Muslin & Mezzotint

I've had a few days to think about my comments about the Rhinebeck Yarn Festival.  While I stand by my comments, I also wanted to add more color.

The RYF has evolved over the years into a very well-attended and much-anticipated event drawing serious yarn addicts from the region.  Clara Parkes in "Knitlandia" cites that RYF started in 1972. When I first attended RYF, Amanda had not yet been born so that was over 30 years ago.   As I recalled, back then Rhinebeck was an agricultural fair with yarns, animals and demonstrations of sheep shearing etc.

Today Rhinebeck is an "event" with a strongly commercial bent.  Years ago, yarn was just yarn.  Today, knitters are particular about what breed of sheep, from what region, organic or not, natural dyes or not...long ago knitting was a way to save money.  Today, it is a political or life style statement.  It is part of the movement away from mass-produced, environmentally irresponsible consumption.  Rhinebeck has become a part of that statement.

Somehow the Southern Adirondeck Fiber Festival seemed to harken back to the Rhinebeck that I knew so many years ago.

All this is to say that we certainly look forward to Rhinebeck like the thousands of other yarn fanatics but Southern Adirondeck was a nice breath of fresh air.  Perhaps next year we will make it to the wool festival in Maryland!

-Chee Mee