Stitcher's Guild

I need to finish this by monday.  I'm entering this jacket in the Wisconsin State Fair, and all that is left is the buttons/buttonholes.  It's been a UFO since March 2005!!!  Anyway, I have 4 buttons, but I think I like it better with 3:

Three Buttons (http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b319/mamafitz/threebuttons.jpg)

Four Buttons (http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b319/mamafitz/fourbuttons.jpg)

What do you think?  It's a short jacket.  I haven't really tried it on, since it's HOT here, plus I lost another 10 pounds after fitting the muslin, and I don't want to put it on and have it be too big, and then have another jacket I won't wear.  ::)

Linda:  great good luck with your entry!!  Goooo, Linda! 

I prefer 3 buttons.  The middle button "anchors" the visual, gives the eye a center to focus on.  I don't understand all the mental activity involved but uneven numbers are recommended in designing bunches of anything, pictures on a wall, landscaping, and for me, buttons on a beautiful jacket.

I agree with MaryBeth, 3 buttons looks better.  4 seems to make it look sportier, more like a jacket you'd button up to keep warm, and 3 makes it look more like a fashion piece.  Good luck in the fair!  I'm doing a little last minute fair sewing too, but am not entering nearly so many things after finally becoming fed up with their judging methods.  I used to enter a lot anyway, to help support the fair, and the thinning ranks of garment sewing entries, but after last year, I guess they're not interested, so I'm not either. ::) 

Linda ~ before I saw your jacket, I was thinking the rule of uneven numbers that MaryBeth quoted.  And I usually abide by this rule, but and now I am the contrary one ~ I like the four buttons!  I think it gives the front of the jacket a needed "pop" of color.  Let us know what you decide and good luck in the fair!

You could do 3 buttons and then add a button to each pocket, to make the color pop, as Carolyn says...

Kathryn ~ that was a great idea!  Now why didn't I think of that!  :)  More buttons would definitely make pink the predominant color in the tweed that you are using!  Do you have enough buttons to put 5 on?

i only have 4 buttons, though i could do the 3 on the jacket, and then when i get out to the shop again (it's a drive), see if they have an extra one.  there are two smaller buttons on each sleeve.  i think 3 would be better, but if i'm remembering correctly, they didn't have enough of the small ones.

liana -- i'm not sure how judging works here, though i know of people that get frustrated with it.  i never go (always mean to, just never works out).  i try and support them and the home ec stuff, but each year the # of categories gets smaller and smaller.    :(  this year i decided to enter 4 items, but i think i'll only get 2 in.  it's been so hot i just haven't wanted to sew.  as of now i have a bag and this jacket to enter.  if i can get a top done by monday, i'll also enter a skirt/top combo.  we'll see.  my MIL is here from Phoenix, so we've been doing a lot of stuff. 

Caution:  Rant ahead. ;)

Linda,  Heavens, we're not allowed to watch the judging! :o ::)  Apparently the judge would melt if overlooked.  What annoys me is that there are no comments.  They used to have the judge's helpers write comments while the judging was occurring, but now they only do it if the judge requests it, and I guess they don't care either.  That wouldn't be so bad, but I've have perfectly wonderful things (if I do say so myself) be given 3rd place, and NOTHING gets first or second.  I consider that a real slap in the face.  And of course, nothing to say why they did this, although I've had this happen, and gotten only rave comments from the judge on my garment.  It's very weird.  I finally spoke to the superintendent (same one for probably at least 30 years) and suggested that perhaps they were discouraging people from entering if nothing else, and she just laughed and said that's part of the fun of the fair.  We don't even get premiums anymore, so they're not doing it to save money (although what we used to get was laughable anyway.)  I have felt that it ought to be done like most other departments, and be judged and placed by what's entered, not by some judge's unknowable idea of what the perfect first place item would be, if someone had happened to enter it.  They wonder why they have fewer entries every year, but I think some of us could tell them.  They have had the same knitting judge for years too, and she apparently is crazed for blue items.  They win.  I wonder why I bother sometimes, but DH's family has always been very active in the State Fair, and so I continue.  They like my men's shirts, but the rest of it can be a real toss-up.  I've almost decided to just enter a shirt this year, and maybe one sweater, as it just annoys me for the whole fair otherwise.   :P ::)

The button question first -
I read through the replies to your question before looking at the photos and was mentally agreeing with the "odd number" rule.
However, I changed my mind when I looked at the photos. Why? Because the buttons look smaller than I expected I think in this case the more the better - five would be best, but I'd settle for four.

As to the judging - I've done a lot over the years and always comment. As to not giving a first; I think that at this sort of county level where one of the aims is to encourage people to enter then its important that there's a winner. Maybe only the best of a bad lot, but still the best.
I always try to find something encouraging to say - even if it's only to wish the entrant better luck next year.

I've often been called on to judge baking and preserves as well which, of course means tasting. There's nearly always an audience of sorts and I've had to watch my facial expressions really carefully!

Anyway, good luck to all of you entering goodies to the shows...may the judges be wise and fair.

oh rant away, liana.  i've seen things get second or third, with no first place awarded either.  at least here, we can watch judging, and i understand that the judges talk while they are judging a lot.  you aren't allowed to talk to them during judging, but after a lot is judged, you can ask questions.  i still don't understand how they place things, though. 

i guess a judge gushed over a blouse i made, then saw a 'stain' on it.  so it was disqualified.  i couldn't find the stain, and i think i sent the blouse to kathryn, since i didn't wear it much anyway.  last year i did really well, but it helped that i had my brother's wedding to sew for -- most of the stuff i entered was from that. 

i don't enter the knitting or quilting. 

i do get sad to see fewer and fewer entries each year.  all the home ec stuff (sewing/knitting/crafts/cooking/canning/etc) is becoming such a dying art. 

oh, i forgot -- we still get premiums.  depending on the lot, it's $4-6 for first place.  it's getting more expensive to enter:  $6 for 5 items.  i think it was $4 last year, and $2 the year before that.  they don't print a premium book anymore, everything is available only online. 

this year the food will be displayed in a completely different building than the rest of the home ec stuff. 

i'm only 36, but i'm sad to see the fair turning more commercial.  maybe commercial isn't the right word, but to me, a state fair is a place to showcase the state:  the farm animals, 4H stuff, the home ec, DNR, horticulture, etc.  not the millions of hawkers selling squeegee mops, ginsu knives, salad choppers and what not.  yeah, that's part of any fair too, but that stuff seems to be taking over. 

i won't even take the kids to the midway (they know, mama does not 'do' rides), and we go early in the day, to avoid being there later when the drunks start coming out. 

I prefer the odd number of buttons.  Using an odd number of items in any kind of art is based on the Golden Section, sometimes called the Golden Rule. There’s a lot more to it and it can get quite complicated but basically it just means that an odd number is usually more pleasing visually than an even number.  (I was a freelance graphic designer for almost 20 years, now happily retired.)

A couple of years ago I was asked to judge the quilts at our regional fair and it was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done!  I had to go through about 75 quilts in 4 hours. There were a few categories where I opted not to award a first or second place ribbon because there were guidelines and requirements on the entry forms that had not been met and I was instructed to make sure they fulfilled the requirements first.  Many people entered quilts in the wrong category entirely.  I was not allowed to move them so they didn’t meet the requirements.  Sometimes the quilts looked wonderful from a short distance but upon closer inspection, the workmanship was below par.  Judging is, of course, very subjective but most judges attempt to do the best they can within the guidelines they are given.  After my experience, I have a new respect for judges at shows and fairs.  It’s a hard and often thankless job.

Peg

Linda, I like BOTH 3 and 4 buttons.....does it look differnt to you, or function differently for you when you wear it???

I know what you mean about the WSF being a zoo!  I used to live in Milw. and HATED going to the fair b/c of all the comercialism...I did sing at the state fair when I was in high school up in Appleton, but that was 24yrs ago!

the jacket is beautiful, Good Luck!!

I liked it with more buttons too. :)

I used to be a county fair participant, as entrant and demonstrator in the home arts. Years ago they stopped giving premiums so I stopped entering. It wasn't clear what the (not trivial) entry fee was paying for, since I think the judges were all volunteers, and it's a long drive using lots of gas to drop off and pick up items at the fairground. Now you pretty much only see things from kits entered, almost no original work, and most of what's displayed is from a few elementary classes with obviously exceptional teachers.

There was a peak of commercial displays and selling booths about 10 years ago, but even that has fallen off a lot over the last few years. The homebuilders' association schedules their spring expo for the same time as the fair and the more successful commercial enterprises moved there. It seems like most of the attendees now are young families and teenagers who come for the midway rides.

Fortunately the livestock part of the fair seems healthy. Thank goodness that southern Arizona is still rural enough that the 4H-ers carry on! Families come from out of town and stay for days while their kids are showing animals. I love to watch the sheepdog trials and the group roping competitions, and see the homemade jams and baby goats and all that good stuff. But I predict that this fair may not last too many more years.

There seem to be two concurrent topics here...one the # of buttons for Linda's jacket and a second discussing fairs, entries and judging of same. 

Since Linda intended this to discuss her jacket (and I'd guess someone looking to discuss fairs wouldn't look here), I've copied the portions of posts about fairs, fair entries and judging and put up a separate thread for that under "chatter" , titled Fairs, Fair Entries and Fair Judging! (http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,404.new.html#new)  If you're discussing fairs (instead of Linda's jacket--which I like very much, BTW), please continue that discussion in the new thread! 

Thanks!

Lisa

ETC: URL to new poll on topic!

Mamfitz

I think 4 is better. I looked at both side by side each in its own window and the 4 looks more balanced. Or maybe it's because on me the bottom would gape open (hips!) if I didn't have a button closer to the hem than on your 3 button option.

And good luck!

I think four too (if you can't do the 5).  But what I want to say really is how lovely the jacket is!!  Beautiful colour and workmanship.  Good luck!

I looked earlier but did not comment.  I like the idea of  three buttons but the ones on the jacket are too small.  Therefore I go with 4.  Basically I like an odd number better, and think 5 would be ideal, but since 5 aren't available I would stick to 4. With three, it looks like you ran out of buttons.

Just my scatterbrained thoughts.

I prefer the four buttons for a whole lot of reasons. Mainly, it looks better with four.

thank you, everyone, for your opinions.  i decided on four buttons, and will be dropping the jacket off for judging this afternoon (judging is tomorrow, i haven't decided if i'll go).

a picture here:
http://mamafitz.blogspot.com/2006/07/state-fair-entries.html

Linda ~ I like your final version with the 4 buttons very much!  And a matching skirt will be great for church and other special occasions!  I really, really hope that you win a prize for this very beautiful jacket!  Good luck!

Thanks for the update, I was wondering what you'd decided.  The jacket looks great with that denim skirt.  I just love that tailored jackets are fashionable with jeans, isn't that the best of both worlds?  Good luck!!! and let us know

Good luck at the Fair, Linda!  Oh, and BTW I am still wearing that red doupioni blouse every winter!  I LOVE it!  Thanks again.

Good luck at the fair Linda!  Your jacket should really knock out the competition. :)

I just found out -- I placed 2nd in the tailored jacket category.  :)  Last week someone called from a local newspaper to interview me about entering the fair.  The article came out today (and I so wish I could share it, but it's not online.  scanning it in and posting it would be a no-no, right?).  Anyway, the reporter found out my results for the article.

We are going tomorrow, so I'll see the jacket/coat that beat me.  :) I'm still happy, 1 ribbon with only 2 entries is nothing to sneeze at. 

Congratulations!  I think that's great! 

We'd love to see the article, and I think if you scan it or type it into your blog, and then link us to it, that might be okay. ;)  After all, it's an article about you, so who can complain?  It's not as if you're scanning the whole paper in daily, and keeping them from selling subscriptions. 

Congratulations Linda!

Woo hoo, Linda!  I'm jumping up and down in celebration of your well-deserved ribbon!

Way to go Linda----congratulations

Deirdre

Congratulations Linda!

Congratulations Linda!  And I am glad the judges saw what we all saw!

Yes, congratulations!  You deserve it, it is a beautiful jacket.

Congratulations, Linda!  I so glad for you.  I'll check you blog for the article.  It's good to be queen, eh?

i scanned the article and added a link on my blog.  :)

http://mamafitz.blogspot.com/2006/08/my-15-minutes.html

Congratulations!  That is a lovely article.