County fair time!

You might be wondering why I would have a quilting post entitled "County fair time!" Well, let me explain. My family grew up going to the county fair. And 2010 marks my family's 22nd consecutive year exhibiting beef cattle at the fair. Let me give you some background...

It began with my dad when he was a 4-Her exhibiting dairy cattle (and I'm sure, chickens, but let's not go there this morning...). As with all 4-Hers, they hit an age when they no longer qualify to compete in 4-H competition (around age 18-19). As was the case with my dad. He disappeared for a while to find a wife and start a family - oh, and go to college and establish a career and all.

Our family moved to the farm in about 1986. One of the first activities my brother and I got involved with in our new location was 4-H. Between us we entered "static" projects in the county fair such as rockets, baking and photography. It wasn't until 1988 that we brought our first beef animal - Jason's 4-H breeding heifer project, Sissy. I brought my first beef project one year later (1989 - I was 8 years old) - Daisy. The rest is history, as they say....

But our quilting entries at the County fair are relatively new. Maybe four years or so in the making, I'm not so sure. Anyways, it was a decision that my mom, Becky and I made to bring a few of our favorite quilt projects to the fair. Having no idea how our quilts would do in such a competition (there are many quilting enthusiasts in Grand Rapids!), we decided to make an annual wager between us.

The first year it was between just mom and I. It went something to the effect of, "Whoever wins a ribbon with their quilt has ultimate privileges on Show Day." Well, wouldn't you know - my mom's quilt won a ribbon? Oh, how my dad enjoyed playing that trump card during Show Day!

The next year, I think I won a ribbon, but that wasn't cause for us to celebrate. It was Becky Deutch's first year entering a quilt into the county fair - her first quilt - and she won 1st place (something both mom and I hadn't done the previous year). We were so tickled with Becky's placing we forgot all about the wager.

Then there was the missing ribbon fiasco. All three of us brought quilts to the competition. Mom and Becky won ribbons, but my original design - a wall-hanging showcasing 20 years of exhibiting cattle made of old 4-H ribbons - didn't earn a ribbon at all. I was devastated, since it was such a cool, unique design. Really something I hadn't seen before. I made it as a surprise for my parents, unveiling it at the fair (it now hangs in their living room). When mom and Becky went to collect the quilts at the end of the fair, they discovered that my quilt was missing it's first place ribbon! My head hung in shame all week for nothing! But it taught me a valuable lesson.

Last year the three of us brought identical quilts - a Mystery Quilt project we foolishly bought in to - and only one of the three was awarded a ribbon.

Anyways - who cares about old ribbons!? We certainly don't, except to somewhat document the past. It was a sweet treat to be able to go with my mom and Becky on Tuesday evening, arms brimming with quilted projects (and sewing ones for the first time, too!) to the Home Activities building. We can enter quilts Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning. Then the build is closed for judging the jams, jellies, baked goods, handwork, quilting and flowers.

The doors (and results) will be released by 11 a.m. today - Thursday - of the fair. This is also the day we bring our cattle to the fair (10 head this year), so it's quite busy. But once all the washing is done and the cows are settled, someone courageously walks up the hill to the Home Activities buildings and giggles with the insider-knowledge of how the quilts did.

Usually my dad beats us all up the hill to see how the competition went. Most times he doesn't even have a clue as to what quilts were entered, let alone their names. If you wait and get the report from him, it goes something like this, "Ah, mom won a ribbon. I don't know which quilt - the blue one." Not helpful, but we can usually piece together the results from his shotty reporting.

So what did we enter this year? Mom entered two big quilts - a Funny Farm large-sized baby quilt and her Monster Quilt (with applique and embroidery technique). She also brought a "Clothespin Dress" to be entered in the sewing competition. Becky brought her Quilt of Valor, which she learned how to put the binding on by hand last week while visiting my house. And I brought two quilts - a large queen size Star Sampler (photos later) and my originally designed Buffalo project. Then I managed to get two purses (Safari and Boots - a new one) entered into the sewing competition, along with my swing jacket.

Now, if only we can decide on our wager for the 2010 County fair...hmm...