Sunday, August 12, 2012

County Fair

Fair season is just plain fun.  I like entering my bits and pieces in the fair -- it's the one bit of exhibitionism I engage in (no need to actually show your face in public).  The County Fair is especially fun.   There are no entrance fees, so there are no prizes except ribbons (well, okay, Best of Show gets something else -- this year it was a large glass compote bowl).  Everyone is allowed to enter two things in each category.  I entered two in every tatting category except table runner.  I don't have tables that run.  It's hard to take pictures of the stuff at the fair because they put the tatting in a glass case, or on a table behind the glass case.
I'm showing this one first, because I have to say "Thanks!" again to Jess.  On the judge's card was the comment "Love the colors!"  Yeah, me too.  This is what I did with the Sunset thread and doily Jess dyed:
I made up the edging based on all the other split chain pieces I've been experimenting with for a month or so.  It looked a little odd stuck out there on the edge, so I wound some size 40 peach colored thread, onto a bent paper clip for a shuttle and did the little short arches woven in and out of the edging legs (as if that makes sense).  I also used the peach thread to make another round on the edging (there wouldn't have been enough of the Sunset to do another edging round).  It turned out icky looking so I cut it off.  I'm glad I didn't use the rest of the Sunset after all.  That would have been such a waste.  This one is going back in my tatting drawer until time for entries in the State Fair -- I have confidence in it, because the colors are beautiful.

11 comments:

** jess! ** said...

How exciting! Congratulations on the ribbon! I am so tickled that the judge loved the colors. :o)
It is so beautiful. I am so happy and excited that you put your inspired colorway to good use. :o)

Tat-a-Renda said...

Congratulations on winning the ribbons.

I do agree that the colours are awesome. I think it was clever of you to sort of 'weave' the chains round the legs of the edging.

May I ask, did you paint in the sunset colours into the fabric as well?

Margarets designer cards said...

Well done, it's a gorgeous doily and the colours are totally outstanding.
Margaret

Jane McLellan said...

Absolutely beautiful, congratulations on your award!

Lace-lovin' Librarian ~ Diane said...

it is gorgeous! I do enjoy reading bout everyone's fair entries. Who knows... maybe some day I'll decide to be an exhibitionist! ;-)

God's Kid said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!! :)

Fox said...

Congratulations! Beautiful tatting, pattern and thread.
Fox : )

tattrldy said...

It's beautiful! You certainly deserve that blue ribbon. Good luck at the state fair.

Marty said...

Jon, this is a cloth doily center with matching thread that Jess (from Tat-ilicious) dyed for me. Isn't it just striking?!

Kathy Niklewicz said...

It's always fun to see how you do at the County Fair! And the judges must be delighted to see your entries. I am amazed that tatting has its own category!

I love the way you intertwined the chains! And the matching doily and thread from Jess was perfect!

I'm intrigued at how the doily pattern fits perfectly around the doily!

Marty said...

Kathy -- it fits perfectly because I counted the holes before I started (luckily there were an even number -- I think the manufacturers plan it that way). Then I worked the edging directly on the cloth center. Judicious blocking took care of everything else!