Embellished Purse

You may remember that last summer after a super class in Milwaukee, I made this purse.   I wasn’t overly thrilled with it but it stayed in use until the beginning of this summer as it started to wear.

Finally by mid-July, I had to take some time to sew & quilt for me so worked this in between some jobs.  First, a collage page of the embellishing & quilting in process.

L-R and top – bottom:  hand-dyed bronze-colored fabric loaded as if it was a quilt; layering some silk flowers, eyelash yarn, wool roving and covered by matching tulle; first section quilted; close-up of the quilting (I used this as a practice piece for feathers); the finished piece to use for the fabric for my purse; back of quilted piece which now hides behind lining.

Click image to see it larger.

Some pictures of the finished purse.  Basically, the same pattern I’ve been using for years but a smidgen longer this time as well as the 3″ taller that has been the norm for the last 3 or 4 models.  The color in the collage above is more true than these that look washed out to me.

The inside is quite bright with the hot pink and coordinating prints for the pockets.  One zippered pocket, one for my eyeglass case, and one for my phone.

Of course, it has a coordinating clutch!  The same bronze fabric but not layered with the flowers.  I make these with my embroidery machine so used that quilting instead of my own.  I used a pink variegated thread and another piece of fabric that coordinates with the insides for the trims.

This purse (besides the lining!) is more muted and has less flowers.  I’m liking that and enjoying seeing my quilting.  In fact, I missed the purse while it was at the fair last week.

In the category “any other quilted item”, I won first place and then Best of Show over all the craft categories.   This was a big surprise as it wasn’t out on Tuesday night when we went down.  I found this on Saturday when I went to bring my items home.  Yeah!!!

I found Norma Riehm at this year’s Milwaukee show that taught me this technique .   She was delighted that I had used her technique and then found her to share.  She is a good teacher and wonderful artist!

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Quilts at the County Fair

Even tho my week & month are swamped, I took 7 items to the fair this year.  Everything was done or nearly done, I didn’t make anything just for the fair.

I wasn’t really invested in it but still it is fun to enter and win ribbons.  I was gone so Phil had a list of my items and their categories and went to see the results Tuesday night.  I called & he reported!!

Not everything placed but that doesn’t really matter to me once he told me I had won a Best of Show ribbon!!  🙂

This is from the LaPetité group in December.  It was pieced but I hadn’t quilted it so I did that last week.  And in the matter of LACK OF TIME, I did a meander on the cream and plaid, hearts on the tan border, and a triple swag & pine bough on the aqua border.  Seriously, when I took it off the frame last Friday, I wasn’t happy with the quilting but it was finished.  hahaha!!

Today I took my friend, E, to the fair.  It was so nice to look at the quilts with a lady along.  🙂    Even better was her LOVING my quilt and not knowing it was mine.  ♥   She is so sweet to me!

This one  placed second behind the first one —

It really lays flat and I planned it more for a table runner than a wallhanging.  I designed the holly pattern.  It is micro quilted and uses my hand-dyed silk-cotton fabric.   I should have entered this in the original design category but didn’t see that when I did my entries.   Let’s just say, that was a goof!!  Ack!!

The acorn one like the above one got a first.   This photo is from the fall – not at the fair.  It belongs to my in-laws (for their anniversary on 10-10-10) but she let me enter it anyway.  {more detail here}

A few things didn’t even place but I’m OK with that.  I just grabbed something to fit the categories and really am THRILLED with just one ribbon as long as it is purple.  🙂

I have SO much to share about my week!  Stay tuned!!

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Hog Show 2011

Life slowly morphs into a new way with the kids out of school and out of 4-H.   Last year Phil wasn’t in charge of the hog show (tho coached the new one a lot) and neither this year but this year was more relaxing.   He was in charge of the Outstanding Swine Exhibitor award.  He created 3 tests with a wonderful typist with general knowledge questions, feed samples, and breed identification.

On a very nice Excel sheet his secretary created, I was able to record the scores from each area and then had a place for the subtotal.   I was able to do all this before the show started.

At the end of the show is the showmanship and besides the winner, the judge also gave them points which was applied to their tests scores.   I then added those in and had 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place rankings.

It was so fun as a junior exhibitor won this award this year.  JP had done that a few times and I think it is fun that a younger one can win the top prize and it doesn’t just go to the older ones.

a chat with his mom after the show

Phil also helped in the show ring and I was the announcer for the show.   It is good to be there and get our yearly visits with those friends.  Though I think I worked too hard as I didn’t get in as much visiting!  LOL!!  It was nice we left soon after the show and didn’t stay for loading out the hogs or the clean-up.  🙂

It was a tad unnerving to head to the fairgrounds as we were having storms during the afternoon.  The memory lapse from 3 yrs ago isn’t enough yet.  Thankfully we just had a light rain during the show & no heavy rain, thunder & lightning, or high winds!!  Thankfully!!

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Third of Three

I took quilts and sewing projects to 3 fairs this summer and now the last one has been judged.

These poor pillowcases got a 3rd place at every single fair.  I suspect because they are in the Embroidered Pillowcase category and are done by machine.  All the others were by hand.  Well, hmpf!  Obviously, it looks easy to some…..  😉    I think their new owners will like them better than 3rd place.

My pillows here are the NY Beauty pieced one in pinks & browns (1st in pieced pillows) and the cream one with pink quilting (1st in quilted pillows).   I also entered my tan embroidered pillow and it got a second.  Once again… machine embroidered so they wouldn’t even place it in a first place spot.  😦  Stinkers!

This bottom wallhanging is my kitchen quilt.  It has received a 1st in wallhangings at every fair.   🙂   The piecing is simple but I did a lot of free-motion quilting on it.  The plain squares on point have a ruffled heart quilted in them.

My large quilt (shown here on the left) got a second in pieced quilts at this fair.   When we first walked in there was only a 3rd place ribbon for this category and I was shocked thinking that they didn’t even place the others.  Thankfully, after we had supper they were putting on the 1st & 2nd place ribbons.  Whew!   There were 5 quilts in this category.

My quilted jacket (you saw it from the last fair) got a 2nd place in lined jackets.

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Check this out –>

OH HAPPY DAY, my coat got a first in Coats and claimed Best of Show in the whole textile department!!  Yahoo!!!  To top it off, this is the only 1 of these fairs that pays an extra premium for Best of Show.   🙂   I’m sure you’ll be anxious to see the hat K will make to compliment this. 😉 😉   😉

I noticed this was on my coat (it is for Miss K) as soon as we entered the building!  I nearly shouted but didn’t want to embarrass Phil.  haha!

Even tho this county includes a big city, the Textile Department is small.      I like the table boxes that hold most of the entries and that they cover everything after judging with thick clear plastic.  I would guess there were 100 entries here.   I entered 8 items and placed in all 8.  That pleased me as this fair only goes to 3 places.

I’m back to getting soap made.  A busy summer and good sales = a low inventory right now.  I started 2 batches yesterday and poured one this morning.  I’ll be trying to pour 2 a day for at least a week.  Not sure I’ll keep that crazy pace tho.

My dad went home from the hospital this morning and is pleased to be home with good cooking and his own bed, I’m sure.  Thanks for all the prayers, he did really well!

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Forgotten Fair Funny

I forgot to put this on the last post ~~

When I took the ribbons off my fair entries after I got home from Ohio, I found writing on the entry tag for K’s coat.  I laughed and coughed and said, “NO!!!”

What do you think Miss K would say?

And did you hear the moaning & groaning as I made the coat in July????

Hers!  All hers!!  I’ll keep the ribbons & the tag.

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Fair Fun and Funnies

I have a few more fair pictures to show you from the first week of August.   (hopefully I’ll have more this week!  😉 )

Tuesday night my men went to the fair so I could show them my winnings.  Plus we cashed in our volunteer “pay”, aka meal tickets at the local food stand.  (I ate at home.)  A cheeseburger, 2 hot dogs, a large drink to share, an order of nachos + my quarter used up our 3 meal tickets of $4 each.  Yikes!!  Sometimes it is good JP doesn’t have hollow legs.   😉

Phil’s mom enters a LOT of categories in Hobbies and Antiques.  Here is her hat entry… especially for her granddaughter.  She won a first here.

This is the row for textile entries.  It isn’t fancy so don’t have big dreams over my stuff!

The Superintendent for my area said I was in the running for a second Best of Show award.  I think I lost it to this quilt (below).   I’m OK with that.  This is so cute!  The card she attached told the story that she asked all her family to give her a fat quarter of fabric (18″ x 22″) for Christmas and explain why they chose the fabric.  Then she made this quilt using all those fabrics!   She really had her work cut out for her with playing card fabric, Dora fabric, and some disney princesses.  I think she did a great job.

The last few years the county 4-H clubs have put together auction baskets with various themes.  During fair week, the baskets are on display in the 4-H building and open for bidding.

This basket drew my attention since it has a quilt inside.  I stopped to read the sign listing the contents.

The theme is Keeping Warm.

I noticed the quilt and a book and a child’s DVD.   Sounds cozy….

but…

REALLY?

What is the point of a rotary cutter in this basket?

Well, I found it funny and thought-provoking and confusing all in one!

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Fair Report!

Our county fair opened yesterday at noon and I got there just before 1 to check out my entries.

The report —

–10 entries–

1 second place

1 third place

8 first place  🙂

One Best Of Show!!  🙂

And when I talked to the superintendent after my walk-through, she said I was in the running for a second Best of Show as well.  Bummer but I think the one that got it in that area (quilts) was deserving.

Here are some pictures —

I made this for K. Taffeta with flannel innerlining and satin lining. A zillion tucks front & back, inside and out! Pockets & a tie belt.

Paper pieced coasters. I used 2 of my snow-dyed fabrics and one commercial fabric (the cream). I'm on the far left, first place.

Clutch/cosmetic bag

Quilted jacket

purse (happens to coordinate with the cosmetic bag)

My large quilt - this was the BOM from 08 that I finally finished last fall.

We went down to the fair last night so I could show Phil my stuff as he is picking it up the end of the week.   Before we got to the building of my stuff, we ran into a friend of Phil’s and were chatting with him.   I asked him if he saw the quilts & sewing entries yet and he immediately asked why the white & turquoise quilt got a 2nd place!!  I sort of remembered that hanging beside my quilt and told him because the green, red, and mustard yellow one needed to get 1st!!  🙂  He didn’t know that was mine but it was quite funny I already knew what he was talking about.

My kitchen wallhanging got a first.

My embroidered pillow got a first, the embroidered pillowcases took the bottom seat in their class (3rd) against hand done ones, and my slippers got a second to a deserving 1st place tatted piece.  It was a miscellaneous category where anything goes!!

I have more fair pictures to show you.  It will depend on how the rest of my packing and baking go.  🙂

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Jackpot Judge

In the midst of moving recovery, Phil got a call on Monday at noon and was asked to be a hog judge at another county fair held this week not too far away. Amanda said he could think about it.  He asked when the show was and she said, “Tuesday.”   LOL!  (Don’t think long!)

We talked about it a bit over lunch.

He asked if he should be thinking about it.  (He has never judged a show before.)

I said, “No.”  He nearly gasped in shock.

“So I shouldn’t think about it?”

I replied, “You should quit thinking about it and just do it.”

🙂

So he called her back and said yes.  She answered his questions that night.

We met after my swim Tuesday evening, left one car there, and drove together to the fair.  It was only another 20 mins or so.    I had wanted to see this fair in case I’d want to enter sewing & quilting things next year.  Another good reason to go.

We were quite impressed with the fairgrounds and they have a lot of nice buildings & a big swine building.  Once we found where Phil would report for duty, we walked around a bit.

We went through the 4-H building and they have great tables to display the entries.   A good amount of sewing entries pleased me.   JP looked at the computer entries and … well… he wasn’t impressed there.  He hoped there would be some competion there.  (He can’t enter in another county anyway.  Just curious.)

I found the sewing/craft/quilt building.   They must have a lot less categories for sewing related entries but the ones there had several quilts entered.    I enjoyed seeing them.  This fair displays everything so nicely and it is then covered in good clear plastic.  Novel idea to keep fair dust off of the nice things!!  😉

There were 3 ladies at the information table so I interrupted their conversation to ask about entry deadlines and if that info was on their website. Yes it is but they also had a list for me to sign up to have the fair book mailed to me next year.  Yeah!  Here’s hoping I follow through!

Meanwhile, JP was getting hungry….

Then we went to the swine building.   Nearing 7 p.m., the judges met each other.   There are 3 judges and they decide amongst themselves who the winners will be.

This was a new kind of judging/show that we had never heard of before.   The pigs had just been brought on the grounds that afternoon and there had been no other hog shows yet.   To enter this show, the entry fee was $20 per pig.  You could enter as many as you wanted.

There were only 2 classes: barrows & gilts.  (for the city folk that means: castrated males & females that have not birthed any pigs)

All the pigs in each class are in the ring at one time.  That was a lot in comparison to our fair!   I think the barrow class had a good 14 – 16 and the gilt class had 12 pigs.

It is called the Jackpot show because the winner gets 60% of the pot of entry fees and the 2nd place gets the other 40%.     The 3 judges were all local hog farmers so know what a good market hog looks like.

We like this concept!

As the judges looked at the hogs, they would point out one to send back.   The helpers around the ring had panels for moving the pigs back to the walkways and to separate them if need be.

Finally they narrowed it down to 2 pigs and one judge gave a short bit of commentary on why they picked these two and which one was the champion.

After the show, we talked with some friends from church (their daughter called Phil for this show) and then Phil & I got sandwiches for our supper.  We headed back to the extra car and JP came home while Phil & I got some groceries.

A fun night and I think we’ll be back next year.  😉

This night’s entry fee was free if you brought non-perishables for the local rescue mission so we donated there.  I thought that was a super idea!

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4-H Parade of Champions

Thursday evening we returned to the fairgrounds for the 4-H Parade of Champions.

JP had good reason to be in the parade!

The 4-Hers that had won Champion awards were introduced and walked across the front of the grandstand track.

In the horse show, there is a costume category and this was the Champion – Wizard of Oz costumes!  🙂

(I think this person in the Cubs shirt really meant to apologize for blocking the cute picture of my son, don’t you think?)  🙂

Finding us in the grandstands.

After the parade, I called to the local pizza place and ordered 2 pizzas for JP’s birthday supper. However, you know the wait time so….

Much discussion…

A look at the midway.  We never go there and Phil was shocked how sparse it was.  Seems our county fair got the bottom of the barrel when they chose the rides.  There really was a reason why we never took the kids for rides.

Ack! Fair food!

Next… birthday pictures!

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You Now Have Pictures – Thanks to K!

I got home with K and we had a late supper all together.  JP & Phil had been at the 4-H Ice Cream stand working so had just finished cooking when we came in.  K thought it a great idea to run to the fair tonight after supper so I could get pictures of my stuff.  You owe her! 😉

My Best of Show quilted pillow

Embroidered & hand made pillowcases

(one is brights with hats and one is drums & a music theme)

Apron

Coasters – I had 1st

Embroidered denim jacket.  It is variations of pink for the flowers and swags.  They artfully arranged it on the shelf to show the front & back at the same time!

I have yet to figure out why a set of 3 bars of homemade soap are in the canning section but I still play along.  Usually I’m the only entry which = $5.  Why not?

The 2nd place wallhanging is mine in the light batiks.  It is 3 paper-pieced stars and hangs vertically with the point at the bottom.   I would have to agree the McKenna Ryan all stitched down w/ buttonhole stitch is quite nice and deserves the 1st.

We were probably only at the fair an hour.  Visited with some friends who were happy to see K and checked on Grandma M’s antique entries.

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