IT’S HEEEEEERRRRRE!!! this weekend is the weekend i dream about ALL YEAR LONG. i wait for it, i plan for it, i crochet for it, i sew for it. and it’s at least a small part of why i live exactly where i live (i.e. about 45 minutes from it). if you have no idea what i’m talking about, it’s the NEW YORK STATE SHEEP & WOOL FESTIVAL, more commonly (and affectionately) known to the Fiber People as simply “Rhinebeck”. around these parts (that’s the Hudson Valley) we call it Sheep & Wool, because Rhinebeck is a town that actually exists year-round, not just this one week of the year. but to most of the world, and they do come from all corners for it, this is the Mother of All Fiber Festivals.
above is my 2016 “Rhinebeck Dress”, a mutation of the ubiquitous “Rhinebeck Sweater” which has often been more practical in recent years…
the animals are definitely one of my most beloved parts of the festival. every kind of fiber animal is there!
seeing fiber friends from all over is definitely a highlight as well! and we’re all in our *happy place*, and wearing our finest handmades, so the squeals and giggles of joy are in the air…
the vendors are probably the main draw. certain booths have lines around the corner to get their precious goods. i have my favorites but i’m always looking for new surprises too…
you never know who you’ll bump into at Sheep & Wool! the knitterati brush elbows with the common folk…
there’s all sorts of entertainment: Leapin’ Llamas, puppet shows, sheepdog trials, interpretive sheep dance (you have to see it to believe it), breed shows, farmer talks, fleece to shawl competition…
and everyone is proudly sporting their latest projects, and will gleefully answer your questions about what pattern or yarn they used, and how you can make one too!
i had fun digging through my photos from Rhinebecks past, and piling them all into this post. i planned to write much more about tips for newbies, favorite vendors and local spots to visit while you’re in town. BUT i have to go set up my rack of dresses in my friend Paula’s booth; she’s White Barn Farm and her gorgeous booth is in the back of Building 39. i’ll be hanging out there for a few hours each day if you’d like to come say hi, and if you do have some extra time, visit her lovely shop in New Paltz.
ok, i’m off. see you there!
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