Why I Don't Enter Things at the State Fair, anymore

Looks like the boys were busy today. When I left the house this morning the hall was empty. When I got home the evidence of their day was in the hall.



I got the next EZ Surprise jacket done. This baby is due in October but I decided the way babies are popping at work I need to get ahead of the game. Adding the "gold" stripe took the sweater away from Christmasy and gave the edge a nice frame. Now all I have to do is hunt up some buttons. Oh - some of the yarn way Woolease, some was - I have no clue. All worsted weight.



Now into the Why I Don't Enter Things in the State Fair Anymore...
Back a long time ago I used to enter 1 or 2 things every year. Every year I'd get a ribbon or two (not blue) and the little piece of paper telling me what I did wrong according to the judge. Oh, they'd tell me how nice the things was but somewhere in it was the reason for not giving me the blue ribbon. After a while, I switched over to entering weaving items - more ribbons - no blue ribbons. More reasons for the ribbon not being blue. I'm competitive and don't take criticism well. But each year I would try again. One of the knitting years I entered a grandma doll. I got second place I reasons for not getting first were my color choice. Silly me, I used dusty blue and dusty rose. Who would ever choose these colors? Two years later the only colors you could find were, you guessed it, dusty blue and dusty rose. The lesson I learned from this was, knit for yourself and enjoy what you make. Enter into the Fair if you want but take the criticism with a grain of salt. I've opted to knit and enjoy and forget the State Fair. Now I enjoy going to see what other people have made without the pressure of wondering if my knitting (or quilting or weaving) is better. (told you I was competitive!)

So - here's the Grandma doll. She is all natural fibers. Her body, hat, shawl, and dress are Bernat's Germantown wool. The hair is a mohair. Stockings are a dark navy wool but I don't remember which one. Apron - white with blue flecks cotton. She has a pair of pantaloons that are a natural color cotton- I wove these and sew them by hand.