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Photo Friday: My Championship Knit Dress

By Carol Williams

Education & Training with Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals.

July 27, 2018 07:37 AM

I sew and knit. What is your superpower?

When I was in High School, I got involved with 4-H knitting and sewing and made almost all my own clothes. Through the 4-H program I learned to sew and knit so I could make my own clothes AND also enter them in competitions to earn some extra money through the 4-H program.

In those days it was cheaper to make clothes than to buy them. Nowadays patterns and fabric are so expensive that it no longer makes financial sense.

When I was looking through some old photos, I ran across this style show picture from the summer of 1969. I try not to think about how many years ago that was!

Anyway, I hand knitted this dress, and it won the championship at the Oregon State Fair that year. I was 17 years old at the time.

I was fortunate to win many championships in sewing and knitting. I still have a few of the items and maybe I'll share pictures of those in the future if you're interested.

I don't sew or knit much anymore because I fill my time with other things. I do sometimes think about getting a fancy schmancy new sewing machine that has all the bells and whistles. But, for now, I keep my old Singer that I won (in a sewing contest of course) when I was 14. It still works great and is just fine for the occasional mending or alteration job.

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Myrl Jeffcoat

Sacramento, CA

Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Carol - The intricate design of that knitting as shown in the close up is amazing. I don't doubt it won the championship at the fair in 1969. That was a very good summer. I have only one regret about it though. . .That I missed Woodstock!

Jul 27, 2018 11:36 AM

Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - W...

St. George, UT
Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD
Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA
Debb Janes

Camas, WA

Debb Janes

Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA

Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

I have no hidden super powers that are related to sewing, or knitting. Darn it. You really are quite talented. That dress is amazing. What a wonderful thing to experience that type of reinforcement at such a young age - A Championship Blue ribbon for a State Fair is something to be very proud of...good for you, Carol.

Jul 27, 2018 11:41 AM

Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - W...

St. George, UT
Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Myrl Jeffcoat ,
That's funny. I'd never thought about the fact that when I was busy sewing and knitting there were 400,000 people attending Woodstock! I'm sorry you weren't one of them.

Jul 27, 2018 11:53 AM

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Actually, Debb Janes EcoBroker and Bernie Stea JD , I think you have LOTs of superpowers. You are amazing and so generous with your knowledge!

Jul 27, 2018 11:54 AM

Roy Kelley

Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Dolores likes to knit but has not done much in recent months. Her best friend is a knitting pro.

Jul 27, 2018 12:16 PM

Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - W...

St. George, UT
Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Roy Kelley ,

Thanks for stopping in to read about my trip down Memory Lane. My knitting life is pretty much history thanks to arthritis. I can still do a decent job of hand stitching but not able to do an even knit stitch any longer.

Jul 27, 2018 12:36 PM

Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD

Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!

Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT

St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

That is a very detailed pattern and a lot of work Carol and I can see why you won, congrats! Never could grasp much of those arts like, knitting, crocheting, needle point...my left handedness prevented it. I like to draw and make Halloween costumes instead.

Jul 27, 2018 01:46 PM

Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Wanda,
You might be surprised to learn I am left-handed, as well. I had to learn to do many things right handed because I didn't have anyone to teach me otherwise. I knit and sew and play golf right handed. I think much of it is just a matter of practice and sticking with it, even though it is awkward at first. I tried to teach myself to draw (left handed) but wasn't commited to spending the time I needed to get decent at it. I applaud anyone with that talent. We all have to make choices about how we want to spend our time, don't we?

Jul 27, 2018 02:09 PM

Sally K. & David L. Hanson

EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI

WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

No such talents here...though I did have to learn them and needlepoint and crochet as well per my Grandmother...now...not soooo much !

Jul 27, 2018 02:56 PM

Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA

Joe Pryor

The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK

REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

As someone who posesses zero mechanical skills I admire your ability to do what you do.

Jul 27, 2018 03:55 PM

Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Wow - Carol- I'm impressed!!!! I can knit and crochet but only if you want potholders or one very long afghan!!!

Jul 27, 2018 05:38 PM

Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA

Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS

Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA

South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Wow Carol, that had to be a ton of work. You looked very proud!

Jul 27, 2018 09:29 PM

Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA

Jane Chaulklin-Schott

TEAMCONNECT REALTY - (407) 394-9766 - Orlando, FL

TeamConnect Luxury Homes - Orlando, Florida, 32836

Carol Williams , I do not need to see your competition on that 1969 WIN bcause your knit dress 'knocked it out of the park.' Perfect!! My Mom was both a tailor and a furrier and also had an old pedal Singer. I have seen lots of clothing she has made through the years. I believe I am a qualified judge. Would love to see more of your past work.

Jul 28, 2018 04:00 PM

Carol Williams

Wenatchee, WA

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Sally K. & David L. Hanson ,
I imagine you have very fond memories of learning to do needlepoint and crochet with your Grandmother. I remember my Grandmother preferred to do all of her sewing by hand, even after she had an electric machine.

Jul 29, 2018 05:55 AM

Sally K. & David L. Ha...

Brookfield, WI

Sally K. & David L. Hanson

I do Carol Williams my grandparents had little money when my Mom was growing up...my Grandfather was a cabinet maker and made the buttons for the clothes she sewed for her daughters.

Jul 29, 2018 06:11 AM

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Joe Pryor ,
I'm sure you have plenty of other skills that you have chosen to develop. We all have different interests that way.

Happy Sunday!

Jul 29, 2018 05:56 AM

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

HI Kathy Streib
I'm sure you could do more than potholders if you'd spent as much time knitting as I did. You know what they say, practice makes perfect... or at least very good.

Jul 29, 2018 05:57 AM

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®,CRS,
After I posted the picture and got to looking at the close-up, I started wondering just how many total stitiches there are in that dress. Kind of mind boggling actually.

Jul 29, 2018 05:59 AM

Carol Williams

Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA

Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Jane Chaulklin-Schott ,
Sounds like your Mom and I would have a lot to talk about. But, I was never a tailor. Never really learn that skill.

This knit dress wasn't my most prize winning garment. I won a National Competition with a pink and white checked gingham dress in 1966. That is the competition where one of the prizes was a sewing machine... the machine I mentioned in the post. Perhaps I'll post about that dress sometime soon.

Thank you so much for stopping by to read my ramblings about a trip down Memory Lane.

Jul 29, 2018 06:03 AM

Sheri Sperry - MCNE®

Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ

(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

HI Carol Williams - pretty impressive to win at the Oregon state fair! I am impressed. I used to sew and enjoyed making my own clothes. When my kids were born. I made them costumes. My favorite was a Star Wars Ewok costume that my son wore a lot!

Jul 29, 2018 07:55 AM