Entering Your Work in Competitions

Have you ever thought of entering your crocheted or knitted projects into one of the many competitions that are run throughout the country?

You don’t have to be the best or have to take out the top prizes to enjoy taking part. I enter my projects into competitions, not with the aim of winning, but with the aim to inspire others – and that’s what you can do too.  The competitions are there to encourage and support the crafts.  By entering and displaying your projects it in turn helps keep the craft alive.

Entering your work into competitions can also help you improve your skills –  you will look at your work in different ways and see what others have done.  And if you are lucky enough to have a judge and or steward that has provided feedback you can get specific pointers to focus on for your future projects.

We spoke to some competitors, judges and stewards to pick up some tips to help you get recognised for your efforts.

1. Keep it clean and tidy – make sure there are no dirty marks on your work and it is not creased – you may need to wash it and/or press it, before submitting it.  Look at your finished project carefully – you don’t always see where that bit of yarn touched the ground, or some pet hair got caught up in the yarn.  I have found white in particular very easy to mark.

2. Finishing touches – look over your project to check that all those ends have been found and are neatly sewn in. On large projects it is easy to miss an end, so look several times.  Never work over your ends as you go – as they have a tendancy to unravel.  Instead leave a tail to sew them in later. When weaving, it is best to weave in a number of directions to anchor the yarn. This can be as simple as weaving approx. 2 inches in one direction then turning back in the opposite direction, or weaving in a ‘W’ pattern with each section of the W between 1.5 and 2 inches. The more turns, the more secure the ends will be.  If you are working with two strands of yarn, don’t weave them in together. Weave each strand in separately in different directions.  If you are working with very lacy work where it is hard to make the weaving invisible, weave the ends through the tops of the stitches, so that they become less obvious.  If you are using multiple colours, weave your ends into the same colour.

3. New balls and changing colours – don’t use knots!  We see references to knots everywhere on the net when introducing new balls of yarn or new colours.  Judges frown upon knots – and they stand out a mile.   See our tip ‘Changing Colours‘ from May 2021 for guidance on changing balls and colours.

4. With rugs and clothing, check that matching edges are the same length and shape and that corners are the same shapes.  For example sleeves – you want to check that both sleeves are the same width around the wrist and armhole and they are the same length.  Even just one stitch/row out can make a big difference.  If the measurement is affected by seams, carefully check that the seams are both the same width.

5. Buttonholes – check that the buttons fit through them and that the act of using them doesn’t cause the buttonhole to fray.  When sewing on the buttons, consider using the same colour as that used to crochet/knit the garment so the stitching blends in.   If that yarn is too thick, consider splitting it so it is thin enough to secure the buttons.  See our tip ‘Adding Buttons to Garments‘ from July 2020 for more guidance

6. Seaming – ensure the seams lay flat and have the right amount of stretch.  There are so many different types of seams that can be used – consider which seam best suits the part of the garment or object you are sewing.  You don’t have to do the same seam everywhere.  Ensure the seams aren’t over tightened so that the seam pulls in one end of your garment making one side shorter than the other.  If you are sewing pieces together with different colours, use the lighter coloured yarn as it blends better and will be  less visible.

7. If you are going to crochet pieces together instead of sewing them together it is best to use the next-largest hook to avoid seams that will pucker. When using this technique be careful not to pull the stitches too tight

8. If you are using a simple pattern, the evenness of the tension and the neatness of each and every stitch is even more critical as any variations will stand out.  Simple patterns work well with multiple colours as this draws attention to the colourwork.

9. Using a more complex pattern doesn’t mean you will automatically have an advantage.   If it has not been executed well, this won’t make up for it.

10. Consider how well the colours match the pattern. The more complex the pattern, the colours should be kept simple to show off the pattern, rather than hide it. If the pattern is simple, using mulitiple colours can add more interest and be the focal point.

But most importantly, enter something to ensure there is a display and continued interest in the craft. You don’t always have to win, although it is very rewarding to do so.