Those Challenges!

The intention was to have a whole post dedicated to all our other events. However, I was underestimating just how many challenges we have done over the years. It started in 2009 and it was the idea of our sock lady, Ginnie. In fact she organised it all. We both came up with the theme Scottish Homecoming because, well, 2009 was the year of Scottish Homecoming due to the birthday of Robert Burns. Ginnie organised everything else. She set up the forms (which we still use), the format and how it would be organised. We still use everything she set up but adapt it for each challenge.

Two members of the Borders team judged the challenge back then and our first winners were Donna (for her crochet haggis, neeps and tatties) and Margaret (for her Scottish snowman).

The second challenge took place in October of the same year and was our autumn challenge. The theme this time was celebration and it could be any kind of celebration. This time a friend of Ginnie's did the judging and I was unfortunately roped in due to not entering something. Was one of the hardest things I have had to do and I have since ensured that it wouldn't happen again.

The winners were Monica for her gorgeous Halloween witch. Plus Carol for this beautiful wall hanging which celebrated the anniversary of the quilting gatherers.

In 2010, despite intentions, we only had the one challenge. We had intended two which is why it was called our spring challenge. This time the theme was 'my favourite things'. We had three winners, two main prizes and runner up. Elaine won for decorating a cake with her favourite things (which we all then ate). Helen won for creating a scrapbook folder. Inside the folder she had made some scrapbook items with her favourite things. Margaret won the runner up prize for her cross stitch sampler of her favourite things.

In 2011 we again had only one challenge. We were in our new home by this point which meant there was a lot more space to show everything. This time the challenge was to create something with the theme 'all about me'. We had an additional prize for our juniour members. Zuzanna had entered her first knitted aliens. Stephanie won for her original knitted cakes. We all wished they were edible. Linda won for her gorgeously stitched needle roll. Caroline won the runner up prize for her hot water bottle cover. Have to say it was one of my favourites.

Last year I think we finally resigned ourselves to the challenges being annual. This time Helen came up with the theme. She came up with the fantastic idea that everyone could make anything they wanted but they were only allowed to use scraps or leftovers. Brilliant way to use up all those odd and ends. Magdalena won for her gorgeous crochet bag.  Stephanie won for her little dolls (which have become famous around the group). We had an official juniour category with two prizes. Zuzanna won for her crochet collage and Freya came second with her lovely Christmas decoration. Last but not least Isabel was a runner up for her scarf (which she has since lost, group member will not be surprised by this).

The next challenge is on Tuesday night in celebration of being 5 and Magdalena came up with that theme. I already have next years challenge planned and this time everyone will have a year in which to do it.

You can see why I had to have a post dedicated to just the challenges. I have also come to the conclusion that any posts about our Gartmore visits should also be on it's own. So that's the subject of tomorrow.