Availability of CPR Equipment

So here we are right in between Schuylerville and Greenwich, NY, near Saratoga, near Vermont. Very picturesque with old buildings, dams, streams and a well kept feel. 

The weather on Friday was hot and humid but we found the fairgrounds, set up without any mishaps,  located our motel and just about fell right asleep once we got into our rooms.

This morning all we could find for breakfast was Dunkin Donuts - not bad in a pinch since we needed to be back at the fairgrounds by 8.

When I taught school we always had to have several people trained in CPR plus a special machine available for emergencies.

So there I was by the counter in DD adding half and half to my tea when I read this prominently posted sign.

We're going to find somewhere else to eat tomorrow.

Our New Set Up

After a lot of thinking, head scratching, drawings and erasures we now have a much newer and easier to set up design.  Jim was instrumental in making this dream of mine a reality.

We debuted the set up last weekend at the Finger Lakes Fiber Festival to lots of applause.  Other vendors came by to look and inspect the structure and fiberholics loved the ease of seeing the colors and comparing the fibers one to another.  I loved that our set up took 1.5 hours less and take down took about an hour less.  We have always been one of the last vendors out on Sunday but last week we were in the middle of the pack and not exhausted either.

Jim also debuted a lazy Susan prototype for his spindles.  You can turn it and choose from many now.

Another new thing is that we can process credit cards right at the check out table.  This makes the line go faster as we can form two, one for cash and the other for cc's. It also eliminates my sitting at the computer all evening typing in the cards. Win/win all around.

Evening Star has been turned into a cardi. Nice huh?

And now we are off to the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival at the Washington County Fairgrounds just east of Saratoga, NY.

Spanky inspecting and giving the ready to go approval.

                                                                 Hope to see you there.

Berry Pie Socks

I am proud to present the latest addition to my Knit Picks patterns online.

This is a cuff down pattern using double wrapped and dropped stitches.  It is aimed at the intermediate knitter but an advanced beginner with some hutzpah would have lots of fun with this pattern.

So basically, you are knitting a lattice crust and pie filling cuff.

The foot is all simple striping with a diagonal start that mostly appears on the sole.

The toes and heel are knit in a reinforced stitch for longer wear.

Berry Pie Sox originated with Sock Hop but has been updated and rewritten for 2 circs.  

Give Berry Pie Socks a try.  They are a delicious no calorie dessert.

Upon rereading this I realize I sound like a commercial.  My brain is so fried from getting ready for the next 2 shows that this is the best I can do today. I hope you will excuse me.

NY State Fair

Maybe because I grew up in proximity to Coney Island I am not enamored of Fairs.  I don't dislike them but also don't have much great pull to go to them either.  My teen years saw lots of ferris wheels, roller coasters and centrifical force rides. My family would go to Coney Island several times a year where we would walk on the boardwalk, eat cotton candy, hot dogs and candied apples.  Sheesh, I don't think I would risk putting my teeth into a candied apple at this point for fear of losing some teeth or caps.   Plus I get to experience Fair Food at most vendings. Not surprisingly that fast food doesn't hold much special pull for me anymore.  Sometimes I think wistfully of when it did and how rare those treats were.

So Tuesday was only my third visit to the New York State Fair.  It's held each year in Syracuse on extensive grounds that are broken up into Empire (NYS stuff, Art and Home Center, Times Square Tower, Science & Industry and the like) Agriculture (cattle, poultry, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, llamas, alpaca, etc), rides, entertainment and food.

Our guild volunteered to demonstrate spinning on the 31st.  Jim and I loaded up the car the night before, then picked up Carole at Wegmans and Cathy in Dryden.

  

Little did we know it would be an HHH day.  Sunny and bright.  By the time we got to the Fair about 9:30 am the temps were already in the low 80's and climbing.  We got to park maybe 300 yards from a gate.  Loaded most of our stuff onto the cart but I underestimated its ability to carry wheels.  We managed to fit 3 of the 5 wheels and 2 of the 5 stools but the rest had to be carried by hand or rolled. The Wool Center (#34) is about half way down the green section over bumpy old pavement so we were already hot and exercised by the time we found it.

People were already there spinning.  HUH? Turned out to be extra volunteers. The women running this section are very accommodating and made room for us immediately.  

L->R:  Jim with his Pippi spinning cotswold donated to the fair by Robin Nistock of Nistock Farms;  me with my Baynes but spinning alpaca on one of Jim's spindles; Carole on her Baynes spinning Spinning Bunny blue face leicester/ silk and Cathy on her mini spinner plying merino and silk with her Wendy patiently sitting beside.  Behind us is another volunteer from a different guild spinning cotswold on a walking wheel.   

The Wool Center is really rather small.  The picture above shows about a quarter of the demo space.   The rest was taken up by knitters, dyers, carders and a guy tying flies.  Oh and that wonderful fan in the corner probably saved our lives. Plus there was free cold bottled water to drink. The Wool Center also contains a bathroom and a bedroom that is sometimes occupied overnight to help protect the wheels and wool stashed there for the 2 weeks of the fair.  The bedroom is AC'd (making a quick cool break space) but so full of wool I don't know how the person sleeps there. 

By noon the temps were into the 90's.  Just going out to get food felt like a trek in the dessert, although I guess the dessert isn't filled with food vendors and hawkers.

Despite the smallness of the walk through space there were lots of visitors, folks asking questions and sitting a while to watch (or maybe to get out of the sun).  I taught a woman from Long Island to spindle spin (she's a natural) and spoke with lots of people who hadn't seen spinning before.  

By the time the afternoon shift from our guild arrived the temps were already in the high 90's.  We thought about walking around the fair but unanimously decided to head home in our air conditioned car instead. We were sent on our way with a bottle of cold water for each of us.   It felt like a longer trek in that 99 degree heat than in the morning but we maintained our composure, opened up the baking car, loaded the back, and gratefully headed home talking about what a good experience we'd had. 

Getting Ready

August is always a run of dyeing getting ready for Hemlock the third weekend in September.  This year we are also preparing for the Southern Adirondack Fiber Festival the very next weekend.  Sheesh! So I am on a 6 week dyeing spree.....

Making some progress. Note the check marks.  7- 8 pounds per day.

The fiber is soaked, cooked, cooled and rinsed to dry.  Most fibers take at least 48 hours with two fans going 24/7.

Once dry, they are taken out to the shop where each lot is divided into 4oz sections, twisted and wrapped.

So..... 3 weeks in we are seeing some full tubs with lots more to process, including yarns.

Hope to see you at one or both of the shows.

Did it in ONE

A couple of weeks ago one of my shawl designs was accepted by Knit Picks.  Last week they sent me the yarn and this week I have made time and space to begin the process.  One of the things I like about knitting one of my patterns for the IDP program is that I get to look the pattern over with an eye for making it even smoother and clearer.  This one is no exception.
AAMOF this will be my first time knitting it.   When I designed A Star is Worn, 2 years ago, I mostly knit swatches and then Ruth A. patiently worked it up for me, asking questions and giving me great feedback.

As suggested right on the first page, one is to knit a swatch.  ARGGGGG!!!  Dreaded things that they are I followed instructions.

And got gauge!  Wow first try and spot on!

Now that I have to knit the entire thing I can see where the pattern can use some cleaning up and simplifying which I spent the entire afternoon on today.

   Let me explain the rationale on this shawl a bit.  It is a Faroese style in fingering yarn so a triangular piece.  I decided to start the shawl from the largest amount of stitches, going to the least, because at the beginning of any project I have lots of enthusiasm but by the time it gets to the ho hum stage I have to find reasons or rewards to keep me going. Shorter rows are definitely a plus when the doldrums are threatening. There must be other knitters who have similar traits so I went ahead with the idea.

 So now it was time to cast on.  414 stitches are called for in the cast on.  I expected to have to rip out that row at least once in order to make a long enough tail to last that long. That's normal for me. However I sorta know how long it should be for 50 stitches so I estimated for 425ish.

AND would you believe it --------  I did it in ONE. 

 

Look at that tail.  I could have cast on another 15 stitches, at least.

Staycation

What with needing to stick around to make sure the Baz stayed relatively quiet -- how come dogs seem to bounce right back from surgery while humans need to be iv'd and kept in bed, etc?  ---  was given his meds 3 times a day and kept an eye and hand on the pressure bandages I did not go far last week.

Plus the temps were awful for up here.  90's with high humidity, so we hung out in the AC'd shop a whole lot, then moved into the house in the evenings. I didn't want him going up or down steps too often so I slept on the couch. Also the bedroom upstairs was almost stifling with only a ceiling fan to move the humid air around.   To put it more accurately, Bazel shared the couch with me.  By the 4th night I was very scrunched up as he stretched out more each day.  I guess he was feeling better but I was getting cramped.  I was really glad when the temps went down to low 70's in the daytime and 50's at night plus Jim came home and offered to take a night on the couch.

However I have diverted from my original idea here.   On mornings that it is not already 80 by 8, Baz and I go out on the deck to enjoy some rays.   Basel lies on his bench, next to whatever stuffed toy he has decided to bring out (today it's his Rhode Island lobster), resting his head on the slats and enjoying the smells.

I get to watch the buns chomping down on apple branches, berry bush canes, rose canes, wild grape vines, dandelion leaves and anything else I can find to pick or cut on my early walk.

Sometimes a hummingbird comes to the feeder hanging near to the nifty upside down tomato planter, but they are too fast for me to photograph.

I usually intend to stay out there for maybe 15 minutes enjoying the views, getting some Vitamin D

and relaxing.  Often when I go back inside, well more than half an hour has passed in pleasant knitting.

Here's a sneak preview of Berry Pie Socks in 2 Knit Picks yarns, Stroll and Palette, (some previous Sock Hop members may recognize the name and pattern).  It should be up on my IDP Knit Picks pages with the Sea Shell Socks, Linear Shawl and Butterfly & Kisses Legwarmers in a couple of weeks.

Maybe its because I enjoy the knitting, maybe the peacefulness and comforting animal vibes, whatever, very few other places satisfy my inner calm like this one.