County Fair Results 2018

Thanks for your patience (a whole 24 hours)...here are the results of my entries to this year's fair:

1. Knitting: Socks

An auspicious beginning...a first place for my socks.

I couldn't find them in the displays for a long time and was actually starting to worry that they went missing. But the displays were just overcrowded and they were sitting on top of a quilt entry. (I rearranged the displays a little later in the evening to make room for all of the entries.)

I didn't see any other socks for the category which is astounding to me. Where are the other sock knitters, because I know I am not the only one!

2. Knitting: Vest - Child

Another first. I don't think there were any other entries in this category either. :)

3. Knitting: Doily or Table Topper

Oh my...another blue ribbon. I doubt there was any other competition in this category either. (I didn't look closely, but I don't think so.)

To be honest, I had hopes this might get the Grand Champion, but that honour went to a sweater knit in a bulky variegated acrylic. (There was a much nicer lace cardigan up for Grand Champion too; I can't imagine how the sweater beat out the cardigan, but I didn't get to listen in on any of the judging.)

As I was rearranging some of the displays, I noticed there was an empty rack and put my shawl over it. It displays the shawl better and it made more room for the other items to spread out on the tables.

4. Knitting: Hat, Scarf and/or Glove/Mitten Set

No ribbon on this one. It is fun they had the head to model it on. The cowl isn't very well arranged so I fixed that later too.

5. Knitting - Any Other Not Listed

No ribbon on this one either. Since it's a miscellaneous category, it's hard to know what it was competing against. I know I saw a nice shawl with a blue ribbon so that would have been one of them. (Since there's no shawl category -- what?)

6. Quilts: Full, Queen, King Size - Machine Quilted, Pieced

No ribbon. I saw a little bit of the judging when they were looking at this category. They liked it, but there were five entries so someone has to come in last.

The quilt was hung right beside the door so it got some attention as people walked out. The volunteer desk is right there so I got to hear some nice reactions. Most of the time, I mentioned that it was my quilt and that led to some nice conversations. It's a little awkward, but I figure it's more polite to let them know before they say something they may not want overhead. :)

7. Quilts: Twin Size, Pieced

No ribbon. I didn't hear any of this judging. I know the piecing isn't fancy but the quilting is quite detailed.

8. Quilts: Wall Hanging, Appliqued (180" & smaller)

No ribbon. Remember my comment about the applique pieces not being sewn down? Yah, well, the judges didn't like that. You can see a note hanging from the quilt in the picture - it's an explanation that they liked the design but since the pieces aren't sewn down, they didn't judge it.

I guess they didn't find another category to move it into. Usually the volunteers try to move entries around if they don't work in the category they were submitted in.

9. Quilts: Mini Quilts (96" & smaller)

Blue ribbon here. I saw a little of the judging for this one. I think there were only about three entries, but they really liked my little mug rug.

10. Quilts: Table Topper/Runner

No ribbon. There were five or six entries in this one. The judges didn't like my quilt much. I think I overhead one judge say something like "I don't like this fabric at all." I left a note that I had painted the fabric, but I'm not sure they got it.

But the other entries were great and deserved the ribbons so I'm not trying to say mine should have won.

11. Quilts: Quilt Block Contest

Honorable Mention. (It made it on the quilt.) Remember my worries about the additional fabrics and using the purple upside down? They held it and another one to the side for a long time and I heard a few of the fair coordinators talking about it on an off. But in the end, they let the blocks in.

There were at least two other blocks with the purple fabric used both right side up and upside down. (And the other ones ended up in the top six.)

12. Color Photography, Head or Figure

Second place. I wandered by after the judging was done and the volunteer in that department let me know that the judge really liked the picture. It was nice to hear.

You can see the first place and third place photos in this category to the right and left.

And that's all of it! It was a fun day on Saturday. Tiring, but fun. I like my judges in the canning department and I'm getting to know more of the other volunteers as I see them year after year. The judging in the other departments was done fast, though; I didn't get much of a chance to observe any of it!

As usual, I worked the desk in the Home Arts building on Monday evening. I'll be there again Wednesday evening and Saturday around lunch if you want to stop by and say hi.

Buy a ticket (or 6 for $5) for the raffle quilt you can see hanging behind me. These are the blocks from last year. (And my block happens to be in the picture...the paddler in the bottom row.)


Before I was due at the table, Troy and I had a walk around the fair.

We stopped to watch a dressage event; they were putting the horses through their paces.

We also took a walk through the rabbit and chicken barns. From very small birds,

 to the very large:

This rooster was fantastic:

even in the more literal sense of the word.

Rabbits, too, come in tiny sizes,

 and large:

We always like seeing the satin breeds because that is what we had. The one above looks just like our "Red". Speaking of large, there was only one flemish giant that we saw and we think it was a juvenile because it was not as big as most.

We capped the evening with a delicious ice cream from our favourite truck, "Good Dips". They weren't in the same place as previous years and we fretted that they didn't come back. But with persistent looking, we tracked them down. It was worth it!