The knitterly community has a habit of bragging on how wonderful, how generous and kind we all, as a group, tend to be. I would like to believe that this is generally true, and I do think that for the most part our craft does tend to attract a nicer sort of people than the overall population in most cases.
All populations have their stinkers, though, and their politics and their snits. There is a fine right case of poor behavior and misguided self-righteousness going on in the Twin Cities at the moment, and I for one am not at all pleased with the situation.
For years, the State Fair has been a bit of a problem for many knitters. I have sat through several September Guild meetings during which knitter after disgruntled knitter gets up and reads the judge’s comments on their entries, sneering and laughing at what the judges had to say, dismissing the constructive criticism with an “I know better than the judges” attitude. There is an ongoing joke about how many comments the judges make about the buttons on a garment, and even though the judges have been careful not to make these comments for the last several years, many of the guild members just can’t let it go. (Not all, mind you, but enough to make it quite noticeable to anyone present.)
For example, I sat there in one meeting and listened to a woman complain that her socks had not won a ribbon, with the judge citing a too-tight cast-on at the top of the cuff. The woman proudly proclaimed “I made that cast-on tight on purpose so the sock would stay up.” I cringed and slid down in my seat with embarrassment for her, seeing as I know from experience (and I’ve only been knitting for about seven years now, less at that time) that socks stay up when they fit properly and have enough crisply-knit ribbing at the top. A loose cast-on (or bind-off in the case of toe-ups) is necessary so that the thing will fit easily over your heel and to prevent an angry red line and cut off circulation at your calves.
It seems to me that most of this childish sneering is related to saving face, or preservation of pride. People have a hard time taking criticism, especially when they are proud of something they worked so hard to create. They want to be recognized for their hard work, and the State Fair is one of the few places we knitters to go to get real validation. So when they don’t get it, they turn to sour grapes. Scapegoating.
Well, that little issue is ongoing, and I will probably go to the September meeting (assuming family business allows) and I will probably see much of the same behavior. The State Fair judges tend to have fairly thick skin – they have to – and their positions are, as far as I can tell, relatively secure. Not to mention that the average person complaining about the judges has no idea who the judges are. Nothing new there really.
The new issue is a step worse, and I am much more bothered by the way things seem to be headed. There have been some rumblings – in internet forums and in coffee shops, probably in yarn stores and elsewhere – about certain knitters who’ve won “too many ribbons.” People are complaining that certain knitters enter too many things, that maybe they should give some of the other knitters a chance to win. They are finding “reasons” why specific knitters shouldn’t be allowed to compete any more – claiming that they are “professionals” and therefore ineligible according to the rules.
Okay, since she’s gone public about this on her blog, and has talked about it more eloquently, with much more calm and logic than I ever could in her position, I’m going to point you to Susan Rainey’s blog. Susan got an anonymous letter in the mail the other day. An anonymous letter trying to bully her out of entering the Fair any more. Please go read Susan’s post about it and see for yourself how all this has made her feel.
But also see how this has made me feel. I heard about this business first in an online forum, and then in a coffee shop here in town. Some people are campaigning for a crack-down on keeping “professional” knitters out of the Fair. They seem to think that anyone who has taught a class, or who has written a pattern for sale, should be disqualified from entering. Someone even implied that dyeing yarn for sale would qualify a person as a professional, and therefore maybe I – me – Shelly Kang – should stop entering my things in the Fair.
When I heard that – and it was from someone whom I highly respect – my heart just sank like a brick. I have won my share of ribbons, blue and various other colors, in the maybe four or five years I’ve entered things. I love entering things in the Fair. I love seeing them on display in the glass cases, I love standing there listening as people walk by and admire my work, unaware that the creator is standing right next to them. I’ll admit it, I love telling my friends and family that I won first place for that little sweater or the hat I designed. I love looking forward to the first day of the Fair, and going in the morning to get some mini-doughnuts and slowly walk through to see if my items have a pinned-on splash of color. As Susan said, it is like Christmas morning, only better.
I have been looking forward to entering that damned mitered-square blankie in the Fair pretty much since I started it, dreaming about seeing it on display as I sit and knit away for an evening.
And now, now because some people are jealous, or feel bad that their work has not measured up to the work of knitters like Susan and her ilk – knitters who spend years perfecting subtle techniques like the perfect stretchy cast-on or setting in a zipper just so – because those knitters want to, in my opinion, dumb down the competition to their level – my chance to ever enter in the Fair again may be in question.
Because, damn it, I’ve probably earned about the same amount of knitting cash as Susan during this past year, and maybe will earn a tiny bit more with the yarn business. Yes, I bring in a little bit of cash between my patterns for sale in the shops, my teaching, and now the yarn. But when I fill out my Schedule C on the tax forms, I’m barely breaking even after the business-related deductions like yarn (yes, we have to buy the yarn to make our samples most of the time) and needles, and paper and ink for the printer, and various equipment like ballwinders and niddy-noddies. Never mind things like the hot water and the gas for the stove when I’m dyeing yarn. If I were to add up all the tiny little costs, it would put me well into the red, and we wouldn’t want to trigger a tax audit.
But because people are looking for a reason to make their chances at a ribbon a little easier, because apparently they don’t understand the idea of improving their skills and taking the time to pay attention to detail, Susan and I and many other fine knitters in the state are worrying about this issue tonight. We’re just trying to have our version of fun and at the same time advance the craft.
I, for one, will be incredibly sad if the angry masses convince the Fair superintendents to “do something” about this “issue.” I don’t want to be left out of the fun, but more importantly, I don’t want to walk through the Creative Activities building and see blue ribbons on knitting that hasn’t been blocked properly, or on intarsia and Fair Isle garments that pucker, or even, god forbid, on a sweater that is otherwise perfect but has horrendously clashing buttons. I don’t want to stand in front of the cases and listen to people point and laugh, wondering who would bother knitting when all they can produce is wonky-looking sweaters and things nobody would want to wear.
Now let’s all go give Susan a group hug – she must be having a hard week, when she should be truly enjoying her hard-earned success.
Next up, as post In Which We ARE Very Pleased…
Yeeeeaaah!!! Great post, totally agree with your position. I don’t really consider myself part of the knitting “community” as such, but this goes beyond that. It’s about universal principles: fairness, the pursuit of excellence and damn hard work. (and by the way, it’s superbly written, your most eloquent post to date)
Very nicely stated. I’m one of the knitters likely to produce puckers ( but clashing buttons? Never!
, but I think we are all diminished when any people are held down in order for other people to ascend. Keep your chin up.
well good grief. sounds like the bitter knitters need to get the hell over it and improve their techniques so they can win ribbons fairly instead of trying to eliminate the competition.
Susan will get a virtual hug right after you!!
I don’t enter fairs much – I’m kind of a last-minute kinda gal and fair entry requires planning. That and most of what I knit goes to clients so I have little to enter. I would hate to think that other knitters would begrudge my entry because my skills are worthy of a ribbon. Isn’t that the whole point? Finding the best local craft-/trades-person? Should Grandma Edna stop entering her cherry pie because her crust is so consistently flaky and her filling just the right blend of tart & sweet that it wins every year? I think not.
Well written, I am going to go read Susan after this. Her blog rates high on my list, as does yours! I think that defining “professional” knitter is a slippery slope. Teaching classes is not the answer, cause someone can teach say “entry level” classes, and still have tons to learn, and be taking higher level classes themselves. I could go on and on! An idea that just popped into my head is that there could be a “Masters Level” group… made up of those people who have won a certain minimum number of ribbons, and their items would be judged comparative to other masters level people. So sorry you are having to deal with this. I am not yet at the skill level to enter into the fair! Maybe someday.
Very eloquent and well written post Shelly, and I agree with the other coments too…
We’ve become a nation of mediocrity. What will a Blue Ribbon mean anymore?
I would love to see your Blankie at the State Fair next year, that thrill shouldn’t be taken away from you because you are -making money- in the knitting community. Despite that fact, you are still taking the time and using your talents to produce a product -the Blankie- to show at the Fair. That should count for something.
Thanks, Shelly! I appreciate the support and eloquent words. I do agree that there is a huge difference between making a little bit of money with your hobby and making a living. If people do go to the state fair officials, then many people from many different crafts will no longer be able to participate. Winning a ribbon would automatically eliminate you — you just earned $8 from your knitting!!
Shelly, you’ve written a great post here!
I just judged at our county fair a couple of weeks ago, and was amazed at what people would enter into the fair!! 2 inch ends hanging out, on the front side!! We are allowed to not give any ribbons if the work is not ribbon quality, and many items did not receive a ribbon.
My guild has many ‘professionals’ by these definitions (especially if you’ve won fair money) — designers, employees of the yarn store, etc. Their entries do not always win! They are generally of a higher quality, but not always the best.
I have heard that at many fairs and competitions, it is who you know, and how much they like you, but I haven’t seen that here in Virginia.
I think it would be a crying shame to dumb down the quality of work that earns a ribbon. As you said, much better to improve your skills, and raise the quality of your work! Thanks for writing this post, and I hope someone sends it to the judges of your state fair!
This is how knitting (and crochet) get such a bad rep for being crudely-made crafts – by people wanting to enter just anything and expecting to get blue ribbons in return! It’s imperative that the standards be held high, so that we can look to those blue-ribbon winners and aspire to that level of skill. Well-said, Shelly!
The Creative Wonders building wouldn’t be nearly the same if the truly great work wasn’t featured.
There are 2 women at our fair that win almost all of the blue ribbons year after year, decade after decade. It has been an unaccomplished desire of mine to beat one of them. It gives me a goal and makes me pay attention to every detail.
We have the opportunity to watch the judging and listen to the comments the judge makes while inspecting each item. It is a wonderful learning tool to go and watch.
Not every item can win a ribbon and many excellent entries don’t. One needs to think about how much a ribbon should mean in their life. Remember, it is one person’s opinion on one day in life. The ’sore losers’ should get their self-esteem elsewhere.
I’ve never had the confidence in my knitting to even enter something into a fair. Not even our little local county fair that usually has less than a dozen entries. Trust me, though, some really crappy stuff still wins ribbons. At our last guild meeting, someone who entered one of the few items that did NOT win a ribbon was upset and grilling one of the judges on why she didn’t win, and how come “so-and-so” (who sells her some of her knitting at a congignment store) was allowed to enter, as she was “clearly a professional.” Give me a break! It is pure jealousy. Consider it a compliment that your knitting is so good that they view you as a threat!
and people wonder why I don’t join the MN Knitter’s guild – one is I don’t have time for more stuff, and the other is I don’t have time to deal with crap like this.
As some one who has entered items in the State Fair and never won, I have absolutely no problem with the most talented knitter winning. I have always kept my judge’s listings because they give me great input! Listen and learn works, people! The best stuff is inspirational and the worst usually has something worth discussing. Good luck with the blanket and keep up the good work blogging.
My favorite, the “whining will make me look better” crowd. I hated the unfairness of people whining their way into a position or a grade as a child and I still find it, well, childish. If you want to be really, really good you must work, practice, learn, and a bit of innate talent is always a plus. Katrynka beat me to it, but if the judges are going to cave on this, then there should be a “Master Class” competition. Bet the complainers will really love having to admit they can’t make it into that group to compete. Hope this smoothes over soon – I just hate when a few spoil the fun for all.
Well said. It’s as if people are looking for someone to blame for their own mediocrity. I’ve never been to a State Fair (I live in NYC and the fair is way upstate), but knowing that I could get back comments on my work that would help me improve makes me want to enter something.
I hope the officials at the State Fair know better than to cave into the complainers.
my county fair has a really nifty way to take care of this problem, there are two categories, ammeture and professional, they count professionals as anybody who has taught a class for pay.
it takes care of some of the grumbling, but not all.
i know one gentle man who complains because he enters every year, but never wins a ribbon, but fails to realize it’s because all he ever makes are ripple afghans, and other people submit much more challenging and interesting items, if he wants a ribbon he should, oh, i don’t know, challenge himself?
Oh, my goodness.
I live in South Carolina and was directed over here by one of your regular readers because I had problems of my own with last year’s state fair here (Hi! Nice blog!) but I am right now thankul that my problems were minor, compared to yours.
The fair here awards as many ribbons as they see fit – there can be ten first places awarded in a category, should the judges see fit. Not that they would, because they never see fit, to the point that everyone’s quit entering (I was new to the aera – after my experience last year I’m not entering again this year, either.) The judges make no comments, there are no real guidelines upon entering, what they consider difficult, or anything. You just toss your knitting to the winds and hope for the best. I had a Blue Shimmer replica (from “Poems of Color”) that was stitch perfect not place at all, and no one even told me why. Maybe there was a valid reason. I’ll never know. But I won’t be entering again, to have something else ignored so I can wonder why it was rejected.
I’m beginning to think that competitions like this bring out the worst in a lot of people, entrants and judges alike. But good grief, your truobles make mine sound downright minor.
Hang in there, enter the fair any time you like, and maybe point out to some of these women they’re acting like fascists. (Yeah, I know, that wouldn’t help either. But you might feel better?)
You go girl! I entered my knitting in the county fair for the first time this year and I did actually win some ribbons. I teach a knitting class, but I do not consider myself a professional. Our county fair (Wyoming) has a stipulation that if more than 10% of your income comes from that “hobby” then you are considered a professional. I think that separates the hobby knitters that teach a class or two (like the majority of us out there)from the true professionals.
Keep up the good work! Your blog has inspired me to enter my knitting in the fair and to attempt dying my own yarns. BTW, the hand-dyed yarn knitted socks won a blue ribbon.
I’m a long time reader of your blog, though I don’t know if I’ve ever commented before. But I had to after this post. I can’t believe that there are people who want to limit who can enter things. It’s a State Fair, not an Amateur Fair, or a Semi-Competent Competitors Only Fair. As for me, I wouldn’t want to go just to see some semi-well made items. It’s the incredibly skilled pieces that I find inspiring.
The timing of reading your entry was extraordinary for me. I entered the MD State Fair this year with a knitted stole…the first real lace piece I’ve ever done. (And, if I can be obnoxious and mention this, I got a third place ribbon!) And, just before I read your blog today, I was thinking, “I wish there was a way for the judges to leave some comments so that I would know what to do to improve.” Isn’t that what we should be striving for?! (Perhaps the judges in knitting do leave comments…I’ve only ever entered counted cross-stitch before and the only way I got comments was to ask the women who were returning our pieces to us.)
Hear hear!
I have, for years, only looked at the exhibits at the fair, thinking to myself, hey I could do that!
This year, I have knitted a Bohus sweater that my co-workers admired and encouraged me to enter it at the Fair. The Bohus, the Blue Shimmer is spectacular. So, I did enter it. You guessed it, I got nothing from the judges. I did get a special award from a local yarn store. Should I add that I don’t know anyone and no-one knows me? Yes, I rised above it but I would _never_ enter again. By the way, the sweater that won blue ribbon was a dark shapeless lump, that under the protective plastic cover didn’t show well. I have photos of my Bohus if anyone is interested. It is the finest and most accomplished thing I have ever done. And I knit since childhood. I didn’t know that I could get the critical comments that the judges made. How do I get to read those? vj
vjk0101athotmailcom P.S. I don’t have a blog.
I’ll be rooting for blankie next year!
That really seems like sour grapes. Restricting categories is ridiculous. Although it might be interesting to have a “first timers” category.