Our state fair was a success again this year. My entries did well but I'm still looking to win the big ribbon of Best in Show. Maybe next year. I already have ideas in my head. I can't help it I'm very competitive and love a good challenge!
My bowl o' balls was a big hit with the judge. The first words out of her mouth were
"Ah, chumming for cats!" I laughed so hard. Never thought of them that way. They received a blue ribbon under felt home deco, no other entries in this category. This is the second bowl of balls I've made. I just love them and I believe they took more time to make than the purses I felt.
I entered two skeins of yarn. This one was third place. Seems it needs more twist in the ply. I did this last year and now I will learn to ply better to compete with Becky's cabled yarn.
There was one other skein, picture in post below, that did not make it home with me. Not sure what happened to it. It is a shetland and silk blend and did get a blue ribbon in it's class. I gave this skein enough twist in the ply. Guess someone liked it too much and took it home. I'd bet it will poop up at one of the next guild meeting, it does have my name on it. I almost forgot to mention the two fleece I entered. Hue came in second to K.G. Even with all that beautiful crimp and shine. He just didn't have the consistency threw out his fleece. His entire fleece is soft and usable it just isn't all the way down the britch crimpy! If we have totally uniform fleece does that take our primative shetland sheep out of the primative class and into the modern improved class of sheep?
6 comments:
Have you ever tried felting something into your felt balls? I was thinking maybe a cat bell or some cat nip??? I've often thought that would be a great cat toy!
I wonder the same thing about the big push toward the ultra fine, single coated fleece in Shetlands. With all the AI and selective breeding for this one coat type I too wonder if we can really call the Shetland breed and "unimproved" breed any longer...
Hey, my cabled yarn took Reserve, it was the boucle that got Grand, who did that anyway? I never checked... it was a nice yarn but I would have thought it would have belonged in the specialty yarns... I think someone mentioned something like that to me sometime over the weekend...
Anyway it was a fun time and your purse should have taken Grand! How hard is it to make a square??? ;-)
You know, britch evolved for a reason... Here in the rainy northwest, the sheep really need it - even those fine wool guys. We get totally knocked down for britch wool - I try to tell the judges that they need it here, but they're not buying it... The primitive breeds should NOT be judged like that - remember it's one guy's opinion on one day...
I'm with you - I love the felted balls. They're happy! But your bag totally rocks. I don't know how you do it - felting is such hard work!
Way to go! You done yourself proud!
While I love the crimpy Shetland fleece, I also love the more primitive Shetland as well. One thing that attracted me to Shetlands was the variety within the breed. I think Nancy hit it on the head - some Shetland breeders are trying to tinker too much with these little guys.
And all my cats said to say "Well done!" on the Bowl of Balls. I love the "Chumming for cats" comment! heeheehee
Good job on all your fair projects! Too bad about the skein that didn't make it home. Our LYS took all of our things to the fair this year and they left mine behind when they brought them back. I was frantic! The fair is about 1/2 hour away in Lynden and the office is only open from 9-3:30 after the fair. Luckily one of my co-workers lives in Lynden and had a teenaged daughter who was very glad to take a little trip to the fair office for me! I need to make her a little scarf or something. I would have hated to lose my bag as it had been a heck of a lot of work and the skein that I took is part of a project for my neice, so I know how you feel about the skein that didn't make it home with you!
BTW, thank you for your kind words about my spinning. I wasn't fishing for compliments, really - but the support from everyone was very welcome. Take care. T.
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