Inspiration
Getting Ready for Rhinebeck
Dear knitters far and wide,
Trying hard to focus on day-to-day life around MDK, but the fact is, Kay and I are mostly daydreaming about our upcoming visit to the Hudson River Valley.
Stop No. 1: Wool + Folk Festival
The big thing for us? We are a major sponsor of Wool + Folk, the day-long festival on Friday, October 20. It takes place in Catskill, NY, up the road from Rhinebeck.
We’re proud to support this gathering of more than 100 vendors, music, and food—and hope you’ll be there. We’re sponsoring the Podcast Patio, which is a perfect way to cool your heels while listening to great podcasters doing their thing.
We’ll have a booth, which is not something we do very often.
We’ll have our MDK Atlas yarn, handknits to see in real life, and (completely jacked about this) we will introduce a brand-new custom MDK souvenir that we’re pretty sure is not going to last long.
We’re expecting beloved Field Guide designers to stop by—so excited to see them. We’ll have their Field Guides on hand.Watch our Events page for times.
Julia Farwell-Clay, Field Guide No. 7: Ease
Carol Feller, Field Guide No. 14: Refresh
Norah Gaughan, Field Guide No. 9: Revolution
Jen Geigley, Field Guide No. 12: Big Joy
Mary Jane Mucklestone, Field Guide No. 17: Lopi
Plus! We’ll share news of something brewing in Nashville next spring—come get your historic first piece of swag.
Tickets for Wool + Folk are on sale now, right here. Two options: admission tickets for the 20th. And the Wool + Folk Warm Up Experience on the night of the 19th will include a special vendor preview and a festive dinner.
Stop No. 2: New York Sheep and Wool
And on Saturday and Sunday, October 21-22, we’ll head over to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds for the grandma of fiber festivals, the New York Sheep and Wool Festival. Tickets here.
We’ll be in and out at the Merritt Books booth. All 25 Field Guides will be available, so we hope you’ll stop by, show us your latest handknits (all twelve of them worn simultaneously, of course), and stock up.
As ever, the more we get together, the happier we’ll be. Like: way happier! See you in the apple cider donut line.
Love,
Ann
Looking forward to seeing everyone on Saturday! Most likely in the donut line.
Still on my bucket list! Someday…
Can’t wait! My sister and I will be there.
Yes, bucket list, especially since some misguided soul moved Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF) from the last weekend to Rhinebeck weekend. Screams of rage and despair from vendors and teachers, much tearing of hair. Oh well. Asheville is beautiful now too, and I get to help my friend with her booth and feel that fiber!
I”m going to my first Rhinebeck experience! Being a big MDK fan girl, I hope to meet you guys in person!
This is my first Rhinebeck and Wool & Folk experience too. We’ll be “virgins” together!!
Can’t wait for Rhinebeck! See you at Merritt Books and the donut line
Finally going to Rhinebeck (and Wool and Folk) for the first time and with friends from my local knitting circle! So looking forward to it. Hope to see you there Ann and Kay!
One day I’ll get there. Intrigued by the new swag!
Hope to see you two at the NYS&W this year. Just coming up for Saturday.
So over in the UK – we hear about Rhinebeck, we hear LOTS about Rhinebeck, but there always seems to be an assumption that we know all the basics! Like where exactly is it? Who is there? What is the best way to tackle it? Tell me about the donut line?
Is there room in your blog to do a beginner’s guide to Rhinebeck? How to book, where to stay, what’s a MUST do? One day we will get across the pond and be there…..
Meantime I can tell you about Wonderwool – which is one of the Uk’s biggest yarn events – if anyone wants to head our way. That’s my gang’s must attend show 🙂
Come on over Nikki! Here’s our primer from 2016, which remains pretty much correct.
https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/how-to-rhinebeck-a-primer/
The logistics are sort of gnarly—it’s two hours north of NYC, and events are spread out so a car is a good idea if you’re making a weekend of it. Hotels are in the area, and there are AirBnBs all over the place. Booking months ahead of time is key. Or day trip up from NYC via Amtrak to Rhinebeck NY–people definitely do that too. And some yarn shops sponsor buses to Rhinebeck, please chime in anybody if you know exactly who’s doing that this year.
Thanks! I’m going to absorb all the details, We’ll put it on our list of things to plan and maybe in a couple of years we can make it happen
Felicia Eve from String Thing Studio in Brooklyn arranges a package every year that includes a bus RT from NYC and a Holiday Inn hotel room.
Is that Tammy White of Wing and a Prayer Farm in your last photo, on the right with her Valais Blacknose?
Hey Tamara, They don’t have black noses. Is this because they are still a bit short on the valais genetics?
Maybe Rhinebeck, someday. This past weekend I did attend my first Lambtown Festival in Dixon CA. What a great collection of artisans. I spent time with the sheep, watched the fleece sale and a shearing. Met lots of people who shared their time, stories and stashes. One of my favorite things was the sheepdog demo. I noticed that there were more kelpies than I remember from past trials. Apparently, ‘Muster Dogs’ is doing for herding dogs what ‘Drive to Survive’ did for Formula 1. What I didn’t do was buy yarn or accessories – the selection was simply overwhelming. Next year, I will go with a list!
Cannot wait!
Sad that I cannot come to this event, or many others for that matter, but I do love to read about them. I can enjoy them vicariously. Thank you.
I can’t wait! There is still a chance that my sweater won’t be done but either way, it’s going to be fun!!!!
For the savory fans among you, you NEED to visit the falafel stand before you go to the cider donut stand. If falafel can be heavenly, THIS IS!
Very sorry yo tell you Ana’s falafels doesn’t sell at the festival anymore. But they still have their restaurant in the heart of Rhinebeck. Open for lunch only. We went yesterday because we missed it last year. The best felafel I’ve ever had by a mile!
So excited for Rhinebeck weekend! I live close enough that I go every year, yes it is worth the trip! This will be my first time at Wool and Folk and I’m really looking forward to it! Thank you MDK for being a sponsor!
Someday, hopefully, I will go to Rhinebeck. But I will try not to fangirl too hard at Shakerag next year. Cannot wait
See you at the prom! (Both of them)
Yes the donut line. I gotta have some donuts ♀️
See you soon.
Sadly the rains put us off from attending Rhinebeck this year. Hope to say hello to you all next year though!!