Offbeat Ceremonies ~ Giving you the alternative

The first ever entries in the Blue Mountains Queer Beanie competition were fabulous, creative, innovative and outright queer!

We had knitted, felted, quilted and crocheted entries from beginners through to skilled and long term crafters and all of them are amazing!

The inaugural Queer Beanie competition was run in conjunction with the first ever Blue Mountains Pink Fest and the long standing Winter Magic festival.

It was a fabulous gala night in The Library of The Carrington on Friday 18th June, one of our six fabulous sponsors along with:

Hazelbrook Healthfoods
Katoomba Collectables
Offbeat Ceremonies ~ Giving you the Alternative
Renommee: Quality recycled contemporary and vintage fashion and accessories 02 4784 3487
Summit Gear

Our judging team of Judith Maitland, Rosie Mann, Rachel Mann, Jenny-Lee Heylen, Angela Lougheed and Mark Jarvis took their task very seriously and we thank them for their efforts.

Thanks also to our professional photographer, Elizabeth Walton of Who Needs a Secretary, however, the following photos are MINE as we haven't had a chance to GTG since Friday evening, LOL!

The entrants impressed the judges with their creativity and skills and it was a hard call to choose winners from such a wonderful selection.

... and the winners are ......

Queer category-Beginner: 

First prize: Julie Bargenquast "Baby of Twin Towers' - Prize $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies
Highly Commended: Julie Barganquast 'Twin of Queers - MV'

Queer category-Intermediate:

First prize: (two winners in category) Sharn Arcus 'Extermiknit' - Prize: $50 gift voucher from Katoomba Collectables
Highly Commended: Susan Robbins 'The Sorting Beanie'

Queer beanie: Intermediate

First prize (two winners in category): Lorna McKenzie 'Queer Battle Helm' - Prize $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies

Queer beanie category: Advanced  

First prize: Lynn Burnett 'We are Family' - Prize: $50 gift voucher Summit Gear
Highly Commended: Gillian Hand 'Freeform'

Classic category-Beginner:
First prize: Tilly 'Beyond the Fringe' - Prize: $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies
Highly Commended: Susan Robbins 'First beanie'

Classic category: Intermediate

First prize: Sharn Arcus 'Fair Isle'- Prize: $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies
Highly Commended 1: Sue Guy '12 ply classic'
Highly Commended 2: Kathleen MacDonald 'Landscape'

Classic category: Advanced

First prize: Lynn Burnett - Prize: $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies

Reuse, Recyle-Intermediate (no entries in any other categories)

First prize: Lorna McKenzie 'Empress Dream' - Prize: $50 from Offbeat Ceremonies
Highly Commended: Judith 'Impromptu'

People's Choice:

Susan Robbins 'The Sorting Beanie' - Prize: a beautiful silk/wool Pashmina from Renommee: Quality recycled contemporary and vintage fashion and accessories 02 4784 3487

And here are all the entries in all their clever and skillful glory.....

Mid-winter revels in the Blue Mountains would not be the same without the fabulous, spectacular, dress-up spectacle of Winter Magic!

The gods and goddess of Yule blessed us this year with bright sunshine and blue skies, though the wind gave us a serious chill factor to contend with, but nothing that rugging up warmly didn't solve.

My 1880's Saloon Girl outfit worked perfectly, though I was more SteamPunk than authentic, the lime green leg warmers are definitely NOT period and my Scottish 'Laird' looked extremely smart.

My beanie was hand made by me as part of the inaugural PinkFest/Winter Magic Queer Beanie Festival 2010 and it was a WINNER in the Recycle, Reclaim, Reuse category - very chuffed indeed. A separate post is in order for the competition and the marvellous beanies that everyone entered.

Our day was hectic, breakfast with friends, then off to pick-up a Sydney arrival, then to watch another perform with the BlueMUGS, our very own Ukulele band, then the fabulous parade:

The best thing about Winter Magic is that it is a local event and we all participate, we all dress up and join in the fun, families, people of all ages and walks of life, celebrating the darkest time of the year and encouraging the sun's return!