A few braved the downpours under a tent, but most retreated to the inside on Saturday, June 14, for Rochester's contribution to World Wide Knit in Public Day. While at its peak, the event's participants numbered in the 20s -- including a few men -- when I arrived only a dozen remained. They came from Fairport and Greece, although many were from the city and a few from close by. Knitting projects in progress included socks, a shawl, an afghan, scarves, and baby sweaters.

I was assured that the humidity didn't adversely affect the yarns, although those using silk had to take care that it didn't get wet. Other than chasing most of the people inside, the weather didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits, and they kept one another in stitches with their yarned tales -- puns intended. Valerie McPherson, one of the organizers, told me that one of her reasons for doing it was because there are almost no yarn shops left in Rochester. The day was a way to share information. And yarn. She told me a City Newspaper reader came by just to drop off her extras.

The Rochester Knit in Public Day was a first, but McPherson told me that back in January some of her friends gathered weekly to watch Jane Austen movies and knit. Think of the sequel: "The Jane Austen Knitting Club."

Many of the women present had never met, but some were members of the Knitting Guild. They all had knitting stories, the most far-fetched being that the women of the Shetland Islands in Scotland knitted their way out of prostitution. Intrigued, I Googled the idea and came up with the reverse. Apparently, they supplemented their meager knitting earnings with prostitution.

Next up: Backyard Habitat Tour