Fair Results 2021

The first day of the fair was today and I went to find out how my entries did. And lucky for those who are impatient, it looks like I'll manage to post them the same day!

In the same order I showed them in the last post:

Knitting

Pullover: Second place

There were two entries in this category. The other is shown below and you can see it was chosen for grand champion as well.

Vest or Shell: First place

There was at least one other entry in this category, if you're wondering.

Socks: Second place

They were right beside each other, so I showed the first place entry in the same picture. I'm guessing the strips put it on top.

Any other-cowl: no place

Apparently the judges were not impressed with the double knitting. I did not take the time to try and figure out what else was in this category. It can be a real hodge podge!

Crocheting

Pullover: First place

Not to rain on my own parade, but pretty sure this was the only entry; but at least it was appreciated enough to get a ribbon. (A ribbon does not have to be awarded even if there is only one entry.)

Quilting

Full/Queen/King-machine quilted-pieced: Second place

I didn't get to see this being judged and I didn't confirm which quilt was first, but I think it was the one that was chosen grand champion, which is a killer quilt (I'll post it later with pictures of the other quilts), and just my bad luck to enter the same year.

I think at least one of the judges agreed because I saw this note on my card. They don't normally leave notes or feedback so this was a deliberate choice.

Meanwhile, my sister and I can keep up the joke from how my lace coat did, summing up something's worth with a facetious: "good enough for second place at the fair." :)

Twin-pieced: no place

There were at least five in this category. I saw the tail end of the judging, but not specific comments on this quilt. There aren't a lot of scrap quilt entries so I'm not sure they are appreciated. Even so, I'm not trying to imply that the ones that were awarded ribbons didn't deserve them.

Wall hanging (180 inch perimeter and smaller)-Pieced: First place

This was an honest win: there are usually quite a number of wall hangings. Again, I didn't search out its direct competition so I can't show any for comparison. (The ones it's hanging with here are table runners--different category.)

Mini quilts (96 inch perimeter and smaller): Third place

Mine is the blue and yellow on the left. The red and white one beside it would have been in the same category.

Any other quilted article not listed: First place

I don't know what it was up against, but I'm happy with that!! :)

Photography

Color: abstract: First place

Pretty sure there were only two pictures in this category, so not much competition.

I could not find this picture when they were put out for display after judging. Looked and looked. When Troy went with me today, I had him look. When I met the superintendent and mentioned it was missing, she looked and looked. I suggested it might be behind another picture because they put double layers on the shelves to hold them all before judging. She really didn't think that could be it, but she looked and found it...behind another picture. So now it's out and my mind can stop dwelling on it.

Black & White: head or figure: Second place

A lot more competition in this category. (There always is. People like taking pictures of people! :)

I wasn't happy with how it was printed; I think the dark side is too dark. But maybe changing that would have blown out the light side, so maybe it needs some touch up work done.

So there you go: 12 entries, 10 ribbons, 1 comment from the judge, and a lost picture found.

The County Fair is Back

Like many other things cancelled last year, the county fair is returning this year. Tomorrow morning I will be taking care of the canning entries and be turning in my own projects for judging and display.

You would think I would have lots more things to enter after two years, but this is not the case. I used my time for some other creative pursuits and I spent a lot of time recovering from surgeries, etc., which meant I wasn't doing much of anything. (Watching videos of other people making stuff doesn't give me anything to show for it! :)

When I started to think about what to enter this year, I remembered that I would still need to make a quilt block for the raffle quilt. That meant I would need to find the fabric kit that must be used. Long story short, I searched high and low (twice) and can't find it. I've decided to believe that I didn't buy a kit. (Never mind that I bookmarked a post on Instagram just a few months after the fair and tagged it "Fair block ideas".) They didn't have any more kits available so there was nothing to be done about it.

So what did I find to enter?

Knitting

1. Cardigan, coat, pullover or sweater – adult

The Telja sweater. I finished it in 2018 and could have entered it in the last fair, but I had another sweater (this striped blouse with collar) to enter and you're only allowed one.

It's been worn but when I pulled it out of the hope chest it looked like I had cleaned and blocked it before putting it away. I pulled off some fuzz balls and called it good.

2. Vest or shell – adult

The Boxy T. This was finished in September, 2019, just after the last fair. This also had some evidence of wear and I had to re-work in some ends on the twisted edging. (There are four strands to bury and nothing to put them in!)

3. Socks

These socks were made in 2016. They were supposed to have a pattern woven on the side as you knit. I took them on a trip without the pattern and knit too far. Not wanting to rip it back, I figured I'd add some embroidery later. Now, five years later, I worked in the ends on the second sock and pulled out the experiment embroidery I had started at some point.

I didn't have time for a full blocking so I put them on the sock blockers, made them damp by spraying them with water, and hung them under a ceiling fan.

4. Any other knitted article not listed

The True Hope Cowl. I knit this in 2018. I hope the judge appreciates that it's double knit, which means it looks like the "good" side on both sides with the colors in reverse.

Sidenote: I have to admit looking at these pictures is making me a little nostalgic for this hair!

Crocheting

5. Cardigan, coat, pullover or sweater – adult

The Summer Dreams top, made last year. This might be my first crochet entry. I don't know if they're going to consider this a "pullover" but it has long sleeves and does pull over your head, so I didn't know where else it would fit. I provided a hanger for hanging so they could see a little better how it would fit.

Quilting

6. Full, Queen, King size – machine quilted: Pieced

The Nocturne Star quilt! Just finished today and ready for its debut! I put a note on it that it was quilted on a home machine (not a long arm) because I have heard them make that mistake on my quilts in the past. Credit where credit's due.

7. Twin size: Pieced

The Plaidish quilt. Finished last year and I almost forgot about it!

8. Wall hanging (180 inch perimeter and smaller): Pieced

"Prayer Flags" I took this from where it was hanging at church, leaving a naked rod. I hope no one thinks it was stolen. :)

9. Mini quilts (96 inch perimeter and smaller)

The Yellow Star on Blue wall hanging. This one is only 18" square. I submitted the sister wall hanging (Crossed Canoes on a Starry Night) in 2010 and it won a blue ribbon. Fingers crossed!

10. Any other quilted article not listed

The mug rug I made for Troy's desk. It was pretty dirty but a hand wash and a soak in Oxyclean has it looking bright and fresh again. I hit the binding with an iron and it's all set.

Photography

11. Color: abstract

This is a picture I captured last summer of Lake Superior waves breaking on some rocks. I wasn't sure what class to put it in--seascape? still life? I went with abstract just because it's cropped close enough that it's a little hard to see what you're looking at at first.

12. Black & White: head or figure

Self-Portrait. Is it weird that I keep submitting pictures of myself? I don't know. I don't have anyone else to take pictures of so self-portraits it is. (I convince myself it's ok because of the long tradition of artists painting self-portraits. I'm guessing they had the same problem I do!)

There you have it. All the fair hopefuls I'll be turning in. I'll let you know the results as soon as I have a chance.

County Fair Results, 2019 Edition

I was working in the Home Arts building last night at the county fair. There's a lot going on this year...besides buying tickets for the raffle quilt ($1 each or 6 for $5), there is also voting for the People's Choice award, guessing how many buttons are in a jar, guessing how many corn kernals are in a jar, and finding a red and green bow in the displays. That's a lot of explaining to visitors!! (Don't worry; I don't hit them with all of it all at once! :)

As always, I went a little early so I could check out all the displays, take some pictures, and see how I did. Here are the results:

In Pullover/Cardigan, my vintage blouse place first!

Until I typed that, I thought it was second!! I still get confused by the red and blue ribbons. In Canada, red is first and blue is second. It's the opposite here and I'm telling you, I have the hardest time keeping it straight. Well, woo hoo! I saw one other entry in the category.

Next, my Blooming Brioche shawl placed first. (I didn't see any other shawls When I looked again, there was one other shawl.)

 My socks placed second:

 They were topped by these socks:

I see Laura's projects every year and she's very good. Always good to have some worthy competition! :)

Next is the pullover in the child category. My Wool-Aid sweater placed second:

 Again, beat out by Laura!

But it's never a shame to be beaten by the Grand Champion!

The final knitting project was my mini sock book marks, in the "miscellaneous" category. They placed first:

It's hard to tell what else is in this category so I have no idea what the competition was.

In quilts, my blue elephant quilt won second:

ETA: When I got the quilt back, the judges had noted that the piecing was very good but the quilting "needed work." I can't argue with that since I'm more of a "confident beginner" than expert at free motion quilting.

I had the fun of seeing two different people vote for my quilt for the people's choice award. The third person said she was voting for mine (of course she said "the blue and white elephant one" since she didn't know it was mine at the time) and then I saw her write down the wrong number! I wasn't sure at the time so I didn't say anything but when I checked later, I confirmed it. Oh well, there's a vote I won't get.

This is a new award for the fair. The winner will get a $20 gift certificate to a local quilt shop. That's a lot more value than any of the ribbon premiums!! I believe they said they'll count the votes on Friday so that they can post it on Saturday for everyone to see. (So if you want to give mine a vote, get to the fair before then!! :) ETA: I was notified that I did win the people's choice award! I'm so flattered and excited.

The raffle quilt block category was very competitive this year. For one thing, there were more blocks returned than any year I've been there, and they were good. So it is a great pleasure to not only be picked to be on the quilt, but to also be awarded sixth place!

This is the second time I've placed (in 10 years), and both times it was sixth. Apparently the judges had to get very picky this year, so I'm glad I got all of my points to match!

On to photographs...look at this!

Grand Champion for black and white photography! One year the clerk told me I was really close with my picture of some keys, but this time I got it! Wow.

My "seascape" picture was awarded third:

 It was also beat out by the Grand Champion:

(well, and the picture which placed second).

And finally, my collage placed third:

Mine is the one on the left. I've included the others in the picture so you can see what else was there. I think there was a fourth and maybe a fifth entry in this category too because just before I left on Saturday, I walked by the table where the judge was evaluating these and I thought there was a very good chance I wouldn't place at all.

Another fun year at the fair! I should be able to get a post with all of the quilt entries later this week so keep an eye out for that.

Going to the Fair (2019)

Time for the fair again! Each year I look at the current "fair book", consider the categories, and decide what items I've made over the last year fit. Here's what I came up with this year:

Knitted Cardigan/Pullover
I've finished two sweaters since the last fair. My Telja (made with Icelandic wool),

and the vintage Vogue flashback:

Since my recommendation of abolishing the "knitted blouse" category was acted upon, I can only enter one of these in the "cardigan or pullover" category. (Yes, I was responsible for combining the cardigan and pullover categories too. If you don't like it, you should have entered more projects. Besides, it made room for the shawl and sock categories that were missing.)

Even though my gut tells me that the Telja sweater would be traditional enough to be appreciated by the judge, I have decided to enter the striped blouse. It certainly required more time and a lot more fussy finishing work.

Knitted Shawl or Wrap
I had two shawls I thought merited entry: the Hasukai cowl,

and the Blooming Brioche shawl:

The Hasukai is hard to understand when it's not being worn and is essentially a lot of garter stitch. The triangle shape of the Blooming Brioche is easy to understand and the patterned brioche stitch demonstrates a lot more skill. So Blooming Brioche it is!

Knitted Socks
Apparently I have made only one pair of full socks this year! Hard to believe. These are my entrelac socks made from wool purchased in Iceland.

I added several pair of shortie socks to my "done" pile this summer, but I don't think shortie socks are going to cut it.

Knitted Pullover-Child
I started this sweater in February for Wool-Aid and just sewed on the buttons this week.

It may not seem to qualify as "child" since I knit for the larger end of Wool-Aid's needs, but I think it should still be acceptable. (And it is literally knit for a child, so...)

Any Other Knitted Item
For this category, I decided to throw a set of these bookmarks into the ring.

I have five left. They are so stinking cute so I hope they are well-received.

Full/Queen/King Quilt-Pieced
Since this quilt wasn't accepted to the International Quilt Market's Sapphire Celebration exhibit and I wasn't in town to put it in the Shipshewana Quilt Festibal this year, its debut will be at the county fair.

If history is any indication, the worse it does here, the better it will do elsewhere!! :)

Raffle Quilt Block
My entry for the theme "Grandma's Scrap Quilt".

And I usually put in some photography as well. In the black and white section, I have entered this capture of a dandelion:

In the full colour section, I debated between these shots:

I love this shot of my mom and her sister. Besides their smiling faces, the background is out of focus just the right amount for a portrait.

I cropped this shot from the garden in Akureyri (Iceland). It ended up not printing as well as I had hoped.

This is the sunset Troy and I saw on our last night in Reykjavik.

I ended up going with the sunset, entering it in the "seascape" category.

I don't usually enter anything in the "grouping" section. (I don't have a frame suitable for multiple pictures for one thing.) This year I tried a different approach and made the collage in Photoshop and had it printed all on one 8x10 shot.

They are from a morning I walked around after a rainfall.

Tomorrow (Saturday) I will be helping with the sign in process and of course organizing the canning category for the judges and recording results. As always I will try to overhear as much of the quilting judging as I can. (I never seem to catch the knitting judging; I think it's done later.)

If you'd like to come to the fair, it will be open Monday, July 29, through Saturday, August 3. Check out their website for specials and events. (Super Kickers Rodeo is on Monday night!)