of sock dpns on Saturday.  

On Sunday, I arrived much too late to do any serious shopping, but my friend Emily and I milled around as everyone broke down their booths.  We wandered into the Socks that Rock booth, where I attempted to buy a skein of yarn, only to have the woman behind the counter say, "Eh, it's too much trouble.  Just stick it in your bag."  I was incredulous, but she insisted that she liked to give a little away on the last day.  I am still amazed at her generosity.

Part of the beauty of Rhinebeck was the knitting inspirations walking around everywhere.  This orange cloche has been tormenting me.  I can't find it on Ravelry.  If anyone knows where to find the pattern, let me know!  Good news--we found it:  It's the Side Slip Cloche from Boutique Knits by Lauren Irwin.

 This gorgeous sweater took my breath away.  The woman wearing it told me it was a mash-up of the Autumn Rose Pullover by Eunny Jang and Alice Starmore's colorwork.  You can find her project notes here.

This juicy color combo has stayed with me as well.  No luck finding the pattern either...help!

 When I saw this Swedish Heart-Warmer Shawl from Handknit Holidays, I immediately thought of Muiche, because it has been a project she intends to tackle one day.

This amazing woman knit the wrong side rows backwards in two-handed fair isle.  She even posted a video of herself knitting left-handed, in case you're in the mood to have your mind blown.

Yarn Along: The Secret Garden

When I was a little girl, a family friend took me to Papermill Playhouse's rendition of The Secret Garden.  I remember it vividly.  The music is so beautiful and timeless.  A few days ago I rediscovered it and have been playing it over and over ever since.  Maybe it's because I've been outside so much in the past few days. 

Last night, while Pete and I did the dishes, I told him the entire plot of the story.  I remembered it from a book on tape I borrowed from the library as a kid.  That made me crave rereading it, so I snatched up this gorgeous copy my friend gave me as a gift.

It's even more delightful than I imagined!  There are all manner of interesting full-color illustrations throughout.  The introduction alone is a treasure trove of information on Frances Hodgson Burnett.  She wrote scads of books, and this one was not as popular as the others during her lifetime, but it is the only one that has stood the test of time.  

At one point in her life, she lived in a house with a walled garden just like the one in the book.  She used it as an outdoor study, where she would write her stories. She even had a tame robin to keep her company.  In honor of her, I've been knitting this red hat entirely outdoors.  

In case you want an instant fix, someone uploaded the entire 1993 movie onto youtube!

Join our Yarn Along at small things!

first etsy sale!

I am about to bid farewell to this sweet little pumpkin hat, which is destined for Juliana of A Stamp A Day's  new little one.  Thank you, Juliana!  I hope you like it!

Lost & Found

I've been babysitting a friend's little boy for a few hours every day this week.  

We've spent all our time exploring the garden, getting dirty, and pretending together.  

One of our favorite games has been making soup out of anything we find on our walks.  The four kittens that live in their yard entertained us to no end.  This one can't resist our sand and twig broth.

I've found a moment here or there to knit a few stitches on a simple little hat.  When I first brought it out, the little one asked excitedly, "For me?"  How could I say no?

Today when we took a moment to eat a snack, I looked down and saw that the stone in my engagement ring had fallen out and been lost.  

We searched everywhere, but I knew it was going to be impossible to find in the endless grass.  The little boy didn't want to give up.  He kept insisting, "We'll find it!" and gave me a stick to use to poke through the grass.  But when I looked at the time and realized his mother would be home soon, I decided to stop the search and begin tidying up.  

I bent down to pick up the books the kittens had knocked over onto the deck, and suddenly saw a glint of blue between two boards!

 

If it had fallen even an inch to the left, it would have been lost forever.  I'm so relieved it all worked out.

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