A trip home.
I had the fortune of traveling to the NY/NJ area a few weekends ago. It was my "pregnancy gift to thyself". I spent the weekend in Rhinebeck, NY surrounded by knits, fleece, friends and apple cider donuts and the week in NJ with some family before heading back to New England.
I LOVE going to the NY Sheep and Wool festival. I still can remember my first time . I was SO giddy about seeing yarn and wanting to savor every moment. That first year I got myself a coffee mug from Jennie the Potter - ON A SUNDAY, WITHOUT A WAIT. Oh how times have changed!
This year, on Saturday, I stood on line (at around the time of the festival opening) - all 32 weeks pregnant - for about an hour and a half and didn't even get a coffee mug with a handle. I did though get a handle-less mug, a small bowl and some stitch markers. While I realize I may have been "crazy" to wait so long, I also didn't get there at 7:30 am - which is what I heard others did.
It was amusing standing on line. So many people walked by asking what on earth we were waiting for. Some scoffed at the idea of waiting so long for pottery, others just nodded their heads in approval and understanding.
I figured this would probably be the last time I would do this for a while so might as well stick with it. I am truly amazed and thrilled at Jennie's success! I tried thinking of similar pottery available like hers and there simply isn't any. I had a chance to say hello to her on Sunday and of course she was without a voice. I hope she got to put her feet up and drink a whole bottle of wine to herself on Monday.
From there I decided to walk the festival - slowly. Actually, I didn't even get to see it all because well, I am very pregnant and no matter how much "umph" I was trying to give myself my body need to SIT. Sitting and watching the fair offered up some great memories too. Matchy-matchy sweaters, some outrageous knits and good ol' husbands and boyfriends there to lend a hand with holding bags and bags of yarn made me smile.
I did come away with some good treasures:
The new M"ewe"sic yarn from Green Mountain Spinnery, a few skeins of Jill Draper's Mohonk in Capiz Shell (which I kept asking her if she mean Mo-hawk or Mo-hunk? oh my Jersey accent), some O-Wool Balance Bulky, buttons from Melissa Jean and of course some Soak in the Fig scent.
On Sunday I got to see a few old friends from Hoboken. They travel together each year from Patricia's Yarns. Nothing like sharing a few apple cider donuts and some good convo to end the weekend on a high note.
I also spent the weekend with some wonderful knitting friends in a cozy house a few minutes from the fairgrounds. It was the 2nd year I had done this and I can't see going to the festival any other way!
So many good laughs were had this weekend AND I didn't even get to drink. ;-)
Speaking of Patricia's Yarns, no trip to NJ is complete without a visit to her shop! I fully believe in supporting your LYS and since Patricia's was one of my firsts I had to get some yarn while I was there.
Lucky for me she had just recieved her shipment of Madeline Tosh! I got two skeins of the Tosh Light, and a skein of the luxurious Extra from Blue Sky, top it off with a tin of the Milk & Honey lotion bar, I was set!
In the end, it was a wonderful few days. I miss NJ so much and was happy to be able to enjoy it. I even got to go to the Balthazar Bakery in Englewood (yes the same as NYC) and nearly bought them out of danishes. If anyone is coming to visit me and has that on the way - please feel free to bring me some! :-)
Happy Knitting,
M
