When you read someone's blog, do you read all the comments, too? Sometimes I do, but many times I don't read them all. Here are some of the kind words that "Dee" left on my entry about the County Fair. "I'm sure, along with the ribbons you won, your work inspired someone to pick up a crochet hook for the first time or to try a new crochet technique." I sure hope that my crochet work entered in the fair, and my blog entries about making things for the fair, will inspire someone to learn to crochet, go back to an old hobby, or learn a new technique. I know that looking at other peoples' entries often gives me inspiration or an idea for a new project.
I try to think about inspiring others when I select a project to make for the fair. I love to enter projects done in Tunisian crochet, even though I think judges may not be familiar with this type of crochet and therefore not judge it fairly against classic crochet. Wait, maybe I'm underestimating the judges, they may be very familiar with the technique. This year I entered a Tunisian scarf made with a trendy novelty yarn, in black with lots of neon colors. It didn't place, but I loved making it. I also hope that people will see that crochet can be new and trendy, as well as vintage and classic. One of the doilies that I entered was a new pattern, and one was a pattern from a 1915 needlework book. The baby afghan was made from a doily designed by a woman born in Russia in the 1800's. This is one of many designs preserved in a collection at North Dakota State University "Crochet Work among German Russians"