Rhinebeck, revisited.

Oh Rhinebeck, how I love thee. This year was the third annual pilgrimage for me, Meaghan & Heather. As each year has progressed we have become more experienced, and thus more intent-full shoppers. We know where our favorite alpaca yarn is- Times Remembered. We know to get to The Fold for socks that rock yarn first thing on the first day- otherwise, forget it. But there is something about it that still makes me giddy, as though it's my first time going.

Along the way, more people have been added to our brood. Greeley came for the second time this year, which I was really excited about. She's an amazing knitter and always gives good advice when mulling over measurements and substitutions when buying for projects. My friend Laura came as well. She's from the UK & a beginning knitter-which was awesome because it was all so new to her.

Anyway, on to the photos!

I love the llamas & alpacas. They seem to have so much character. Every year I daydream about a romantic lifestyle of owning land with my own animals whose fur I spin.

Me & Meg soaking up the sun. (Luckily there was some sun, because it was mighty cold this year compare to last)

This little lamb was only four days old! It was so cute, I wanted to put it in my pocket.

I love this shot because it looks like the guy in back is laughing.

Another lovely benefit to Rhinebeck is seeing all those skilled folks doing things that I can't venture into in my life, like spinning...and sickly thin lace knitting!(Though I gotta tell ya-lace knitting is not high on my "to do" list.)

And then there was the Ravelry after party. Ohhh, the after party!

Laura really had no idea what she was in for here. She just kept saying she couldn't picture what a "knitting party" would be like. Unfortunately I have no photos that accurately convey the magnitude of this awesome-ness. But there was free food and drink, lots of giveaways, lots of raffle prizes, and LOTS of amazing knitters from all over the place.

We were a bit gitty when the Yarnharlot & company asked to join our table. Well, "we" with the exception of Laura. I think she thought we were just being crazy americans exclaiming to her that we were sitting with a knitting celebrity.

Bob, another knitting celebrity, was there. But figuratively.

He got eat-ed. He was delicious.

The sky was absolutely gorgeous. (By the way, you know you are knitting obsessed when you think to yourself "that sunset would make an amazing colorway for sock yarn")

Two days of Rhinebeck glory.

And this is Rasca saying, "Um, yeah. It's cool Ma. You could put the yarn back in this bag. I''ll take care of it for you..."

And of course, here are photos of just some of my spoils...
Ah, the sock yarn.

I also got a little bit of Alpaca, the pink bamboo blend I mentioned in the last post, and an awesome ceramic mug with an Alpaca on it.