A few months ago I agreed to judge the knitting entries in the Home Economics department of the Okanogan County Fair. So last Wednesday I headed over there to do my “jury duty” – the Fair is open Thursday-Sunday (Sept 5-8) and they want everything checked in and judged and given their ribbons before that.
It was kind of fun! I had gone to a training session last month, and it is pretty straightforward (Really?? I can’t let my personal tastes influence my decisions?) Most everything was well-made, clean etc so got a blue ribbon, even if they had a few minor problems. Red ribbon just means “needs some improvement” and they would have to receive a preponderance of checks in that column to get a red. White ribbon means “needs a lot of improvement” and nothing got that. I made an effort to write comments on all the judging sheets, since I have entered in the Knitting division before and received no comments at all, which is always a little disappointing. The training was helpful here – give both positive and negative comments, frame criticisms constructively, like how it could be done better – not just that it should be better.
There were a couple of really outstanding pieces, and those I gave the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion ribbons at the end of the day.
knitting entries to the Fair
I had to be there until 8 pm (the cut-off time for bringing in entries) – which was a bit brutal, since it is over in Omak/Okanogan and an hour drive from my home. But there were other women there judging the quilts, sewing, other needlework, etc. so it was a sociable setting. When things slowed down in the afternoon, and I had to kill time waiting for more things to show up, I wandered around some of the other areas:
flowers
dahlias
flower arranging!
cupcakes, in the Junior Open division for baking
Speaking of baking, there was a group across the room from me judging all the baked goods. And yes, they were tasting each one (except for decorated cakes, etc). Now that looked like a Pepto Bismol moment if I ever saw one….
I brought in 7 submissions myself to the Arts & Crafts Dept (3 spinning, 4 weaving). Here are some of the displays down at that end of the building:
a display of woven items from the Shear Creative Guild in Omak
a spinning project of various fiber types from Shear Creative Guild
our guild display, based on our “challenge project” for this year
Rick and I will go back over on Sunday to see some of the animal exhibits, and pick up my entries when it closes at 3 pm.
STORMY WEATHER update:
Last night we had a fierce thunder and lightning storm, accompanied by torrential downpours. We didn’t know it could rain that hard!! The real fireworks started about 11 pm and lasted until 2 am. Needless to say, we didn’t get much sleep last night. It was just crash-boom-crash-boom and rain rain rain for 3 hours. For a while we got up and just watched the display. We could clearly see deer in the yard when there was a really bright flash.
And – they have closed the North Cascades Hwy again, due to mudslides and debris in the road.
Twisp of Fate 
Thanks Katie, the pictures are really good, and I think that Okanagan fair is lucky to have you as a judge. I also like the pictures of the Shear Creative Guilds display, it looks real nice.
Nice to have a judge who writes comments! Having “been there, done that” makes a difference. From everyone who submitted an entry – Thank You!