Going to the fair.....

Well yesterday was the day to drive to the fair and pick up our chapter member's entries. Thank heaven the weather was kind this year. There are some years that it is broiling hot in the dusty rural area of Missouri. But this year the weather was delightful. High 70's, sunny skies and a nice breeze. That doesn't mean that the horse barns didn't still have an "aroma." As is always the case, we made our way to the home ec building first. That is what I came for after all. Not a bad showing. I had four entries this year and came away with four ribbons. Three blues and one white. Two of my blues were best of show for their division. Not too shabby.

I will be real honest and say that the fact that both of my best of shows look as if someone slept in them. Aghhhh. I guess they had to be handled quite a bit for judging. It is just a killer when you spend so much time ironing it. I wanted them to be presentable when they arrived. I laughed out loud when I saw the ribbon looped over the bonnet of the pink linen set. I guess someone thought that was the way it was supposed to be. Could be a trend I guess.

In the top picture you can see a portion of the quilt that got the gold award for the home ec building. It was spectacular. It is a whole cloth quilt w ith millions of the tiniest hand stitches. If I had been thinking I would have gotten a picture of the whole quilt but here is a teeny portion.

On to the next thing. What you are you sewing these days?

Time for the Fair...

It is summertime; lazy days, watermelon, vacation, sunny days and the State Fair. I have been busy finishing my items to submit to the state fair as well as gathering previously finished items to prepare to take them. I have five items this year. I am a city girl through and through so my attendance at any fair is limited. I have been lucky enough to have been to a few old fashioned movie worthy country fairs. With row and row of jams and jellies displayed like jewels,

gorgeous quilts hanging over a clothesline and of course children with their livestock entries.

It seems straight out of a children's story book to this city girl.

Here in Missouri there are two chapters of the Smocking Arts Guild of America. One of those chapters was instrumental in getting a smocking category reinstated at our state fair. The category has grown and grown in the five years since it has been reinstated. That is wonderful. Another way to make sure that an art that I love is continued. I was even blessed 3 years ago to win Best of Show in the smocking division. It was very exciting. And even more exciting for me, it was for my favorite type of project, a christening gown. Not sure how I think this year's entries will do, but I am anxious to find out.

My love affair with a seam ripper continues, but I was able to fix the back armhole curve on my dress. I think this one will work better don't you? It is hanging to dry now. I will have pictures of it tomorrow.