The Great Minnesota Get-Together

The MN State Fair started this week.  10 days of fun filled extravagance.  And where you can find entries of every type and fashion.  I started entering my knitted items several years ago.  Off and on I've entered skeins of handspun as well although not this year.  Entering something in the MN State Fair is such fun.  The competition is pretty stiff, hundreds of entries in a variety of categories.  The Creative Activities building holds knitted and crocheted hats, sweaters, toys, blankets and shawls.  It also holds quilts, other needlework like cross stitch, needlepoint and embroidery, wood carvings, folk painted items.  Complete sensory overload in such a good way.  

This year I submitted two things, my Haplander Square shawl and a crocheted scarf/shawl called Ziggy Interrupted.  And I'm thrilled with the results.  My Hap shawl came in third place in its category. 

And Ziggy came in second!  I have not crocheted in over 40 years so was absolutely delighted with this result. 

I always use my own yarn when I'm making my projects which I think adds something special.  I spun the yarn for Ziggy with crochet in mind, meaning I spun in the opposite direction than I normally do.  Typically I spin my singles in a clockwise motion and then ply them in a counter clockwise motion.  But for crochet you do your singles counter clockwise and ply clockwise.  This is to help prevent your yarn from untwisting as you crochet with it.  I had no problems with it untwisting at all so that worked very well.  The only thing I had to do was making sure I was spinning the direction I needed to go.  

I will go pick the Hap and Ziggy up next week after the fair closes and then I can read through the comments from the judges.  That is always an interesting moment as well.  But if you are headed to the fair, be sure and stop in at the Creative Activities building (right next to the main entrance on Snelling) and look at all the amazing things.  So much talent and so many hours went into all the entries.