Closing the chapter

The CA State Fair closed at the end of July and my entry was returned this week. I tore open the box and pulled out an envelope that contained the ribbon and judge's scoresheet.





The judge's comments are,

Wow! This is a wonderful piece of double knitting. I'm amazed at how well you maintained your tension with so much going on! Good job!

I had to read it twice because I thought if anything was going to knock me down a few notches, it was going to be the tension. I guess not. And it was good to hear that she recognized the technique and the level of difficulty. So, that closes the the chapter on this year's entry. As I'm working on next year's entry, I'm thinking, "Why do I put myself through this?" lol

Here are the rest of the photos I took at the fair. Enjoy the amazing work by these talented makers and other sights from the fair!


Lunch on a stick


Kabobs


Meat on the grill


Cow wash


Best of Show
Decorated Cake, Tiered Cake
Wine Country Vines and Flowers
Shay Weisbrich


Best of Class
Decorated Cupcakes, Uniform Cupcakes
Hamburger
Joana Rodriguez


Winners in Leavened Bread, Non-Leavened Bread, and Quick Bread


Best of Division
Decorated Cookies, Themed Cookie Set
Golden State Sweets
Cynthia Torres


First Place
Decorated Cookies, Themed Cookie Set
Sunshine & Summertime
Kimberly Vadenais


Best of Class
Youth Decorated Cake, Age 16-18
Chess Cake
Sara Cheng


King Arthur Flour gluten free baking contest
First Place
Mexican Corn Stick
Jennine Quiring

Second Place
Strawberry Cabernet Cake
Rachael Ryen

Third Place
Brown Butter & Mixed Berries Mini Cakes
Peggy Linberg


Second Place
Models, Buildings and Rooms
Fallingwater
Bill Reese
Sacramento


Third Place
Models, Buildings and Rooms
Caveman Camping
Kevin Knight
Sacramento


Best of Division, Embroidery (Counted Techniques)
Judge's Choice
First Place
Mother of Winter
Lona Bradford
Sacramento








Award of Excellence
3-D Artworks
Patience
Molly Brown
Sacramento


First Place
Handspun Yarn, Wool
Sock Yarn
Melissa Plummer
Amador


Second Place
Handspun Yarn, Wool
Derby Girl
Rachel Coffman
Placer


First Place
Handspun Yarn, Art/Textured Yarn
Christmas!
Betty Henderson-Sparks
Sacramento


Second Place
Handspun Yarn, Art/Textured Yarn
Fairy Queen
Ha Dang
Sacramento


Honorable Mention
Handspun Yarn, Luxury Fibers
Sunset Silk
Tabitha Warren
Marin


Honorable Mention
Other Fiber Art, Weaving
Amethyst in the sunshine
Pamela McSmith
Riverside


Honorable Mention
Other Fiber Art, Weaving
Color: I can't help myself!
Roberta Valdez
Santa Cruz


First Place
Modern Quilts, Two or More People -Medium/Large
Alissa McBain
Sacramento


Honorable Mention
Crochet, Crocheted Afghans
2017 Temperature Blanket
Josephine Salazar
San Joaquin


First Place
Crochet, Any Other Crocheted Item
Bed Doily
Suzanne Sullivan
Sacramento


First Place
Crochet, Crocheted Wearing Apparel
Judge's Choice
Forest Fairy
Suzanne Sullivan
Sacramento


Second Place
Crochet, Crocheted Wearing Apparel
Summer Vest
Suzanne Sullivan
Sacramento


Honorable Mention
Crochet, Crocheted Wearing Apparel
Sacramento Crochet Guild Award
Royal Baby
Noelia Briones
Sacramento


First Place
Dolls and Toys, Amigurumi
Wakanda Forever
Adwoa Cooper
Solano


First Place & Third Place
Crafting a Brighter Future, Newborns in Need: Any Baby Hat or Booties
Melinda Wong
Sacramento

The Best Day Ever - Part 3: Quilts

There are beautiful quilts shown at the California State Fair every year. They're hanging everywhere in the exhibit hall, and some are closer to the observers' eyes than others.

Many of the quilts look like what you'd expect in pieced or appliqued quilts. However, there was one piece that my brain wasn't able to figure out, even after getting as close as I could and really trying to understand it from a fabric and thread perspective. It is called Threads of Time.


1st Place, 195 - Small Quilts, 03 - Other or Special Technique Quilts
Lori Wisheropp
Threads of Time

The rings are machine stitched, but the cracks still baffle me. What a wonderful piece of work. Click on the image to see a larger version.


1st Place, 195 - Small Quilts, 03 - Other or Special Technique Quilts
Lori Wisheropp
Threads of Time

Here are the rest of the beautiful quilts that I captured this year.


2nd Place, 190 - Large Quilts, 02 - Pieced Quilts
Shireen Hattan
Angotti Mystery


1st Place, 190 - Large Quilts, 04 - Group Quilts
Linda Crawford
Bountiful Baskets


1st Place, 193 - Medium Quilts, 01 - Applique Quilts
Sherry Werum
My Favorite Silouettes


3rd Place, 193 - Medium Quilts, 01 - Applique Quilts
Jan Hollins
Days Gone By


1st Place, 193 - Medium Quilts, 02 - Pieced Quilts
Jan Soules
Chuparosa


2nd Place, 193 - Medium Quilts, 02 - Pieced Quilts
Linda Bergmann
Civil War Legacy


1st Place, 193 - Medium Quilts, 03 - Other or Special Technique Quilts
Penny S. Hanscom
Tryotuich


2nd Place, 193 - Medium Quilts, 03 - Other or Special Technique Quilts
Jan Millner
Heart and Home Village


2nd Place, 195 - Small Quilts, 01 - Applique Quilts
Audrey Keebler
View East from Coloma


2nd Place, 195 - Small Quilts, 01 - Applique Quilts
Audrey Keebler
View East from Coloma


2nd Place, 195 - Small Quilts, 02 - Pieced Quilts
Inger Blood
Sweet Potato


2nd Place, 195 - Small Quilts, 03 - Other or Special Technique Quilts
Inger Blood
Harvest Time


20 - Dorothy Killian Painter Award, 3rd Place, 195 - Small Quilts, 04 - Mini Quilts
Kellie Willey
Bitty Burgoyne in Blue


3rd Place, 195 - Small Quilts, 05 - Group Quilts
Marilyn Siefker
Dia De Los Muertos