Let's go to the fair! I grew up on the county fair. My grandparents were on the fair board in neighboring Highland County for something like 40 years. I remember helping do different jobs as fair week approached. Washing display cases. Helping in the baking category - pies, cookies, cakes, bread, muffins, etc. As I got older, I helped Grandma with her fair books, and did quite a lot of record-keeping. That would have been in the early 70s, well before the era of doing things with computers. I loved it all, too. I looked forward to the fair as much as any event throughout the year, I suppose. Because we had "connections" through our grandparents, my siblings and I often benefitted by scoring a free bag of peanuts or extra ride tickets. Gosh we loved that stuff!
So now I find myself once again helping out at a county fair. My quilting friend Terry recruited me to join her and several others of our quilting circle to work on the day when entries are brought to judging and then put on display for the week. This was last Saturday, and it was a long day.
It seemed as though the day went along rather slowly, and then when the judging started - WHOA! The intensity ratcheted up a few notches. We worked hard to afford the judge to have the best possible conditions to do her thing.
There are 2 divisions of quilts; department 8 had some lovely entries. There's even a category for UFOs! Isn't that cool? Most of us could enter something into that category, I think!
Eventually we filled our tables and we created a pretty decent display.
We spread out the quilts with ribbons and labels and covered everything with protective plastic. We also hang quilts on the walls, usually the blue ribbon winners.
This t-shirt quilt won best of show in our department. The judge was impressed with many aspects of this quilt, particularly the evenness of the machine quilting and the square, flat corners/binding; the overall workmanship was what she was looking for. It was interesting to hear her commentary as she judged.
No, I did not enter anything. I don't know why I don't, but it just isn't my thing. I almost did, and then at the last minute I decided not to. Maybe next year; we'll see.
Happy Quilting, Friends!
So now I find myself once again helping out at a county fair. My quilting friend Terry recruited me to join her and several others of our quilting circle to work on the day when entries are brought to judging and then put on display for the week. This was last Saturday, and it was a long day.
It seemed as though the day went along rather slowly, and then when the judging started - WHOA! The intensity ratcheted up a few notches. We worked hard to afford the judge to have the best possible conditions to do her thing.
Eventually we filled our tables and we created a pretty decent display.
We spread out the quilts with ribbons and labels and covered everything with protective plastic. We also hang quilts on the walls, usually the blue ribbon winners.
This t-shirt quilt won best of show in our department. The judge was impressed with many aspects of this quilt, particularly the evenness of the machine quilting and the square, flat corners/binding; the overall workmanship was what she was looking for. It was interesting to hear her commentary as she judged.
No, I did not enter anything. I don't know why I don't, but it just isn't my thing. I almost did, and then at the last minute I decided not to. Maybe next year; we'll see.
Happy Quilting, Friends!
Wow, it looks like the Ross county fair had many more quilts entered than the Ohio State Fair.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been hard work, but what an interesting day.tt
ReplyDeleteAmie, you are still no-reply, so I will respond here. It appears that sewing projects regardless of what level are down everywhere. The number of 4-Hers with garment projects was surprisingly low. The lowest ever, according to one official. In our home arts building, there were hardly any cross stitch or embroidery entries. And, there too, the garment entries were pitifully low. I think the needle arts are fading away. Not many of the younger generations are going for it, apparently. Either that, or everyone is reluctant to enter the fair.
ReplyDeleteHello, Jane :) I happened across this post today - I know it's an old post, but it was my t-shirt quilt that won Best of Show! It was exciting to read the judging process - and what the judge had to say about my quilt. I had made the quilt for my sweet niece, and my DSIL entered it into the show without my knowledge! The win came at a perfect time for me - my 13-year-old granddaughter was in the ICU at Children's Hospital after coming down with Lemierre's Syndrome, and it was a ray of sunshine in an otherwise terrifying time for our family. Thank you for this post. It was great re-living the moment again!
ReplyDelete