Lake County Illinois Fair

 Sunday afternoon I took a ride up to the Lake County Illinois Fair grounds.  Seems like everyone else wanted to go there too!  I had to park in what seems like the next state!  

 

 

 

After lots and lots of walking I finally reached the exhibit hall.  My reason for going to the fair was to check out the needlework entries.  I had planned to enter some pieces but with the events of the past months, I didn't get a chance to get my paperwork in.  I will be entering next year for sure.

 
 
 









I am happy to report that the judging seemed better this year.  I was very disappointed in the
judging last year.  The winner in last year's Needlepoint division was a counted cross stitch piece, beautifully done, but definitely not needlepoint!  The judges should have know the difference and either moved it to the correct division or disqualified the piece.  Instead they had given it a champion's ribbon.  Just shows that they obviously didn't know what they were doing. 

This years entries, although still a bit sparse, were very lovely.  This is my favorite piece!  It is a hardanger  mat designed by Lori Bermingham, one of four seasons of mats that actually fit into a tray.  I have this chart, as well as the other three and the tray that I plan to stitch someday!  The stitcher did a lovely jog and it is well deserving of the grand champion ribbon. 







More pictures from the exhibit.

Most of the pieces were lovely.  In cases, I had to wonder why the piece did or did not get a ribbon.  It would be nice to know what the judges are looking for.











In the upper left corner of this piece is a round frame.  It was Laura Perrin's Christmas wreath.  It was beautifully stitch, but the framing was horrible!  It looked like the canvas was just cut in a round shape and put in the frame.  It was not mounted, it didn't lay flat in the frame, I am sure the poor framing cost this piece a ribbon. 

 

 



I ended the day with a funnel cake and a lemonade shake up to fortify myself for the long trek back to
my car.