A few weeks ago, I entered two knitting projects in competitions at the North Carolina State Fair. I’d never competed in a fair before, and I fully expected this to be an educational but ultimately non-victorious experience. But I loved going to the fair and seeing other peoples’ projects on display, so I thought hey, why not contribute?
Well, imagine my shock:
First place in Designed by Knitter, a category for items knitted from a personally designed pattern.
Second place in Shawls and Ponchos.
The uninformative bit is that I can’t post the first item (a cardigan) because I’m working up the pattern to submit to knitting magazines, and I can’t post the second item (a shawl) because the pattern has been accepted by a knitting magazine (and not Knotions, which takes a different view of pre-publication teasers), to be published this spring. So I’m left with two ribbons and nothing to show until the spring except those teeny 2″ swatches.
Of course, my proud bubble was rather burst when the nice little old lady manning the desk asked me if I was there to pick up the competition entries for my mother! And I had to say no, they’re mine… Clearly I need more hand-knitted items to drape about my person.
The lady at the desk would have asked if the hand-knitted items were made by your mother as well.
I am in my late 20s with 20+ years of knitting and crocheting experience, and people will tell me that it’s nice that I’ve just learned to knit. Meanwhile, I’m working on a complicated project I’ve designed myself. People were confused recently when I had jury duty and I was giving knitting advice to an older lady who had just learned to knit. People are stuck in their worldviews, I guess. It’s an opportunity to educate them, as I see it.
Oh, I should add a congratulations for your ribbons! I just decided to enter the county fair for next year after attending one this year. How was the experience?
Congrats! I missed the deadlines this year for entering, but plan to next year. I was wondering if you managed to see any of the baking stuff? And how awesome were the decorated cakes? :)
Tickles– thanks! My experience was very good. I was able to mail in my entries (it was a bit far to drive) and they were willing to mail them back to me. I was disappointed, though, that I didn’t get any feedback on my entries. I know they fill out a big, long ratings sheet with comments, and I’d have liked to see mine!
Tracey– My favorite is always the quilts and dresses, but I did love the cakes! I didn’t check the baking out in too much detail, though– don’t really know enough to evaluate. Maybe next year, if you’re in town, we should go together and go completely craft-geeky in the building!