This is the third attempt at this sweater. At first I only ripped down to the 2 rows above the hemline and then tried the alternate skein method. I knit about 10 rows back up - and it was still kinda striping because I think I joined the second skein at a too-similar point. That, plus the gauge was starting to bother me. At first I didn’t care that I wasn’t getting gauge because I am between the first two sizes. But it started to feel a little too small.

So I ripped again, completely this time. Getting gauge now, I think. And since the first few rows are just facing and hemline - stuck with one skein on size 8s instead of 7. Pooling again but not as stripes. This time I’m getting big chunks of color - and I’m not entirely sure I hate it. It’s not what I envisioned but it kind of reminds me of an impressionist painting and I think it’s kind of cool. Will I think that the entire way up? It’s a crapshoot now - whether or not to attach that second skein. I think I may go a few more rows and see.

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So very shortly after coming home from Rhinebeck Sunday night, I cast on for the Hourglass sweater. A mindless stockinette knit in the round is great for TV watching. I’ve been working on it a bit each night and though I haven’t gotten TOO far, it’s still a bunch of knitting with 174 stitches. And here we have why I swore off variegated yarns - the inevitable pooling into stripes.

It’s decision making time. Rip now, before I get too far, and change needle sizes? Will going up one needle size make a difference in the pooling? Or leave it, because hey, stripes are in. What do you think? Opinions please.

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So…ah. Rhinebeck. We looked forward to it for months and now it’s all over and that’s always sad. This year, it was really about just hanging out and enjoying the people and the scenery, for me. I had evaluated the stash before I left and determined that I didn’t want any more yarn coming into my already cramped apartment. I can’t even keep up with projects as it is. That is, unless I really loved something. Yeah, that’s the problem, there’s always an “unless”.

We headed out relatively early on Friday after a morning of slight bumps - like I wanted to get the zipper into my Ribby Cardi in time to take it (but what for? It was like 75 degrees…) and my sewing machine was not cooperating - and me having to rush up to the rental car place to meet Jenn after the rat bastards wouldn’t take a debit card for the rental. (I guess that makes sense, but it didn’t occur to either of us.) The weather was horrible and it was looking like a repeat of the treacherous driving we had two years ago. But Jenn is a great driver and it never got quite as bad as it was that time. So we got to our hotel, me, Jenn, Michelle and Heather, and relaxed for while with some knitting before dinner.

Michelle heard about a great brew pub so headed to dinner in New Paltz and met up with Julia and her guy, and Alison and Véronik, and had a great outdoor dinner despite the pouring rain (loved the tented beer garden).

The roomies on Saturday.

Saturday was just a whirlwind of shopping and seeing people. And yes, I did end up buying something. 2 skeins of licorice twist from Spinners Hill so I can copy Sarah’s and Heather’s hourglass sweaters. I had a nagging feeling though that I might be a little short on yardage.

We didn’t go to the Morehouse or Ravelry parties, alas. By the time festival end came around on Saturday, we were beat. We had good intentions of meeting more people for dinner, and heading out to some place good, but we ended up eating next door to the hotel and then heading up to a room party aptly dubbed “Rumbeck”. I love knitters, I really do.

Sunday we shopped more, ate more, socialized more. The weather was glorious if too warm, and the atmosphere so much more relaxed on the second day. We watched sheepdog trials, we watched pumpkins fly. I bought a third skein of licorice, this one longer yardage, so I still might only need 2 but better safe than sorry. I also bought some merino laceweight because I really do covet another lace shawl, even if I hate knitting them.

One of the highlights of this year, aside from seeing so many great people, was finding this sweater. The pattern isn’t out yet, but I will acquire it when it is. It’s just so “me”, it’s gotta happen.

I posted many more photos on Flickr. Go look if you’re bored at work.

And so another year passes. I thought perhaps this might be my last year of Rhinebeck weekends, but now after this one, probably my favorite so far despite not getting to see and hang with many people I was hoping to, I think I’m already geared up for next year. And I have a renewed enthusiasm for knitting.

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I was out walking my dog just now, scolding him for doing that dog thing where they just sniff at the ground endlessly because they obviously smell some tidbit of food lying on the sidewalk somewhere. A man, older, hurries by me quickly but looks at me as he passes and then he stops, points up, and says, “Look”. Now this is late night in the big city and that could be a distraction method for something not too kosher, but I look up, and there it is, the moon - surrounded by a rainbow in the dark sky. An honest to god rainbow.

I just had to say to that man, “thanks”.

Rhinebeck wrap-up tomorrow.

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