This week I decided to spend a couple hours sorting through ribbons. They've been accumulating since 1964 when I received my first "Style Revue" ribbon for modeling a 4-H outfit at the Fayette County Junior Fair, when was 11 years old. My family lived in Washington Court House, Ohio then. Oh my but handling these ribbons have been a trip down memory lane.
I have ribbons from Van Cleave Prep School, Troy, Ohio; the Dodge County Fair, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin; the Iowa State Fair; and Des Moines Area Quilters Guild, Des Moines, Iowa. If nothing else, they're certainly indicators of a few of the places I've lived.
Muddling through what to do with them I recalled ribbon pillows and ribbon wallhangings I've seen. Nope, not for me. I settled on listing each one on a spreadsheet, indicating the event, year, placing and description of the item that received the award. Then, I laid out all 87 ribbons and took pictures. They're certainly colorful!
It's a bit shocking to estimate the hundreds of hours of stitching and sewing these represent. And what about all those entries that didn't receive ribbons!?
These ribbons were earned for Hardanger, counted cross-stitch, pulled thread embroidery, duplicate stitch, smocking, sewn wool clothes and aerobic wear, and quilting. Oh, and some bread and brownie-baking in there too. Of course the ones I'm most proud of are the rosettes, for "sweepstakes" and "best of."
I'm dusting my hands of these. They're old glories and it's time for them to go. The spreadsheet and photos will satisfy as proof enough of my efforts. One more task ticked off a long list of items to sort and purge. It feels great! Linda
Nope, no ribbons! What special rememberances for you and all you've achieved.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a nice wander down memory lane. I really don't have any ribbons.
ReplyDeleteI just have a few that I've saved but am even now pondering what to do with them and how to keep them. Or if I should keep them.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for going through stuff and purging!
I rarely enter anything for competition Linda - both the county fair and our biannual quilt show fall in September when we typically are on vacation. But I have received two ribbons...yep, two...and find storing them to be no problem. :) Both reside on the bulletin board in my sewing room. If I had as many as you do I wouldn't have a clue what to do with them! But I think your idea is a perfect one...especially since simplifying our lives seems to be a high priority for us both right now. blessings, marlene
ReplyDeleteI think they'd make cool patchwork, maybe made into pillows... like old cigar ribbon quilts and crazy patchwork...? But then of course, it's another thing to make and another thing to move...
ReplyDeletewow - sooo many ribbons Linda - I've only got one ribbon and that's from my school days in athletics and there's no chance of any more of those now !! the photo is fabulous and yes, hours of work for those :)
ReplyDeleteI don't have that many but I them all stuck to a bulletin board in my sewing room. I might would keep the handmade ribbons though but you probably already got rid of those too.
ReplyDeleteI came here looking for the Ribbon Palm. Funny stuff!
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My wife has tons of ribbons and my son is now in school getting tons. I always hatted them because I have never received any. Last year our scout troop (I am a 11 year old scout leader) won a ribbon and since then I am on a search to win something (still have not) sad I know but they are cool your pile looks amazing.
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