Small Hardanger Finish & More From The Fair

We made it back alright from the Fair last Friday and I had a wonderful time at the 2-hour (1:30-3:30PM) Hardanger class. Now I know what Ms. Dorothy meant by saying "informal", the experience gave me a bunch of info on how I'll gonna approach and set-up my "3-dimensional hand-finishing" class next year.:)

We had a couple of wonderful teachers, active members of Valley Junction EGA in Des Moines, both of them brought a bunch of very pretty models. There were 12 students enrolled but only 10 showed up. Before the class started, we all introduced ourselves and explain why we're taking the class... plus sharing a little bit of other crafts that we do. Though we only met for the first time, it's like we've known each other for a long time. I will definitely attend other classes in the years ahead... Sewing, tatting, hand-quilting, and knitting are just some of the classes being offered regularly. And btw, I of course, brought some of my models - and some were ooohhh-ing and ahhh-ing with them. lol So I grabbed the chance and told them that I'll gonna teach hand-finishings at the state fair next year. They sound so interested and I hope I'll gonna meet them again, be it my class or other class.

Here's the show and tell! The teachers provided us the pattern, diagrams and materials. We all started at the same time, and though majority of the other students are cross-stitching, most of them are not even familiar with kloster blocks. I was way ahead on each part of the process so I offered to teach the 2 ladies seated next to me. I think I was the only one who finished the entire piece... that's the one you see on the white linen (on the left). Once I got home, I had to start on another project. lol My fingers were itching to stitch though I have a bunch of other things to do i.e. models for magazines, etc. The green one is my very own simple design and I finished it into a pincushion. The design was stitched on 22 count hardanger cotton fabric, using #5 pearl cotton, Caron Thread Wildflowers, DMC metallic thread for lazy daisies, Mill Hill beads and purple pearls for the center of lazy daisies. I'm now working on more simple designs, but this time they're white on white, and blue on blue. Most of my entries at the fair this year has basic hardanger, similar to the green below.

Simple Hardanger Finishes

I was wondering on our first visit on the fair where were the Quilts Blue Ribbon Winners. Good thing I decided to check the display downstairs on Friday, otherwise I'll totally miss them. There's hubby staring seriously on the Blue Ribbon winners.:)

Hubby admiring the Quilting Blue Ribbon Winners

Below are more photos of wall hangings, totes, runners, & pillows

The lower-right photo are Needlepoint entries

We, of course, had to browsed at all the displays again. I think hubby just focused on the Counted Thread and Cross Stitch, while I had to look at everything over and over... it's our last visit at the fair anyway! I can spend an entire day just looking and browsing at the Fabrics and Threads entries.

There's hubby staring again at my works on display!

I hope he's admiring them ha! lol

Another thing that I love at the fair are the "Flea Markets". As the saying goes, you'll never know what kind of treasure you'll gonna find there. I got lucky to purchase this antique pincushion (with some bunch of rusty pins still on it). I can tell that this pincushion was used a lot by the original or previous owner. I can't tell though if the fabric was muslin or flour sack, but it is housed on a pretty crocheted case. Hubby bought me this coin purse shell, he knew I was checking this kind of item online weeks back, and we got lucky to find some at the flea market. He even checked the purses one by one to make sure he'll get the one with "Made in the Philippines" tag... lol

Antique Crocheted Pincushion & Shell

On Thursday and yesterday, me and hubby went to a couple of sale in town. He didn't get much but I got a bunch of stash. The photo below are just some of them. It's actually a mix of everything: scrapbooking stuffs, ribbons with ladybugs designs, lots of embroidered napkins with cutworks, set of wooden bowls (Made in the Philippines), and a lot more (not pictured). We also went at the Farmers Market yesterday morning (around 8:30AM) and I got a bunch of veggies. I even got squash blossoms which I seldom able to get at Oriental Stores.

More Stash

Oh, hubby brought me a local newspaper this morning where winners at the Fair were published. I didn't realize a lot of people in our county, Marshall, participates at such event.:) I wish we have a stitching group nearby. It feels so nice to rub shoulders with fellow "fabric stabbers" once in a while.

Well everybody, I think I better got back to work now. Have a great day and happy stitching! I need to send a lot of emails pretty soon! Sorry for the delays to those of you who are waiting!