Sock yarn only a mother would love....

Or subtitled......yes I am back and of course I am still knitting.

A couple of years ago I went to Rhinebeck and did some stash enhancing. I would called it having S.E.X......but that just attracts the wrong type of crowd. Before going to this fab event, I did my homework. I found out which vendors I should hit first as they were the ones to sell out of the good stuff. (sounds like I was there to buy drugs....doesn't it?) I went straight to a certain retailer to purchase sock yarn that I couldn't get locally (why can't I resist sock yarn???? I may have to work on that weakness one of theses days. But not today!)

This sock yarn is very well known and has been widely publicised by a certain very popular knitting blogger. Needless to say I was quite anxious to buy a skein....or two....or five. Some time ago (as this is a blog post that has been on the back burner for quite some time) I started to knit a sock with said sock yarn. I have never been more disappointed in my life.....BLECH!!!!!

I couldn't believe my eyes.....this was going to be a sock that would never see the light of day. I would never wear these socks nor would I make them for anyone else. I must have been blind when I bought the skein...no wonder it was on the seconds rack.

I call this ball of ugly sock yarn.....



I call this beginning of ugly sock.......



Those who have been reading my blog for some time, know that I have been working on the sock yarn.....and despite what I said about the sock yarn.....



doesn't it look great in the blankie????

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

How to make a UFO

First start with 20 balls of a luscious yarn containing 20% cashmere (VIP by Lana Gatto). If said yarn was 50% off then you'll know that you are off to a great start.

Mix in a cute (and free) jacket pattern that you found on the DROPS site.

Sprinkle in a wool festival that will be attended by thousands of knitters to admire your creation. This in itself creates a deadline but you've added your own modification to the recipe in the form of plenty of confidence.

Mix altogether with a healthy amount of procrastination and this is what you get....

Two sleeves and an almost finished back.

Finish by letting jacket simmer while you try desperately to finish knitted Christmas gifts in time.

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic

It's Hip to be Square

When I was at Rhinebeck.......

I'm sure that you think all my conversations start out like that. They Don't....HONEST!!!!

I'm a type of person who likes practical souvenirs. Instead of a T-shirt with a city logo, I'll choose a bag, with logo, that I can flash on a regular basis. Sometimes I'll find a souvenir that I be able to use often. but unfortunately I won't be able to flash it to the general public. I could carry my yarn meter around but that would give muggles, as a whole, the wrong impression about my sanity.



When I was at Rhinebeck....... I picked up something cool: Kollage square DP needles(US 6 - 4mm). I was doubtful about these strange contraptions....but WOW .....double WOW......I love them so much that I've ordered a couple of sets in sock knitting sizes. But you knew that I was going to say that.

At first they seem crazy strange to you and you wonder why they are even in your house and near your other stuff. Slowly you get use to them and eventually you'll never know what you ever did without them. Sounds like the definition of motherhood.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Pure Pleasure

While I am a little late in reporting this, I can't go without giving you the rundown of a most fabulous weekend.

The weekend started with DH driving me to Ogdensburg, NY. He had his misgivings about leaving a car in the parking lot at Wal-Mart for a whole weekend. I understand this, but it did make things a little complicated, at the border, when he went into a long tirade explaining the situation, to the customs guy. Sure enough, Customs Guy needed to be enlightened about all things woolly happening in his own state.

Me: I'm going to Rhinebeck.

CG: blank stare

Me: The Duchess County Wool and Sheep Festival

CG: Where's that?

Me: Across the river from Kingston

CG: Are you here to catch the bus at the Wal-Mart parking lot?

It turns out that a carload of Canuck ladies went through before me and had explained the situation to another CG who then passed on his little understanding of this weekend.

In his own humorous way, as I got on the bus, DH told me not to socialize too much. Funny man! He knew exactly what would happen. A bus full of ladies (and one token husband) tends to socialize...a lot. Some of us had never been to Rhinebeck and we were eager with anticipation. Others were returnees and were excited because they knew what was in store for them. In my own little corner the conversation went from husbands to work, kids, quilting and pole dancing. You can't say the the topics of conversation on a bus trip aren't varied and interesting. LOL

As mentioned before, the phone in my room did not work so I couldn't get a hold of Mad Mad. Bummer!!! But hopefully I would be able to run into her at the Ravelry meet up on the Fair Grounds.

At the meet up I circled the group, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of Mad Mad. No!!! I can't see her anywhere. I can't identify her from the vast crown of ravelers gathered. I was ready to yell, at the top of my lungs "Hey Mad Mad" because I'm not above embarrassing myself in public. But then I was distracted by a couple of ladies who came up to me and went gaga over the Noro sweater I was wearing. While it might be a little vain, I think that at one point I did start strutting around because of the many compliments I received about that sweater.

But wait....I have her cell number. I raced to the pay phones only to discover they didn't accept coins for long distant calls. I tried to get the call billed to my home phone but when DH answered he didn't hear the recording of my name so all I heard him say was "sorry I need some confirmation". Despite me yelling into the phone "Just say yes" (although I suspect he couldn't hear me at all) he hung up. So I called collect and told DH to call Mad Mad to tell her to meet me at the First Aid station. At that time I didn't realize there were more than one First Aid station. Confused yet? You should have been one of the ladies in the line up to the washroom housed next to the phones listening to my conversations. I am, if nothing else, amusing to total strangers.

I think that a trip to Boston (I think she lives somewhere around there) is in order. If I'm ever going to meet this elusive blogger.

Pictures????? Of course I took pictures......traveling sock mojo with Bob

a kangaroo

a lemur

sheep shearing

a sheep to shawl competition

a way to use up stash if I ever need a place to live

the spinning wheel of my dreams (it is so on my want list),

This is the Big Sock started at the Sock Summit and yes I did knit on it

If I weren't traveling on a bus I would have found a way (excuse) to bring these little guys

home with me...

.......or maybe this one

My favorite event???? Aside from the shopping????? The leaping Llamas competition. I'd go back next year just to see that again.

Speaking of shopping, yes, I did pick up a few things. Not as much as I'd like as I have a MAJOR trip planned in a few months...but that's a topic for another post.

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic

It never fails

It has been said that in life there are two things which are certain.....Death and Taxes!

I'd like to present two other certainties for your consideration.

1. If I pick the weekend to go camping, it will rain. DH has pulled down the tent and packed up our gear in "cats and dogs" type monsoon rain so many times that I am no longer allowed to pick camping weekends anymore.
2. If I make the hotel reservation, there will be a problem with the telephone. I wouldn't normally put this on the list but this is the third time I've had telephone issues.

Here I am in Kingston, NY, eagerly awaiting tomorrow for the bus to carry me off to Fibre mecca AKA Rhinebeck. I wanted to call DH to let him know that I arrived safe and sound. I really wanted to call Mad Mad so that we could arrange a meet up place. BUT.....the phone in my room does not work. I even walked down to the local wine and liquor store to see if she was there but Mad Mad was nowhere to be seen.

Hopefully I can find a pay phone and call her cell tomorrow or maybe she'll be at the Ravelry meet up in the afternoon.

Maybe someone is trying to tell me that I should break down and get a cell phone.....

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic