Red, White and Blue! Erie County Fair 2018!

     My hometown is the host of the annual Erie County Fair, established in 1820.  This is a big deal locally.  Over 1.1 million visitors come every year.  More info is here.    There are animals, concerts, food, rides, and of course, quilt (and other creative arts) exhibits!   

     Back in 2005, when I was a novice quilter, I entered some pieces in the fair, including a civil war reproduction log cabin which I hand quilted.  More on that quilt can be found here.  I won a red second place ribbon for that quilt, which was thrilling at the time, but I did always wish I could win a blue ribbon for something at the Erie County Fair!

    For many reasons, mostly the demands of work, I didn't enter anything  again until this year.  I had 5 pieces which fit into the available categories.  I dropped them off a while back, but was out of town when the Fair opened.  Today was the first day I went to the Fair to see how my quilts fared.   

      The quilt I wanted to enter most was Priscilla's Uphill Climb.  It is the most traditional of my current quilts, and my friend Priscilla, for whom I made the quilt, works every year at the Fair in the building with the quilts.  I thought she'd like seeing her quilt when she worked.    Here are two full pictures of her finished quilt.  My blog post on this quilt can be found here. 

     What a fabulous surprise!  I got my long-wished for blue ribbon for this quilt!   I am happy that Priscilla did not tell me ahead of time about this!  It was a wonderful surprise!  

     I also entered my "Over the Rainbow, Baby" quilt that I made in anticipating teaching a class that never took off.  My blog about this little happy quilt is here.

     The quilts were displayed all over a large space, and I had to hunt around to find this one.    I missed it the first time through!   Another surprise, a blue ribbon on this one as well!  

     I also entered my Blue Ribbon Dreams quilt.   My blog about this quilt is here.

     I had made this as part of an on-line challenge.  Although it wasn't picked in that challenge, I  liked how this design came out.  I was very pleased to get a red ribbon on this one! 

I also entered my Moody Beauty wall hanging.  This is the most intricate piece I have done lately.

 

and that one, too, took a second place finish! 

The final entry was my Summer Waves table runner.  (Blog post here).  I love this piece, but was uncertain how it would fare.

    When we found it displayed on the bottom shelf of a cupboard, I was please to see it got an honorable mention, but it was displayed with the back showing instead of the front.  Did I get honorable mention for my backing? 

         

    One of the docents was nice enough to fix the display, so at least the actual quilted and pieced part will show for the rest of the Fair! 

     What a great day!   I got the blue ribbon I have long secretly wanted (plus another!) and overall, 5 ribbons for 5 pieces!  

       I love the colors and over-the-top excesses of the fair.  On the walk to and from  the creative arts building, (where all the Fair food is) I took some photos to try to capture the spirit of the Fair.  

A lovely day!
The arrival of the Fair was always bittersweet, since it marks the beginning of the end of the summer.  So, enjoy the rest of your summer.
Take care,
Gretchen