The Quilt Challenge

One of the designated fat quarters that can be purchased
at the listed locations

This year will be the first annual Quilt Challenge to raise money for the Textile Department at the Henry County Fair. The rules are simple: Everyone has to use one of the 55 "fat quarters" cut from a selected bolt of fabric. This can be used to create a quilted or non-quilted item using any fabric of your choice that compliments the "fat quarter." But make sure a portion of designated fat quarter is embedded in the project.

Fat quarters can be purchased for $5 and can be found at the Quilt Box in Kewanee, The Village Smithy in Bishop Hill, Quilts in Bloom in Geneseo or by contacting Eva Dynes at 309-853-1321. The fat quarters will be available while they last. If item made is entered at the Henry County Fair all entry fees will apply. The project can be entered in the Department M1 (Textiles) in Class 1620 (Quilt Challenge Class). Premiums awarded for this class will be 1st $35.00, 2nd $15.00, 3rd $5.00.

Fairbook Now Online

The Art Hall section of the 2014 fairbook can be found on this blog by clicking the fairbook top tab.

The Art Hall allows local artists an opportunity to showcase their work to the general public. The departments are:

Agriculture Products (which also includes vegetables)
Floriculture (plants)
Textiles (sewing and all types of needle work)
Fine Arts (art as well as photography)
Antiques and Collections
Culinary Baking (baking and canning)
Junior Show I (ages 8-12)
Junior Show II (ages 13-19)

Anyone can enter! The classes have been modernized by the new art hall superintendents Tamra Dynes and Eva Dynes, which just happens to be both my mother and sister respectively.

One of the cool new classes is found in the fine arts department under photography is "selfie." So if you or someone you know takes great selfies be sure to enter it in this years fair!

The complete fairbook should be in hard copy soon at local banks and businesses.

The Art Hall

Most people come to the fair and sadly never take time to come the Art Exhibitor’s Hall. It’s too bad because you’ll find everything there: from pencil drawings to canned soup, quilts to radishes, dried flower arrangements to muffins. Best of all, everyone over 8 years old, is welcomed and in fact encouraged to compete. There is a chance you can get a ribbon and a premium!

The Art Hall allows exhibitors to release their inner “Martha.” In all seriousness, the Art Hall has several departments: Agricultural Products, Floriculture, Textiles, Fine Arts, Art and Photography, Antique Collections and Vintage Articles, Culinary, Baking, and two Junior Shows just for ages 8-13 and 13-19.

Then there are classes in each of the departments. Let me clarify.  For example, in 2012 I entered a two crusted Sweet Potato Pie that was exhibited in the Culinary Baking department, in the Two Crusted Pie class. To figure out the department and classes you will want to compete in, I will post each department and class in separate posts at a later time.

The recently appointed Exhibition Hall Superintendents Tamra and Eva Dynes, are trying to update some of the Art Hall portion of the fair. Some of the new classes will be a selfie, potted plants, and the oldest and/or most interesting item before 1930. To figure out the department and classes you will want to compete in, I will post each department and class in separate posts at a later date. The entire fair book should be online at http://www.henrycountyfairil.com/ around April 1st. If you desire a hard copy, the fair book will be available at local banks around Henry County about the same time.