A Successful Year at the Show

This si going to be a photo-heavy blog - just a warning!

This week was the local agricultural show for our region, which is a chance for the young amongst us to make themselves sick on junk food and show rides, and all that.  It's also a chance for people to show off their skills and talents - whether it's show dogs, cattle, horse riding, cooking, flower arranging, or hand crafts.  

This year was the first year my parents entered anything in the show - Dad in the woodworking section, and Mum in the patchwork.  They both took home prizes in their novice sections, which was very exciting.

 Mum's quilts received a few awards, including the Debbie Bell Memorial Award.  Dad's "Retired" clock received a first in its section, and the Tardis cupboard he made me received second in the furniture section.

I entered some of my cross stitch in a few different sections, and some of my photographs, and was very excited/happy/thrilled to win several prizes of my own.

My Once Upon A Time design took out first place!!

Most exciting of all was that my own design won first prize in the cross stitch section!  In fact, I took out 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Highly Commended!  There may not have been anyone else in the section, but that doesn't matter - I still kicked butt!

 Scarlett by John Clayton took second, and another of my designs, Geeky ABC took third.  Woodland Fairie by Mirabilla received a Highly Commended.  Go me!

I managed to get my pieces entered into a few different sections too to spread the love (and chances of winning!).  I entered this cushion in the "A piece for the Lounge Room".  I can't remember who the designer was - I stitched it back in 2005, however it was only this year that I asked Mum to turn it into a cushion for me.  

 Oh, and my biscornu took first in the pincushion section.

Oh, and the wall hanging that mum and I made took out third in the special challenge Anzac-themed category.

I don't have a better photo as Mum took the wall hanging
home to her place

This is the first year I entered my photos in the photography section of the show.  Of the 10 photos I entered, I received a first, two seconds, and three highly commendeds!  These were much more competitive sections (quite a large number of photos in each of the categories) so I was really really chuffed!

A closer view of my pics:

Well that's it for another year.  Time to start stitching for next year!

Happy Stitching

Show Success

I've just returned home after a long day at the Emerald Agricultural Show.  Our church is paid by the Show Society to run the car-parking (directing people on where/how to park), so I've been up at the showgrounds since 7:30 this morning directing cars, and then wandering around looking at all the displays, exhibits, show jumping, dog shows, catching up with folk from around the local area, and helping a friend chase her two littlies around the kids performances and rides.

It was also a very successful Show for me this year, with my stitches winning four first places and a second!

This blackwork lady - Pearl by X-Calibre Designs - received a first in the "Item for the Bedroom" class.  I originally listed her under "any other handicraft" as our Show doesn't have a blackwork section, and I didn't want her competing against my other cross stitches, however the stewards decided this was a better section for her.  Since she got a first, I didn't mind where they listed her!









The first of my cross stitch entries, Shadow of An Angel by Zolotoje Runo, which received a first in the Counted Cross Stitch class.  I've discovered that glass on black material becomes a really good mirror - need to try and get a better photo!  I was a little surprised to discover this one received the first over my other entry, mainly because of the significant difference in effort that had gone into each, but the judge doesn't know any of that and at least I was beaten by myself!  I love this design - it was actually quite easy to stitch, and I'd really like to stitch more of them in the future.

Speaking of my other entry, this is it: Aurelia by Mystic Stitches.  There are 86000 stitches, and she took 4 1/2 years to stitch (with several other projects completed when I needed a break).  As I said, I was a little surprised she received the second (when compared to Shadow of an Angel), but at least I beat myself.  And I wasn't the only entrant either!  There were actually a number of other entrants in the counted cross stitch class this year, which is great as some years there have only been one or two... or none at all!

These three were all framed by the same local framer.  I ran into him and his wife today - they decided that it must have been the framing that gave these stitches the winning touch. :-)

My third entry in the counted cross stitch section was Judy by Classic Embroidery.  Unsurprisingly she didn't place next to the other two, but since it was only a $1 entry fee, and a chance to show off some of my work - why not?

There were also two themed classes in the Handicraft section.  The first was to celebrate 100 years of the Australian Red Cross.  I think the description of the class was 'an item of any medium related to the Australian Red Cross' (I've managed to misplace the show guide).  This one I designed myself using ProStitch and an image of the Australian Red Cross logo.  Trying to get the letters to look right while at an angle was the hardest part!  If I'd had more time I would have filled in the letters, but as it was I only managed to finish stitching and display it (stretched over canvas) 30 minutes before I had to drop it off.  Now I need to work out what to do with it - suggestions appreciated!

The second themed class was "A pink item suitable for the Breast Cancer Function".  I designed and stitched a pair of pink ribbon earrings and a dual pink ribbon necklace.  I used one of DMCs new pink variegated threads which gave the 'ribbon' a really nice shaded look, and I'm really happy with the finished look.  This pattern will be up on the Etsy site this weekend, with proceeds being donated to cancer research (once I work out the best way to do it).







So that's it for me at the Emerald Show this year.  I was going to enter some photos but didn't get myself organised in time - there's always next year!  I heard a (fairly substantiated) rumour today that one of next year's themes will be Gallipoli/Anzac given that it will be 100 years since the Gallipoli landing - time to get planning.

Happy stitching!!