NM State Fair: Judge's Comments

Testing out my luck, and the judge's preferences, I entered a few of my quits in the New Mexico State Fair. I though you might be interested in a sneak peek out how they faired. The judge's critique forms follow each entry. Handwriting varies as helpers scribe for the judge.

I entered Moccasin in the Professional category. It placed second.

Moccasin by Afton Warrick, Quilted by Patti Lueker

I'm not showing comments pertaining to the quilting, as I feel that is not my information to disclose.

Due to space constraints, only the ribbon winners get hung. Arrow Bird ended up encased, Snow White style. It did not place in the Machine Quilted Wall Hanging category.

To the best of my guess-timation, it says, "Interesting pieced design mimics border fabric," and, "Starts and stops on back. Tension needs adjusting."

My Fractal Pepper Tote scored a third place, which I consider to be favorable given that there was no bag category, just a quilted bag category. Since there's no quilting on my bag, it's quite understandable that other bags were given preference.

XLV was in the Machine Quilted Lap Quilt category, but did not place.

Holiday Plus was within the Christmas Wall Hanging category, which isn't under the umbrella of quilts, so it didn't get judged by the same judge. Therefore, I don't have a critique form. It did get first though. Linda Noordt did the quilting.

I entered my President's quilt, but it didn't place. I'm not going to share the critique form since I entered it for display purposes only. It was made as a gift to me, rather than made by me.

My son also got a first place. It didn't hurt that he was the only contestant in the Junior Any Quilted Article category. He could explain what's going on here, but I'm going to bow out.

Thanks for joining me at the fair. If you missed the winners, check out my previous post.

New Mexico State Fair

I always enjoy checking out the quilts entered into the New Mexico State Fair. In case you live nowhere near Albuquerque, or just didn't make it out to the fairgrounds, how about a random selection of award winners?

While the number of machine quilted quilts dominated the hand quilted ones, there was still fair representation. Rose Rita Lopez was awarded first place in the Hand Quilted Group Quilt category.

Rose Rita Lopez

First place for a Whole Cloth Hand Quilted went to Norma Jean Koelm.

Norma Jean Koelm

Julianna Lavery received second place in the Lap Sized Machine Quilted category. 

Julianna Lavery

She has reignited my ambition to create a feathered star quilt.

Several Judy Niemeyer patterns were amongst the winners, including Mary Moya's Total Eclipse lap quilt that took first in its category.

Mary Moya

Judy Gillonwater received first place in the Holiday Quilt category and the Best Novelty Quilt award for her One: Quiltworx.com Leaf Series quilt.

Judy Gillonwater

The top award for Group/Professional Quilt was earned by certified Judy Niemeyer instructor Barbara Gary for her Sunflower Illusions quilt, which was quilted by Shirley Barter.

Barbara Gary, Quilted by Shirley Barter

First Place for a large professional quilt was awarded to Susan Harris's Full Bloom, a BOM by Barbara Persing and Mary Hoover.

Susan Harris, Quilted by Shirley Barter

The intricate quilting was completed by Shirley Barter.

Susan Harris, Quilted by Shirley Barter

Lori Box's "Sunflowers" quilt, an adaptation of a Bea Mansanarez pattern, earned first place for Hand Appliqué Machine Quilted and second place for Viewer's Choice.

Lori Box

You may recognize this winner from the Albuquerque Fiber Arts quilt show, where it took first place in the Large Traditional category.

Lori Box

Eden Green's entry may not be a quilt, but it certainly has some fantastic quilting! She won the Best Wear Adult Amateur Garments prize. This dress reminds me of Angela Walter's Athena booth at Quilt Market.

Eden Green

Cathy Guffey received third place in the Large Sized Professional category. Her quilt was one of my personal favorites at the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Festival.

Cathy Guffey

Cathy Guffey

The New Mexico Quilters Association raffle quilt took first place for Group Quilt Appliqué Machine Quilted and first place for Viewers Choice.

Fiesta Dreamin' by Betty Ann Standiferd

You may remember Changing Seasons as the Judge's Choice winner for the Large Pictoral category at the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta. It had great success at the fair, bringing in first place in the Art Quilt category, Best Wall Hanging, and Best of Show Machine Quilting.

Utha J. Russell

Louise Madore's vibrant strip quilt took first in the Pieced Machine Quilted category and the overall Machine Pieced award.

Louise Madare

The third place winner for the Twin Size Machine Quilted category was a strip quilt in warm hues by Gail Melanson.

Gail Melanson

While few in number, and understated in size, the miniatures were amazing.

See you later for more fun from the fair!

Cade Steven Warrick

Our third child, Cade Steven Warrick was born on September 10 at 2:03 am. He weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces, and was 20 3/4" long.

I went into labor at about 9 am. I paged my husband, Rob, at work so he'd be prepared to come home if things got more serious. Fortunately his manager sent him home, because by the time my son needed to be picked up from school, I was in no condition to drive.

After he picked up my son from school, I joined the rest of the family in the Swagger Wagon for a ride to the hospital. Shortly after reminding my husband not to get panicky and forget where he was going, he entered the turn lane a street early. On dysfunctional auto-pilot at this point, my husband began to turn amidst my cries of, "Wrong turn, wrong turn, WRONG TURN! Nooooooo! WHY!?!" He followed this up with insisting on going down an extra street rather turning down the next street and heading towards the hospital, assuring me there was a light. Well, there was. Except there was also a mandatory right turn that put us heading in the opposite direction than the hospital. Shrieks of, "Nooooooo!" resumed. My five year old began to get in on heckling Daddy. Fortunately, a left turn brought us into the ER loop that connects to the regular pull-through for the hospital. I'll never know, but I bet my husband breathed a sign of relief as he pulled away to drop my two kids off at a friend's house for their first ever sleep-over.

I proceeded to have a Maze Runner-esque experience as I discovered the set of elevators that leads to triage is not on the same side of the building as it was when I had my last child. Then I wondered the halls, asking strangers in the waiting room how to gain admittance into the secluded passageway. They directed me to a red phone into which I stated the passwords of the secret society. That or "Let me in, I'm in labor!" Noticing another pregnant lady, I quickly sped past her because all is fair in love and labor.

They gave me an empty room and a cup to pee in. (No wonder when I'm offered a "sample" at the grocery store, I'm revulsed.) They asked me questions such as whether I felt like killing anyone. I though back to my husband's detour on the way to the hospital and lied. I figured saying you momentarily contemplated your spouse's demise is probably not a prudent answer. In triage I waited a zillion years! My husband even made it back before I scored a delivery room and an IV. It isn't that I love IVs, but I learned from my previous, unintentionally unmedicated delivery, that you don't get an epidural until you're hooked up to the IV for a half hour. The anesthesiologist popped in and mentioned that I'd been moved to the top of the list thanks to my midwife. (Note to self: Get that woman a gift basket.) Yep, I'm not known for heroic behavior.

During labor, I discovered a couple things. First, a baby needs the right rotation for leaving the womb. Second, back labor is awful! Word has it that if Cade had been turned the proper way, I would have ended up with an unexpectedly quick delivery. It wasn't meant to be though; Cade needed more coercion in the form of me laying on my side with a giant peanut-shaped exercise ball (not an affiliate link, but just in case you're morbidly curious) between my legs. Eventually he was born just after 2 am. I am so grateful that he is healthy and adorable.

The pictures were taken by Jessica Inman, who I highly recommend if you live near Albuquerque, NM.

Epilogue: Cade had lost a pound by his first pediatricians appointment, so I've been focusing on plumping him up like a pig for the fair. Fortunately, he's gaining again and I'm no longer in the dog house with the doctor. (Am I the only one picturing this literally?) Cade sometimes sleeps for up to five hours at a time, which had previously been unheard of for my babies, so I tend to frequently check for vitals due to paranoia. Cade enjoys staring at lights, and chuckles during his sleep. His siblings adore him. I still look pregnant, and get asked when I'm due more often than I'd like to admit if out and about, but not holding Cade. I'm determined not to care about this until I've depleted the generous gifts of food/dessert brought by the wonderful church ladies and other dear friends.