Friday, August 17, 2007

A day at the fair

So today our local fair started. I'm not really sure what you would call it. Its not really a county fair and its not a total state fair. The title is the Western Idaho fair, so I guess I would have to say its more of a regional fair. There are entries from several county in the area. Well years ago when I first moved to Boise I started to enter crocheted items because at the time Super yarnmart would award 5,10 and 15 dollar gift certificates to the winners. So that was my way of adding to my stash. By the way don't you just miss that store? Well now days the local knitting guild will give out special prizes but for the most part the fair pays the premium money. So for the past few years I have entered a few things, mostly knitting but some times other things like tatting, crochet and even some hand sewn mini bears. For the past 20 or so years I have been wanting to win the Sweepstakes award. There are two one for just needle arts and the other is called the Grand Sweepstakes, the way you win these is by gathering the most points from the wining items that you entered. Well this year I just ran out of time to get enough items to enter or so I thought. Today as my husband and I were looking to see how I did I couldn't find any of my stuff. Well it turns out that I did win the Needle Arts Sweepstakes. So in a week I will get to bring home a really cool plague. I was so floored. I would have won the Grand Sweepstakes if I had entered items in 5 or more categories, I only entered in 3. The neat thing was I was just really wanting to win first with my Journey shawl, which I did by the way along with three of the sweaters, some yarn,and a couple of other things that are shown in the picture below . OK so I'm done bragging about my big win. I will say one more thing I think I will get started right away and try for the Grand Sweepstakes next year.

5 comments:

Theresa said...

Congratulations!! I'm so excited and happy for you!

Carissa said...

Congratulations! What a wonderful surprise!

Lisa said...

Congratulations! Now the SITM KAL has a real expert on staff! You deserve the right to toot your own horn a bit!

knitalot3 said...

Brag away! You earned it!

That is really awesome. I have always wanted to enter things in a fair, but have a multitude of cheap reasons why I haven't.

Any pointers for us fair newbies?

I'm not competition for you, I'm in SE Idaho.

LisaK

Melanie said...

When is comes to entering items in the fair. Here is what I have learned over the years. The inside of your work needs to look as nice as the outside. It needs to be clean and new looking. You would be surprised how many things come to the fair that are dirty or look worn. Now I would be lieing if I said I didn't wear some of those sweaters pictured. because I have, I just make sure I have the washed and blocked and then I remove any pills that may be on it. Entering things in the fair has always be a fun thing to do for me. I ususally use some of the prize money to eat one night at the fair. One thing I do tell my 4H kids... Its one judges opinion on that day. So don't take it to seriously. I have entered things that I didn't think were all that great and they have gone on to win the top prize, and I have had other things that I know I could not knit any better any they got nothing, so you never really know what's going to happen.