Sunday, February 24, 2008

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me. On a slice of superwhite, no less.

??

I wasn't sure what to do. Ebay or St Christophers Cathedral?



It tasted nice with lingonberry jam

Problem solved. It was delicious.


By now, my choir have finished the second of their three gigs down at Cobargo. Julie texted me yesterday to tell me that they were having a good time with lots of talk, eating and drinking *sob* but the surf was just OK. Which makes me feel marginally better, ya know?

I'm glad I stayed home though, if not just for the pounding headaches that have greeted me every morning when I've woken up. Yesterday, post-panadol, I went to the Canberra Show and got to meet Kylie. Thanks Kylie for intoducing me to all the doogs and the flyball rules and for just being such a lovely warm person! See? If I'd gone to Cobargo I would never have met Kylie and Possum!

At the show, I also popped in to peek at the craft. And this is where it gets really hard to write without sounding all boastful and proud.

You see, I won some prizes.

Second prize - crochet shawl or stole

Excuse the terrible photos - I think I was shaking at the time. I won second and third prizes in the 'stole and shawl' category.

Third prize - crochet shawl or stole

Second prize - crocheted accessory

And I won second prize in the very broad 'crocheted accessories' category for my socks. Not that you can see that they are socks - they were pretty badly displayed.

I still can't believe that I won anything. The reason I entered the show was to display crochet that could be modern and functional without being a lapghan or granny-square inspired (please note that I don't think there is anything wrong with those things - it's just not all there is to crochet). The irony in all this is that my shawl, crocheted in colours and a style reminiscent of the 70s, won second prize. Oh well.

The other irony is that the judge apparently commented on my good and even tension. I had to laugh, given all the problems I've had with the easy shrug.

I met some lovely people on the crochet table and they were keen to start a Canberra Crochet Club. I was given tips on how to make my stuff better and more "show worthy" but to be honest with you they were things I wasn't comfortable with doing. I make things to wear. It would be completely out of character for me to bead the collar of my capelet when I won't wear thing with beads on them, although I appreciated the comments.

I suppose that's where I am different to some other show entrants. I don't make things to show - I make them to wear. The crochet section is set up for the "show stuff" not "I wear this stuff" though - the rules state that items must not have been washed. Ever. I suspect this harks back to the days of doilies and christening gowns, not to the modern day crochet of jumpers and cardigans and lace scarves and handbags that get used.

So it was fun, and very satisfying to have won prizes. Would I enter again? Absolutely, and so should all of you. Put a kick up the arses of the old school of handcraft, I say, with your funky sweaters and your amigurumi. Show that what crochet and knitting today really is.

17 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your prizes!! Yay you!

    (and is that a little crochet lighthorsebear in the corner of the first pic?)

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  2. Congratulations! And do you think you'll use that 'Virgin Mary' category much?

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  3. Congratulations!

    It completely left my mind that the Canberra Show has craft competitions (those were the pavilions we were dragged through while whining 'I want a show bag' when I was a kid). I might have to consider entering next year.

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  4. Oh fabulous! Congratulations on deserved prizes - I'm so proud of you. I'm guessing the Holy Mother thought she'd drop by to congratulate you as well. ;)

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  5. Oh well done. You've done crocheters proud. I'm so thrilled for you. Utterly deserved!

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  6. Congratulations Michelle! You've got me comtemplating entering the Melbourne show now, to support your call of showing what crochet today really is. I completely agree with your sentiment on crochet to wear, not to show - although I also appreciate the work and talent that goes into the crochet made as "show stuff"!

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  7. Many congratulations on your well-deserved wins! Hope you're feeling all better soon.

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  8. Congrats on your prizes! I was happy to see you got seconds :) I also just missed you there - I was 2 more names down on the list for the group. I went looking for your stuff, and finally found the crochet cabinets.

    We need to make some awesome Amis next year and blitz the h-e-double-hockey-sticks out of the soft toy section! Stupid dressed up Barbies. So entering this next year. If I make vibrant yellow fug with embroidery on the front, reckon I can win?

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  9. Oh, crap, I'm using my gmail identity. Hooray. Well, I think you know it's luckycat...

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  10. I was just bursting when I found your entries and saw that you'd won prizes today!! I dragged Beloved and PJ over and made them look too. So very proud of you!

    Let me not even *start* discussing some of the stuff that entered (and won prizes), bith crochet and kintting.

    And I so would have ebayed the VM. Unless it was the very last piece of bread in the house.

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  11. That's so awesome about your prizewinning ways! Congratulations!

    I can't believe you ate the holy mother! She'd be worth about $20 on ebay. ;-)

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  12. congratulations! So pleased to see those prizes! And you were right to eat that VM toast. It can only do you good.

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  13. Teehee - I had the very same thought as Leah re the VM category!!!
    That and I think it looks a little like the VM is posing for Edvard Munch!!! hehe

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  14. Well done Michelle. Love the toast caper!

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  15. Hurrah! Well done!! How exciting to have won actual real prizes :D Yeah, go the funky modern crochet!!

    Oh, you could even start a sect with that piece of toast.... seriously 0_o

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