Sock Summit, Here I Come!

 I've been frantically preparing for my first ever away show. Sock Summit is a big yarn convention taking place at the Portland Convention Center in Oregon. Yikes-e-wa-wa, this has been a heap of work! I've never shipped my goods across country, to show up at my booth (hopefully!) and set up my space with minimal stuff (nothing but an 8' table and a chair).

 I sent out an S.O.S. for knitting help on making socks. I got a few takers and they've done a superb job of creating some nice socks and patterns for me to showcase. 

 

They are way more complicated than what I would knit, so I'm very grateful. I've named them after famous dancers to go with 'Dancing' Leaf Farm. The first one pictured is 'Ginger Rogers', number 2 is 'Mikhail' and number 3 is 'Martha Dances in the Leaves'. I have a yarn named 'Sock Hop' that makes great socks.

 I knit simple socks, like this 'Shirley Temple' toddler's sock. It has a crocheted flower to add a little girl whimsey.

 Baby socks are so easy to whip up. In an hour of 'Friday Night Lights', you can have one completed.

 But hopefully not all the customers and class takers will be solely interested in sock yarn. I'm bringing heaps of other types of yarn. One of the women who knit the women who knit the 'Martha' socks, also expanded on the dancing leaves theme and knit an entire sweater using my Salsa yarn in Sorta Solid Teal and the trim in Sedona.

 Garrett came out last Sunday with two beautiful women (the third beautiful woman, Deidre, would not model, making the excuse that she had no makeup!) so Hannah and Kelly were coerced into wearing hot mohair and wool on this 95 degree day so I could do a photo shoot.

 They were naturals and I think they had a good time. Kelly was such a good sport, she even changed into my skirt for the shoot.

 They certainly did the pieces justice.

 Here's the collar knit out of Sedona. I just love how the leaves 'dance' across the sweater.

 Hannah was so demure and reserved....

 Not! She has a natural flair and was quite at ease in front of the camera.

 

She acted like there was a chill in the air, although it was sweltering.

 In this shot, she said she was portraying a very sad model. I told her to act like she had eaten an extra cracker and had gained 4 oz. 

 I'm hoping to sell, sell, sell lots of my 'Biggie' yarn. I'm taking plenty of skeins (at least 50) so hopefully I won't be sending it back home.

 'Biggie' makes this 'Wrap Me Up, Buttercup' shawl.

Another of my unique yarns is 'Happiness', four novelty yarns stranded together, included with a fused glass brooch in a complementary color.

 But it's not all just pretty yarn and girls. This is what my dining room looked like all last week. It's been way too hot to work up in my studio with temps getting to over 100 degrees. 

It's a literal sweat shop!

 So I moved all my equipment and heaps of yarn near the air conditioner and fan. Trapper was more than happy to keep me company.

 My 'piece de resistance' is going to be my blow up legs. I have mannequin legs, but they are way too heavy to ship so thought about getting a blow up doll. Well, they have holes in delicate places and they are really quite ugly. You be the judge. 

 

But then I found a website that is chock full of inflatable mannequins. Score! I mistakenly ordered a male one, sent him back and got the legs of my dreams.

 I knit Thigh High Leg Warmers for her and I have to say, they fit like a glove!

 

I just need to get rid of her cellulite with a little more air.

 She has a bit of a wrinkly butt.

But with her legs in the air and showing off her new thigh high leg warmers, I'm hoping she'll bring in the customers.

 I could send 150 pounds at a small package weight by UPS freight so packed up 4 boxes with 'oh-I-hope-it's-the-right-stuff'.  We had to weigh it on a regular scale which meant that we had to weigh ourselves, the pick up the box and total the weight. Garrett whined the whole time so we girls had to take over. Yep, they're heavy!

 But I still have WAY more to take. Luckily we can take 200 pounds of baggage with us on the plane and I'm coming dangerously close to that.  Unfortunately, we're taking it all on a long ride. We couldn't get frequent flyer tickets to Portland, so we're flying in to Missoula (where Forrest lives), taking his car and driving to Portland over a couple days, camping on the way. I won't have to worry about having no yarn for projects! So after Sock Summit, we're visiting lots of Portland friends, going camping with a couple of them, driving to Ketchum, Idaho and staying with friends, then back to Missoula where we'll help Forrest pack up for his big move back east. Phew! Who ever said vacations were easy! Wish me luck!