Rhinebeck!

Each October brings the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival to the Rhinebeck Fair Grounds in Dutchess County. Fiber folk converge for a few days of wonderful workshops, animals, food, and fiber in a variety of shades and forms. The parking lot with the multitude of license plates confirm that this isn't a little local event. And the crowds also confirm that fact...
Walking through the vendor displays provides an opportunity to see amazing hand-crafted fiber items...on the other customers! I heard one vendor say to another, "I didn't realize I would have a front row seat for a fashion show when I agreed to help out!" Rhinebeck is definitely a place to be inspired to create new items with fiber.

The colors of the yarns and roving were beautiful and it took a great deal of self-control to keep the wallet and checkbook buried deep in the bottom of the purse.
And when I found myself overwhelmed by all the choices I walked to the animal barns to visit with the fiber on four legs
Then the ride home offers the beautiful views of the Catskill Mountains...

This year wasn't as crowded as previous years, but it was a wonderful time of bumping into (literally) like-minded fiber-fanatics and seeing people I knew from my 'neck of the woods'. Of course, when we see each other over the course of the next few months, we'll ask "what did you buy at Rhinebeck?!" Here's my answer...
I've started spinning the roving on the left (called Cathedral windows) and it's turning into a lovely yarn. I think I'm going to use it for color work on a black sweater. The roving on the right is going to be used in a project with cranberry colored yarn which I made with roving from a previous Rhinebeck experience. I'm thinking the middle roving will go well with a solid brown project. The skeins of yarn are for the girls to use on a small lap loom they have. I've made progress in my purchases--I actually have projects in mind and didn't just buy them because they called my name!