Road to the State Fair

Do you have a Life List, a list of things to do before you go? Maggie Mason over at Mighty Girl got me thinking about the idea. I’ve never really sat down and written my list, but I have thought about a few things that would be on it, cruise the Nile, eat at the world’s best restaurant, shop at the Christmas markets in Germany and enter something in a state fair competition. Obviously one of these is easier than the others, so this year I have decided to knit a pair of mittens to enter in the 2012 MN State Fair.

Not only am I knitting them, but I’m also designing them. You might remember the flying pig mittens from my post on designing your own colorwork mittens, after a bit of refining of the design those are the mittens I have decided to enter. I have until mid-August to finish, so hopefully that is enough of time. Doing something for a competition like this really makes you pay attention to how you do every stitch. I love the picot edge cuffed, but I just ripped back 5 rows of colorwork when I realized my increases weren’t slanting in the right direction. This could be quite a process. I have no illusions of winning a ribbon, but it will be fun to see something I made on display at the Fair.

Have any of you ever entered anything in a state fair? Was it a good experience? Did you win a ribbon?

Some people have already asked if I will share this pattern. Yes, I will share the pattern and the chart when the mittens are finished. The chart is done, but knowing me there will be changes before the mittens themselves are completely knit and I’d rather wait until then.