Blue Ribbon Afghans from America's State Fairs

Each of these extraordinary hand-crocheted afghans, displayed in magnificent photos, is a blue-ribbon winner. They've all taken the top prize at one of America's state fairs-the prime public venue for showing off the nation's best traditional crafts. The styles, colors, and patterns are as varied as the folks who fashioned them, ranging from an afghan with an elegant white-on-white country design to a one made from leftover yarn that has a wildly kaleidoscopic motif. Not only can crocheters recreate these wonderful items at home, thanks to patterns, detail shots, and instructions, but they'll also experience the charm that makes the state fair such a special part of American culture. Scattered throughout the text are fun facts about the fairs, from the invention of the ferris wheel to favorite foods, along with both new and vintage black and white photos.