The Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster Ohio

Last week when I was visiting my two Columbus, Ohio families, I popped into 614 Knit Studio to get a sock needle and some sock yarn to knit men’s socks.  Believe it or not, I hadn’t taken enough knitting projects with me.  I ended up staying almost ten days instead of five and had completed two projects.  Thought I’d get a jump on some Christmas knitting.

When I was at the shop, a sign on the door said the shop was going to be closed Memorial Day Weekend because they were going to be a vendor at the Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster Ohio.  When I entered Wooster into my Maps App it was a mere hour and fifteen minutes from Laura’s house and on the way home (sort of) to Pittsburgh.

Here’s owner 614 Knit Studio Owner Andrea Panzica

I bought a merit badge pin for a couple of knitting friends. I had to tell Andrea it was because of her sign at her shop that I came to the Great Lakes Fiber Show

Look at this gorgeous Studio Dog Fibers yarn they are featuring

Here are some of the vendors I met at the show. People at Work

Do you have a Spinning Wheel that needs repair or servicing?  Here is Ed Jr.  Ed the Wheel Healer. Located in Oberlin,Ohio you’ll have to email or give him a phone call as they are not on social media.

 

Look at all these Inkle Looms! Chuck and Angie own Egill’s Woostuffs 

Here’s Chuck with a cutting board of Spalted Walnut, Cherry and ____?_____and Angie with a handmade loom.

  Chuck ELECTROCUTES some of the wood for this effect. He showed me a video of the process

Recycled Yarn Co has an Etsy shop sells cranked tubes to make socks by adding cuff, heels and toes. I’ve knit several pairs of Opal yarn socks and it’s hardy and long wearing. Thanks to my friend Terry who introduced me to the brand.

Joanna’s Boutique has the most beautiful silk scarves and clothing with nature prints.  She sells roving and fiber, buttons at her Etsy shop

 

Merino wool sneakers for sale from WOOLLOOMOOLOO

Knitting Needle Jewelry by Bur Oak Studio from Danville Indiana

I bought a basket (woven in Ghana) from Frog It Yarns I’ll use it to hold my front porch knitting

How about these custom wooden needles by Ann Carpenter? And the cotton cord is made in Poland from recycled clothing.

Watch a short Sheep Herding Demonstration on YouTube

thank you Andrea for telling me about the Great Lakes Fiber Show

The Volunteers Bronze Statue Guest Blog

Thank you Joanne who sent the article and photographs from Halifax

The Volunteers Bronze Statue in Halifax, at the Waterfront, Nova Scotia (click link for article written when the monument was unveiled in 2017)

The bronze sculpture, called “The Volunteers,” features three life-sized figures from three generations: A young girl pulling a wagon full of salvaged metal, an African-Nova Scotian woman holding a tray of coffee and sandwiches, and an older woman seated with a Mi’kmaq basket and knitting.

The sculptor is Marlene Hilton Moore

Bronze Sculpture of Woman Knitting for the WWII Effort

Retro Macrame Pot Hanger Materials

This vintage book of directions for making Macrame Plant Hangers or rather Macrame Pot Hangers and this huge twine were in the donations my friend Donna gave to my art teacher friend Bob.

In the seventies, I never used such a thick rope but instead a thinner white cord and some wooden beads.

Macrame belts were holding up lots of bell bottom jeans when I was in college.

Do you or have you ever done macrame?

Potholder Loop Wreath 

My daughter Laura sorted the giant bag of colorful potholder loops on the dining room table. I photographed it with the iPhone. 

 We’re in crafty production this week!

Maura brought them with her from Columbus for her visit to Grandma’s house. 


When the potholder is all woven, I slip 4 unsharpened pencils through the loops on all sides.  So much easier to finish up with a crochet hook, a loop at a time. 

 Taking the woven piece off the loom keeps it together instead of it trying to pop off the metal loom as you bind off. 

McKeesport Library -Knit in Public

World Wide Knit in Public DayBetter living through stitching together!

McKeesport Library hosted a Knitting in Public event Saturday June 18th and I drove over the Monongahela River and back to attend.  I’m so glad I did. Everyone was so welcoming. It was a perfect summer day though sitting under the tree in the shade was just right.

I was invited to join the group for a picnic lunch, which was delicious and generous of them to include me.

IMG_0484Jody, visiting family in McKeesport but now living in  Gainesville FL, reads the history of World Wide Knit in Public Day telling the group  how it was started in 2005 by Danielle Landes with just 25 events and now it’s over 850 around the world.”

Jody’s daughter Ellie, going into Fifth grade, was the youngest member of the Knit in Public Event.

IMG_0485Many of the women knit hats, blankets and or shawls for Chemotherapy patients and donate them to several hospitals including Magee and Veterans.They get together throughout the year on Thursdays.

Another Ruth just started knitting but she has crocheted beautiful Butterfly shawls and blankets. Some of the women knit at the  Magee Hospital group which hosted a KIP event today, too. There were events at Mt. Lebanon Library and Steel City Fiber, too.  And if you go to the site, you will see there was KIP in the Arctic Circle, too.

IMG_0504Kim’s two color knitted hat matched both her shirt and pants!

 

Weaving by Judith G, hostessing the KIP event. The weaving is for a class she’s going to be teaching this summer.IMG_0487

Picnic Lunch- BBQ chipped ham is a Pittsburgh specialty

The library was built in 1902

Architect was William J. East and is a National Historic Landmark

 

IMG_0509

IMG_0521from the front- what a lawn to mow!

One of the women, Pat, mentioned she was on her way to the McKeesport Heritage Center for another event.

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img_4899Screen Shot 2016-06-18 at 11.30.25 PM

Super Stress Relief 

Maura found the potholder looms in the guest room night stand this evening. I’d rummaged around for them when I’d visit but could not find them.  What a happy find tonight. 

Anna and her friend got right to work. Maura needed some help. I use knitting needles or pencils through the loop ends as I approach the finish. Keep it from popping off prematurely. Then a crochet hook to bind off. 

Weaving these provides major stress relief for me. Over under over under. Under over under over- The repetition. 

Reminds me of childhood, too. 

I like them especially  for hot pot lids

when I want to peek inside. 

  

Ohio State Fair – Columbus Ohio

Today’s post is primarily people.  A few animals. Or people and animals.  The food highlights will be a separate post.  Stay tuned for a Deep Fried Buckeye.  No, I didn’t eat it but someone let me photograph theirs.

I accompanied two moms and seven children!  We had a wonderful afternoon.   Perfect summer day.  Last year our visit to the fair was cut short by a severe thunderstorm.  If you are new to the blog you can check it out here

Keep Cool Fans

 

Fans from the egg farmers- outside the Taste of Oho Pavillion-  four of them are my grandchildren.  Three are their friends.

 

 

 

I'm in a Fowl Mood

Thanks for letting me photograph your shirt in the Taste of Ohio Pavillion

Thanks Guys Top banana

 

 

No, not going to guess my weight or age today!

 

 

Union General

 

Union General  from the Civil War Encampment checks out the cowgirl boots

 

 

 

Boy and Cow

 

Being taken back to the livestock/ stall area after showing

 

 

 

 

 

Abe Lincoln

 

Abe Lincoln chats with fairgoers

 

 

 

Cowgirl Boots

 

Cowgirl Boots galore

 

 

 

AIrbrush T shirt Art

 

Airbrush artist

 

 

 

No Firearms

 

Posting a No Firearms sign on the Dairy Pavillion

 

 

 

Pirates on Stilts

 

 

Jack and Drew talk to the Pirate about missing treasure

 

 

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At the Cardinal gate.

Bent Traffic Cone

Bent traffic cone and Ohio State Trooper giving directions

 

Jack  Milked a cow

 

Jack milked a cow. Why he put the sticker on his mouth is beyond me.We did not put it there!

 

 

 

Watching the pig races

 

 

Watching the pig races

 

 

weaving a scarf

 

Weaving a scarf

 

 

 

Ohio Fair Band

 

Rousing band music

 

 

 

checking the bags of wool

Checking the bags of wool

 

 

 

Walking her horse

 

The horse barn

 

 

sleeping with the livestock

 

Sleeping near the livestock

 

 

napping at the fairCatching a quick nap behind the concession stands

 

 

 

milking the cow

Waiting in line to milk the cow

 

 

horse stall

 

Looking down the walkway lined with horse stalls

 

 

Ohio State Fair

Exhausted. This woman takes a nap on the grass.

 

Perfect summer day.  Last year our visit to the fair was cut short by a severe thunderstorm.  If you are new to the blog you can check it out here

 

Bedford, PA- Home of the National Museum of the American Coverlet

Laszlo Zongor explains the system of Jacquard Loom(see below) and the punched holed cards, each card a single line of weaving.

 

 

A two hour drive from Pittsburgh.  My book club had a fun and memorable getaway weekend trip.  We stayed at the Historic Bedford Resort.

Sunday, Joan and I went to see the National Museum of the American Coverlet– housed in a beautiful Historic Common School.   A coverlet is a woven bed cover, although there were some floor coverings, too.  The coverlets display changes every four months.  We learned a lot about the history of the coverlets with our knowledgeable guide explaining the differences. The last photos are of the gift shop where you can purchase reproductions of the antique designs and fabric for quilters.

 from the National Museum of the American Coverlet

The Museum and Museum Shop are open daily, year round.
Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Admission is $6 ($5 for age 60 and over).  Kids under 12 are free.  Group rates available.

Laszlo Zongor explains the punch cards used in the Jacquard loom.

 If you have a coverlet, you can bring it to Melinda and Laszlo Zongor and they can help date it and identify the weaving method.

The Jacquard Loom

There are looms and spinning wheels on exhibit.