We made our annual family trek to the fair last Sunday. Had lots of fun seeing and doing all sorts of fun things, and got to find our results!
I entered a total of 10 items in crochet (8) and needlework. My final totals were 1 Judges Award of Merit (same as a judges choice), 4 blues, 2 reds, and 1 white. Three items received nothing--including what I thought was my best item (doily in size 30 thread). The 3 items I almost did not enter because I didn't think they were up to par received a blue (scarf that's really just oversized edging), a red ( a hat I wore all last winter, in spite of hand washing is a bit fuzzy), and a white (afghan with some gaugish issues and a poor yarn choice).
Unfortunately, at my fair they don't display all items from each category together. And they cover up parts of some tags in the display. So there is no way to find the items you were competing against. This is sooooo frustrating to me. Now, I the doilies were pinned up, so I did get to see those. I don't know what they were looking for, unless it was just size. Mine was 16", the winners were all larger, though 1 had major tension issues. 1 was actually a small tablecloth, so I don't know why it was even in that category!
I don't want to bog everything with 7 pictures, so here is my best showing item, my Casalguidi embroidery sachet:
My 8yo also entered an owl he knit in class last year. He had the best showing!
That huuuuge rosette is a "sweepstakes" ribbon. As far as I could tell, in the Kids divisions Sweepstakes is the same as the adult Best of Class, but they do it by age group, so there are 3 given in Knit/Crochet.
We had a very fun day and were all exhausted after 6 hours of walking and 90+ degrees.
I had 16 entries in knitting, bead knitting, bead crochet, and bead weaving. I've won One 2nd Place Special Premium Award for knitting, 13 blue ribbons, and 3 red ribbons.
I'm most proud of my Pomatomus socks. They won the premium award.
For pics and details of the rest of my awards, please visit my blog. Trying to post all those pics on here is beyond me at the moment.
Linda Jo
I've actually known most of my results since the end of July, but I was waiting to find out how my photos did, plus get pictures of my stuff 'in situ'.
I got second place for the photo of Calvin whittling, and a "Staff Favorite" ribbon (those were new this year, along with "Judge's Favorite"). However, I didn't get to keep the fancy ribbon! :( I placed third with the jester costume, and fourth with both the skirt and my Notre Dame De Grace sweater. I'm quite pleased with the sweater, as there were at least 7-8 sweaters in the category, and they only place 4 of them. I went to judging, and the comment the judge made about it was that she wasn't sure if the 3 needle bind off on the outside was a design element or a flaw (it was part of the design).
I've been to judging a few times now, and I've found that, in general, the judges really don't know what to do about non-conventional techniques. I have found it very helpful to watch, however, because they will point out things good and bad and give helpful tips. Otherwise, you'd be pretty lost, as no notes or comments are written on your tags.
On to next year!
I'm very pleased with how I did this year! Due to a bad case of head lice in my household and having trouble with Typepad, this is the quick version of what won what. This will be my only picture. For a longer version with pictures, visit here.
Champion and best of show in smocking/handsewing.
Champion in Children's "Better Dress" outfit.
5 blue ribbons-all in clothing.
1 blue ribbon in toys and special classes for my doll clothes.
3 second places-for all my baked goods.
1 second place for my tie dye.
1 third place for one photo.
1 fourth place for one photo.
Two photos did not receive any ribbons.
I'm very pleased with my achievements this year! Thanks for letting me share.
Can't wait to continue reading how everyone else is doing!!!!!
This year I won a ribbon in every category I entered!
Of course, the fair here is small, and it is likely I was the only one, or one of just a few, in each of the classes I entered. But it's still nice to have four blue ribbons and two red (second place) ones. The only comment I got from the judge was on the baby quilt: it said "Knots should have been tied, nice soft colors." I realized that after washing a few had come undone and I didn't fix that before entering the quilt. Oh well, still a second place! (Typepad seems to be cropping the picture--at the right my premium total is all of $11.00. But I don't do it for the money.)
Thanks to my friends Anne and Kirsten who dropped off and picked up my items while I was out of town.
Yesterday I submitted the rest of my fair entries. All of them had something to do with beading, my second passion after knitting. Here's pics of what I entered.
A Cellini Spiral necklace
A beaded cabochon necklace
A bracelet done in Double Spiral stitch
A bead crochet rope necklace with a yellow turquoise pendant done in peyote and branch fringe.
A Christmas ornament cover done in branch fringe (I have a thing for branch fringe :-D )
Another Christmas ornament cover done in right angle weave with crystals
A felt applique Christmas stocking I made for my daughter.
I also entered 2 bead knitted amulet necklaces, but I can't post pictures of them on the net because I'm writing a book of bead knitted projects and they are two of the projects for the book. Publishers don't like it if pics are posted publicly before the book is published.
That's everything. I won't know until after the 20th if I've won any ribbons or not. I'm so looking forward to going to the fair. I just love fairs. They're so much fun!
Have a great day.
Linda Jo
Beadknitter Gallery
2 out of my 4 entries took 3rd place my bagstopper and my 3 piece baby set. W
ow I'm still can't believe it!
This is an abbreviated post of what was entered (believe it or not). For more details and info on my other family member's entries, go here.
My items were entered on Thursday and Friday. Here is the complete list w/ some pictures:
purple gingham smocked bishop dress
pink lined coat-under 6 years
pink skirt
picture smocked dress
Infant garment
Girl's everyday dress 7-12
These 18" doll clothes are one entry for Dolls and toys.
One jumper dress that I failed to take a photo of. It is very similar to this dress. Same pattern, different fabric.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies
Also a Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake, but again no picture since we were running out the door. You can see what it generally looks like here. (although the one I entered looked much better)
One tie dye t-shirt. Again, no picture. Sorry!
These four photos.
And finally my entry for "You be the judge.":
"You be the Judge" is a contest held in the Home Arts Building that allows fairgoers to do the judging.
Every year they choose a charity or group to make something for, so what you make is then donated to that group.
This year the theme was book bags for Head Start students. I forgot to take a picture of the bag when it was sewn together, but if you can imagine this folded in half with front of the caterpillar on the front and the other half on the back, you get the idea. I only took this picture because I wanted to show the whole caterpillar at once. Judging for this contest started today and will end on Wednesday. I will find out on Friday if I won.
Judging for all the other items above was yesterday. We will be going to the fair tomorrow to see how we did. I will post when I can!
Well, it's here. Fair time. I've been busily getting my entries ready to go. Last week I got my knitting entries taken care of. I'm a member of a local knitting group called the Knitwits. We do charity knitting. If I enter my things through the club, any prize money I win will go to them to be used for buying yarn for the next years projects. I'll get the ribbons. It's a cool way to help the club out. Anyway, this is what I authorized them to enter for me:
Ferdinand the North Idaho Kootenai Gnome.
Edaline the Mermaid
Some baby socks
The Dinosaur
My Opal Happiness Socks.
My Purple Charades
My Pomatomus socks.
Next week I take the rest of my things in. I've made some crochet beaded jewelry, and some other bead woven jewelry, as well as a couple bead knitted amulet bags and whatnot.
Linda Jo
The Beadknitter Gallery
Well I'm all set now, I've just dropped off my items to be judged for the knitting competition.
here's the projects I finally decided on enter, a pair of socks, the bagstopper, a baby set, and of course the Lillian, The Lady taking the entries was very impressed, but she was quick to note that she was not a judge :P
!
I won't know how well I did until the fair officially opens on Friday, so until then I'm keeping my fingers crossed. lol
