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?




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.



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





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.