Ham Fest

The Fort Walton Ham* Fest was Saturday. Fort Walton is next door to Mary Esther and only about 2 hours away from here. Being the good little Amateur Radio Operators that we are, Michael and I hopped right in the car**. I snapped this of the Mary Esther house as we drove by:

the driveway

Hi, house! I miss you so much in the winter time!

If you’ve never been to a Ham Fest (I am pretty sure you haven’t), it is a big radio flea market: junk, radio innards and antennas everywhere. I worked on my socks while Michael poked around.

waking and knitting

That’s still Bloomin’ Feet Sock #1.

The 3×1 cuff is MUCH better and the only reason I didn’t go with it the first time I tried it is that it curls a little at the top (not enough purls in the ribbing to keep it flat). I have a plan to fix that***.

While I was standing around knitting, it occurred to me that we were very close to a yarn store! After a small amount of whining and an antenna purchase, I secured a visit.

one of the windows

You’ll notice that there seems to be enough yarn of one color to actually MAKE something!

It has changed ownership since I was there last. Now called Unwind, the shop carries a much better selection for “serious” knitters than before. There wasn’t a whole lot of sock yarn, but it IS Florida (home of the flip flop) so I can forgive that. There were a bunch of people in the back sitting around and knitting. EVERYONE was very friendly and helpful – not just the girl who was working the counter. I ended up buying a book (the new Interweave sock one) and no yarn. Oh the shame! I didn’t expect them to have enough of anything so I didn’t bring the yarn requirements or colors for my upcoming projects with me. I won’t make that mistake again.

*Ham like radio not like smoke-cured – although the sausage festival was in Pensacola this weekend. Mere coincidence? I think not.
**To tell the truth, I was not planning to go until 20 minutes before we got in the car. Otherwise I would have tired to harass Becky into coming with me. Trust me, Becky, you are better off this way, Ham Fests are not exactly my idea of a Good Time. Sausage Festivals on the other hand…
***Just because I have a plan doesn’t mean that curling solution suggestions aren’t welcome!

19 thoughts on “Ham Fest”

  1. Leah

    So I’m guessing this would be the equivalent of my husband dragging me to a gun/knife show? What a good and supportive wife you are!!

  3. Loriticajane

    Actually, I HAVE been to a HAM Radio fest. =) My husband is a Amateur Radio Operator. Me? Not so much but I don’t mind going and walking around and watching people. Or finding a nice quiet spot under a tree to knit. =) I let my husband geek out and I knit. Yeah, that works for me! =)

  4. p

    now I definitely would not have minded a ham fest if it was the cured kind! well done for managing to get a yarn shopping trip in … you can’t have too many of those 😉

  5. Teyani

    ham fest… yuck yuck, good joke.. I wonder if they chose that name just to confuse all of us non-radio operators. (grin)
    curling on the sock cuff? arrrgghh.

  6. katie

    Like Leah, I’d be dragged to a hunting expo of some kind if it came to town. Glad there was a good yarn experience (even if you didn’t buy any)!

  7. Rachel

    Aww, you had me all excited — I would have been all over a ham (like the meat) festival like mud on a pig.

    I LOVE a store that has colors in large quantities — and it’s very rare.

    I really like the new IK sock book. I’m already on my second pattern out of it.

  8. erin

    Such restraint, Emily 🙂 I find it very difficult not to buy yarn when it’s all in front of me. By the way, how do you like the new sock book?

  9. sprite

    I’m not sure how helpful this suggestion will be, but the knitted cast-on I normally do curls in stockinette stitch. My grandmother told me the way to fix that is to knit the stitches through the back loop for the first row. Clearly, though, that’s only helpful when you realize it when you’re still on the first row…

  19. Sue

    Now I’m hungry. Thanks, Emily! ;-p I’m proud of your ability to show restraint at the yarn store. That’s difficult!

  21. Kim

    I actually have a ham license. My company encouraged everyone to get one by giving us one if we got the license. I’ve almost never used it.

  22. Beck

    ahhh well i wish i had been there (the yarn store) with ya too my friend. Thanks for thinking of me.

    Is the FW house still “occupied”??

  23. Ruth

    I want to know why no yarn stores like that exist near me? It looks like a lovely store, you’re going to have to make a return visit.

  24. Karen

    Well you scored a nice yarn store visit from the deal, plus you got to spend some time together. Sounds like a good day to me. 🙂

  25. kelli Ferrigan

    i think the wee socks are sweet– and taking on the hosting of a swap is no wee tiny feat!! i esp. like the consideration for mailing costs– a swap that fits in a regular padded envelope– i’m only sorry i was too late to join. have enjoyed looking at all the wee tiny entries though! will come back whenever i need cheering up…

  27. Paula

    Hi Emily-I did not see your blog comment until today. Poo, if Fuzzy Mabel hadn’t moved, I coulda gone to another LYS on St. Simons. Wasn’t Unwind the Yarn Garden in FWB? I go about once a year. Still waiting for my wee tiny sockie.

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