This shawl design was inspired by my first trip to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, New York in 2017. This festival is one of the largest gatherings for fiber enthusiasts in the United States due to its immense collection of fiber-related animals, vendors, and classes. Their website maps out all of these items in detail so you can plan your weekend accordingly. But there is a magical component to this specific time and place that you won’t find on any website or in any brochure. In fact, you may see former attendees stumbling over their words as they try to explain what it is about Rhinebeck, NY that brings them back year after year after year. Rhinebeck represents an experience that, much like this shawl, starts out small, mysterious, and maybe even a little anxiety-provoking, and ends with an adventure filled with new friendships, re-connections, laughter, and even tears.

Each section of this shawl is a different pattern representing all of the memories and experiences I brought back with me from Rhinebeck. Some of these patterns were familiar to me so I had no difficulty in knitting them. But many of these patterns were new and unfamiliar which made them both exciting and a little scary at the same time. In the end, though, creating this shawl mirrored my memorable trip to Rhinebeck, NY in many ways. It brought me a sense of joy while knitting it; an appreciation for the experience of creating it; and a feeling of pride because I was brave enough to attempt it. I hope you enjoy knitting this asymmetrical, sampler shawl as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Copyright 2018 Yarn Café Creations, Christy Houghton.