I entered three items in the fair this year.
I knew the quilt and Baby Vertebrae wouldn't place. All my hopes were on those socks getting the blue ribbon!
Well, at least I got second I guess lol. I was immediately disappointed when I saw them and then felt bad for being ungrateful that I placed at all. The class was bigger this year then the past two years that I participated. There were 9 entries. So, I guess I'm lucky to place but I still can't help but feel a little miffed lol.
Below is the item that beat me then went on to place best in show.
This item was third in my class.
As I was leaving the fair after learning of my placing, I was annoyed and then remembered that I was annoyed last year too when I lost to the crocheted viking hat and then I thought maybe I don't want to participate in the fair anymore. At least not the county fair. There are only two classes for hand knitted clothing: Coats, Sweaters, Cape and Other Clothing Knitted Articles. This is really annoying especially because I was beaten by a shawl. While I was looking over the other entries I noticed that there were shawls in both categories. No one was sure where they belonged. Is a shawl a cape? Not really. But should it be competing in a category against hats and socks? I don't like that either. It was irksome. How do you compare items of different types? What is the criteria for winning? I felt like socks displayed knowledge of several different techniques while shawls demonstrate short rows I guess? Which is considered more advanced? And do the judges take size into account? So the bigger projects are more work so higher valued than the small items? And asthetics? Is it just subjective?
I researched the Oklahoma State Fair and they have specific knitting categories. I would be competing against other socks in a class called Socks. And shawls has it's own category as well. It's too late to enter this year but maybe next year. There's no guarantee that I will win but at least I will feel like the competition is fair.
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