bin of chai, anyone? or: packing for Rhinebeck 2010

I have been dyeing and labeling and packing up yarn for Rhinebeck like crazy. My laptop came back from "my" computer guy in tip top shape on Monday, and boy was I ever glad to have my little machine back! Still, I remain the lame blogger.

Here are a few snapshots I took during packing up yesterday and today.

bin of "chai"

I had high hopes of completing the shawl that is making my yarn look so good ... but evidently I still cannot count to three. Right now, Thursday night, I still have 33 rows of lace knitting to complete. And block the thing. By Saturday morning, 5:30 am. I think the dye fumes got to me a little bit and had me think I could actually pull this one off.....

Anyway, here finally are some Embers! I know some of you have been waiting for this colorway very patiently...

embers in the morning light

Do you feel like jumping into the mediterranean sea?

aegean

my rainbow of colors

This new colorway represents a whole new story that is unfolding! I was approached by a pattern designer on ravelry who donates all of her profits to charity. Her Christmas design will go to Doctors without Borders. I dyed her a batch, and she really liked it. Meanwhile, I thought: this is it! I love dyeing yarn so much. But it would add just a whole other dimension, an added purpose for me if I could do some good with it, too!! Thus, I decided to Dye for Charity, and the new CRANBERRY RED for Doctors without Borders was born!

From here on out, for every skein of this color I dye and sell, I will donate $3.- to DwB. Unfortunately I only had time to dye 35 skeins of this this week, to take to Rhinebeck with me. If I have any left, I will put them up on etsy when I come back on Sunday.
Otherwise, there will be more after I come back from Germany. Do you think you'll be able to wait?

CRANBERRY RED for DwB/MsF

 And last but not least, here's a line-up of "Rhinebeck 2010"  in the new watercolors yarn.

Rhinebeck 2010

 And: the ever popular, chuckle-evoking

crapshoot



There. I packed a lot into this little post, make it last!

I'll see you on the other side of the Nor'easter that's starting to hit, and Rhinebeck. We're the Sliver Moon Farm booth, spot # 27A 3. I hope I got that right. You better check the program, if you're coming to visit!!! Which I hope you will!!!!!!

from the never a dull moment dept.

My sister is in the hospital, for tests. Next week, she will undergo major surgery (female stuff). I am flying over to Germany on the 20th anyway to see my parents for their 50th wedding anniversary, and that date can now not come soon enough.

Also my laptop that has all my writing and pictures on it seems to be fried. I need to find a computer ER, ASAP. Anyone had any luck with the Staples guys?

Knitting and dyeing more yarn is going well.

Over and out.

women helping women

I did actually have a certain order to this week's blog posts in mind, but  that order got upset - which is a good thing and ok. I just got a request from a fabulous lady who does a lot of good in the world of wool and I thought I need to pass along her story. We women know all about being there for each other already, - if you are a woman and can honestly say you have never helped another woman at a crucial time, or have never been helped out by other women in your own life, then I would say I don't believe you!

Last week, help came to me by the name of Kay and Laurie, who felt bad for me that I had hurt my hand, and between the two of them they figure- 8 - tied 200 skeins for me in under two hours. It was an amazing feat and I will never forget that they did this for me. I could get right to dyeing the next day, and not worry about my non-existent fine motor control.

Laurie Perrin, left, and Kay ten Kraft, right.

try and keep up with THAT!

Taking care of each other makes this world go round, so after you read this blogpost, go donate  to Go Red for Women. I don't have a lot of money either. But $25 seems doable.

And right after that, I want you to do at least one thing a day that takes good care of YOU.

Me, I'm going for a walk. The sun is finally out after 3 straight days of rain, and I am going out there to enjoy it.

LOOK!

HERE!

What a beautiful shawl!

Guess what I am starting this evening?

Rhinebeck 2010 colorway, in a sock.

I made a sock! In the Rhinebeck 2010 colorway! Yeah, one single sock is as far as I got. My tendonitis is finally improving, after about a year. (Hooray for excellent chiropractors!) But I don't want to push it too far, I'm trying to be good and not overdo it.

I needed to declare myself a walking disaster area on Sunday, anyway. First, tendonitis. Then, we all know about the surgery. Meds are still a work in progress, but I'm finally sleeping better, after 5 months. At the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival 10 days ago, I managed to hurt my hand during the booth set-up, and I was unable to grip anything for 3 days. Swelling, pain, etc. Never mind typing or knitting. Or tying skeins. Then that was getting better just in time for the Vermont sheep and woolfest this past weekend, when I threw out my back something fierce on Sunday. I've spent the last 2 days doing the bare minimum of household work, and finishing this sock. And lying on the couch.

Now I'm trying to upload all the sock pictures, and they are NOT. LOADING.



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Rhinebeck 2010 colorway, in a plain vanilla sock.

I've just spent as much time trying to upload pictures as it would take me to knit half of a second sock. I'd like to ask you to go to my flickr page to look at further pictures of this lovely single sock.

I hope whatever I have is not catching, because I don't wish it on anyone.

Be well, gentle reader!

PS: see???! There are pictures now! I don't know where they came from! They weren't there when I wrote the post! But they are all wonky in size etc.

I think I need a brandy or something.

reveal

 This lame-o blogger returns to reveal the Rhinbeck 2010 colorway.

It's a mix of three colors, raspberry, mulberry, and chocolate.

Rhinebeck 2010 colorway

wound into a cake

I am still in the middle of knitting a sock. I hope to have it by Monday. Knitting has been sloooow, as I injured my hand whilst setting up a booth at the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival last weekend. I still need to report about that too!!

I do post more frequent little updates on facebook now, so if you are on there, look for The Periwinkle Sheep (or me, by my name! I'll friend ya!) you get to see and read more about what's going on.

Ravelry seems to be experiencing some hiccups. I was unable to reply to posts or threads this morning, and consequently couldn't tell my Periwinkle Sheep group about the Rhinebeck colorway. I hope things get resolved over there quickly, for their sake!

Today Dyenamics and I were supposed to go up to Tunbridge VT to set up for this weekend's Vermont Sheep and Woolfestival, but the tremendous rainfalls have us stopped in our tracks a bit, and we are leaving way before dawn tomorrow.

I will see you on the other side - maybe you will go to a fiber festival somewhere this weekend?