Battle Of The Stitches....The Ride

Whew........What a ride!!
I was asked by Kate Wagstaff to participate in The Battle Of The Stitches, with little knowledge of what this was, and so unsure that I could compete with anyone, I took this challenge.  I took this, if not for anything else, but to push myself. I was competing with some pretty awesome designers, what was I thinking? 
We waited and waited for what seemed like forever for the theme and stitch.  Ok, we got the theme, "love", I thought this can't be bad, then we got the stitch...."Lover's Knot!  Now I am sweating and wondering, just what can I make with this?  I was terrified as this stitch has scared me from ever even trying it.  Ok, I told myself, what will you make?

I chose to do a poncho.  How could I go wrong, right? I was so wrong.  I tried and tried to make this work for me. My first attemp was a failure.  My daughter Amy told me it looked like a "giant doiley or a tablecloth".  So scratch that!! 

So with a week left before pictures were due, I had to come up with a plan of action and stick with it.  I didn't even ask, or show it to my daughter for fear she would say it sucked. lol. I worked on this endlessly, finished and praying it looked good enough.  Then another fear took over. PICTURES! I am terrible at taking pictures and I needed a model.  I had to somehow use a model everyone sees without seeing her face. Ok, to the river we go.  This is the result after about 50 pictures. 

This is what I came up with.  NOT!!!! So I ditched this one.  I told myself, maybe add some color?  So with yarn and hook and some colorful cotton yarn, I got busy again.  Ok, so I am not liking this one either.  Not sure if the colors bothered me or if it was something else. So this was ditched too.

Now onto the judging and final reveals!

OMGoodness, when I saw the pictures of these amazing designs,  I thought, I don't have a prayer to win, but I had so much fun trying! These designers are amazing, and working with this stitch was challenging. All of these designs are so beautiful. Not one is alike, but I thought using this stitch there may be at least one alike, and I was wrong!

Ok, the voting and suspense is on!!  The judges pick and the fan favorite, a week long process.  Finally the results are in! 

Judges Choice goes to Kate Wagstaff of Crafting Friends and Designs

Fan Favorite goes to The Country Willow

I WON!!!!!  Can you imagine my surprise? This has been a very humbling experience.  I am taking this opportunity to thank everyone who voted for this. I love the concept that Battle Of The Stitches takes in keeping the designers secret.  You are not voted on because of a name.  It's your design alone that gets voted on.  Would I do this again? Absolutely, even if I didn't win!! 
Thank you to the judges and all the behind the scenes personnel, Lisa Jelle, who leads the promoters group. The promoters are, Patricia Mannarino, Darcy Johnson, Shannon Kilmartin, Sonya Blackstone, Steff Walker, Amanda Everson, and Paula Emerson.  The judges in this round, Jennifer Dougherty, Amy Price, Ann Williams, April Bennett, and Schere Wade, and all the various sponsors.  Thank you all!! 

Keep your eye out for the E-Book being released tomorrow for all the designs and 2 extra special designs.
 http://www.battleofthestitches.com/battle-of-the-stitches-ebooks.html

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