More with Foster Sheep Farm

Antique Wrought Iron Sheep Toy

It's been a crazy week here, with my father-in-law being hospitalized within hours of my return home from my wonderful weekend teaching classes at Foster Sheep Farm in Schuylerville, NY.  What is going on with everyone being so sick?  It's been one of those years...

Antique Yarn Spool Lamps

As much as I know my knitting info cold, I'm a bit of a spaz in the rest of my life.  As I drove to Schuylerville from Buffalo, I realized I'd packed everything except the undies, which were still in the dryer.  (Thank you, Target.)  I'd arranged to sleep in the yarn shop thanks to Carol Foster's kind offer, forgetting that my wool allergy might be an obstacle.  (Thank you, Benadryl.)  The screen on my phone wasn't working so I missed all my texts.  (No thank you, Samsung.)  And I left my camera in a coffee shop, severely limiting my ability to take photos to share with you. (Thank you, Abby Foster, for use of yours.) 

Mitten Form for Drying
 Mittens Fireside

As this is not an uncommon set of details for me (I wish it were, but alas, I'm really a spaz) it came as no surprise that one of the texts I missed was important.  It was from Carol Foster, my hostess, offering me a tour of Battenkill Fibers, a spinnery near the farm.  Mary Jean Packer is the owner and operator, and although she was in the middle of an order for Tahki (a brand new yarn that is Oh, so cool!) she took the time to show me around.  (Yep. More Benadryl.  A girl has to breathe.)  I'll share more about this in another post.










After my groovy tour of the spinnery, I was revved for day 2 of classes at Foster Sheep Farm.  The group was there for a class of Shaping Techniques which shows alternatives for shaping.  Different yarns take shaping techniques differently.  Something that makes a smooth decrease in a silk/linen blend may make a lumpy one in cotton.  We made a variety of shapes in a dozen ways. 

The shop is dotted with early American antiques, many of them knitting-related, located in an old farmhouse.  I couldn't help thinking that there was energy from dozens of knitters who came before us, original owners of the antiques and the farm, right there with us.  The quiet of the rainy day in the country made it all the more memorable.