FAIR ARTICLE NOT SO FAIR?
Recently I read the article All’s Fair in State Fair by Brenda Brant. I was not very happy with this article. First of all it does not cost $11 to enter into the fair. Secondly Brenda pictured three judges discussing each piece. I have judged at other fairs, and there is never more than one judge for each category. The fair cannot afford to pay more then one judge per category. Yes, we may have been discussing other things other then fair exhibits. It is a long day to get through all the exhibits. We do our best to get thru all the items. We do not want to spend all day and night there. I was the other person the judge gave the blue ribbon to, and Brenda the second. I have over 40 years experience in entering items in the fair. Yes, Brenda did deserve the second because her pieces were not very professionally framed. They were not stretched enough, and did not have the proper backing. I, too, could not make out what her graduation sampler said. It is very clear that Brenda lacks the experience and the proper knowledge in the counted cross stitch arena. Ask the experts, like the lady that takes a year to do her piece and are solid cross stitch in a 14” by 17” frame. She usually takes home a Grand Champion. If Brenda wants to play in this arena with the big boys, she is going to have to learn how to play in it first. She should be happy with two reds and a blue. I will forward the article to the judge, and I am sure she will not be happy with this, either. Water Street is very different than it was in the mid 1960’s, but the memories still live on.

– Cynthia Yohnk