The Meaning of Fairground....

posted by wool girl

fair·ground (fârground)
n. Open land where fairs or exhibitions are held.

This definition was not enough for me. To me, it did not describe the true meaning of Fairground, or the exact feeling and essence the Blue Moon gals were trying to get across when they created this richly appealing and colorful yarn.

To me, this yarn states something different. It states cotton candy and caramel apples. It states riding the ferris wheel at night, when the sky is illuminated with only the lights from the fair. It states 4-H and pigs and sheep, hens and chicks, and rabbits. It states art exhibits and pie competitions, the haunted house and the big yellow slide. To me it means much more than "open land where a fair is held". It's the feeling you get when you are about to ride on the Zipper - that excited, yet sick to your stomach feeling. It's the feeling you get when you're watching Kenny Rogers or the Doobey Brothers perform in the open pavillion, where thousands of others are cheering them on while drinking a Bud Light. This feeling you can only get at a fair. (I think you can only see the Doobey Brothers perform at a fair also, so that adds to the excitement and feeling of it all.)

To me, a fair states youth and games and popcorn. My memories include games of throwing a dime in a glass, knowing it would never land in that glass, but always hoping it would, by some slim chance, just so I could win that gigantic stuffed bear and get cheered on by my friends. There were also the "throw the dart at the balloon" games, basketball throwing events, and pretty baby competitions. Not to mention the dairy goat cheese contests, the jr livestock auctions, and the hot dog and pie eating festivities.

In knitting this Fairground sock, I wanted to give it a Fairground feel. I wanted to make it fun and festive and memorable. Most of all, I wanted it to remind me of the fair I had experienced as a child, and all the fond memories I still hold of the fair today.

So, without any further rambling on, here is my first Fairground sock, shown in many lights (please note, I did not follow the pattern that came with the yarn this time, as I wanted to express myself differently with this one). I used the Baby Cable Rib pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks and included a picot edging on the top of the sock. Also, I ended the socks just at ankle length, as I'm beginning to realize that I love my socks this length. Very comfy, simple, cute and easy to wear!















































Oh, how these remind me of the fair! :)