County Fair

Dear Readers,

This year, for the first time, I entered some items in the fair!

SPOILER ALERT:

I didn't win.


That's ok, though! Most of the pieces I submitted, I could tell you exactly what's wrong with it. The frustration is that the judging criteria are not publicized, so there is no way of knowing for sure why your piece placed or didn't.

I only was disappointed about one of my pieces - as I said, the rest were more of a lark.

For your perusal, the pieces in situ:

Robbie's doll. Actually, I don't know if the doll's been named! I should ask the little boy I gave it to.

A close-up. I embroidered the stars and moon on the belly and on the hood before I sewed the guy together. Entirely hand-sewn. He was made from a kit, but the pieces were not pre-cut and there was no pattern for the embroidery. The face is also hand embroidered.

The purple one in the middle!

A close-up. This is a pillowcase (with ties on the bottom using standard 1/4" white twill tape). The white diamond is stitched onto the front side. The back is a green leafy print. The embroidery is done on white muslin using DMC embroidery floss. The top and L/R corners each contain three small hand-done eyelets. The embroidery is done using satin, stem, and running stitches, while the blackberries themselves are done using french knots. No pattern was used, this was my own design based on a photograph.

This is a jacket and hat combo I made for my littlest sister several years back.

Up close again! These are both made of what I believe would be called a brocade - they are upholstery fabrics and thus nothing special (probably all sorts of gross modern fibers). The hat is lined with a light blue/white striped cotton. The pattern for the hat consists of four quadrants plus a brim/band. The jacket is all one piece, with the only seams being the underside of the arm leading across the front of the chest. The rest of it just folds together! This is based on an early medieval pattern I was shown in my history of fashion class. The coat is lined with a slightly coarse green fabric, and "piped" with red bias tape sewn with a fancy machine stitch in green thread (maybe it was just a zigzag? I can't remember, and I don't have the garment in front of me right now). The jacket is actually also entirely reversible. It fits a four- or five-year-old.

Child's nightgown (age 10?) and my housecoat (house dress? coat dress?).

Made of wool or a wool blend. Buttons down the front. Cuffs, collar, and accents are all crocheted. The collar and cuffs (but especially the collar!) are actually a physical representation of a mathematical hyperbolic plane. The yarn is acrylic, fall-tone variegated.

The nightgown. Based on another nightgown my sister used to have but had outgrown. Made of pink striped cotton flannel. Has small lace around the yoke. Sleeves gathered onto elastic just up from the edge to create a ruffle. Buttons down the back of the yoke.

1820's inspired dress. Made of a non-natural crushed velvet with gold sparkles. High waist. Sleeves are small tubes, so they fall similarly to cap sleeves. Zipper down the back.

And my standby medieval gown! This is a particolored cotehardie with undergown. Buttons down the front, tippets on the sleeves, buttons up to the elbow on the undergown. Both undergown and gown made of a linen & rayon blend (bleaugh).

I had a great time at the fair, too! I danced with my clogging group, and really enjoyed the Ferris Wheel!

Most sincerely yours,
~ Sarah