Keep your eyes open for some real Putnam County Fair treasures

Monday, July 24, 2017
Among some of the interesting exhibits in the Community Building at the Putnam County Fair are an Elizabethan gown made by Betsy Musselman and a needlecraft map of the world created by JenJe Stouder.
Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE

Obvious attention-grabbers are all around the Putnam County Fairgrounds during fair week.

Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE

And this year is no different. Just look around as you wander the grounds.

Thousand-pound animals stop you in your tracks. Cute little bunnies bring a smile to your face. The unmistakable aroma of Legionburgers means it’s fairtime. Lemon shake-ups, elephant ears, funnel cakes ...

The headliners can grab your attention through any of your senses.

A steampunk table lamp 4-H project of Conner Taylor (left) and a Singer sewing machine cake, made by Reagan Ladd, are among the interesting exhibits in the Community Building.
Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE

It’s in the Community Building, where hundreds of 4-H projects are proudly on display, where you might miss some of the most interesting elements of the fair.

Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE

Oh sure, almost everyone walks down the aisle where the color photos from the Photography project are so brightly on display. Or they wander over to the woodworking corner to ooh and aah over creations there. Others seem intrigued by garden delights like the monster head of cabbage or that giant cucumber on display.

But if you rush through the building or dodge the crowded aisles, you may miss a couple real doozies.

For example, on the west corner of the Community Building stage rests an Elizabethan gown, sewn by Betsy Musselman, who earned a Blue Award for her efforts.

The gown looks like it could easily have been a prop in a Shakespearian drama or created for a Harry Potter movie, but it was worn in all its shimmering blue splendor by Musselman in the 4-H Fashion Revue.

Meanwhile, at the end of one of the middle aisles, a printed sign warns “Do not touch!” JenJe Stouder’s needlecraft map of the world.

And while you can’t poke or prod the hand-dyed (using Koo-Aid), hand-spun, knitted creation, spending a little time with it is enough of a pay-off. After all, she earned Grand Champion, Champion and State Fair honors.

In an accompanying note, Stouder tells how the map project was her own original design. The 10-year 4-H’er even created the yarn used for the various land masses of the knitted world map wall hanging -- ocean areas were left undyed -- “by spinning little bits of various colors together” before adding metallic thread for some sparkle.

About a third of the yarn used in the project was spun by Stouder on a Turkish drop spindle, while the rest was done on her homemade spinning wheel -- a separate 4-H project entry all its own.

“When the knitting was complete,” she said, “I wove in loose ends and blocked the fabric overnight.”

Stouder finished the project by sewing dowel rods into the top and bottom of the creation for easier hanging. She also made colorful tassels and included them at the bottom of the wall hanging for decoration.

Meanwhile, along the west wall of the Community Building, you’ll find Electric project entries, and front and center there is a steampunk table lamp -- an interesting creation by Greencastle High School sophomore Conner Taylor.

In his accompanying information, Taylor notes steampunk is inspired by 19th-century steam-powered machinery, incorporating technology and aesthetic design. Steampunk is described as “an artistic movement, a sub-genre of literary science fiction, originating in the 1880s and incorporating Victorian or scientific devices into wild, fanciful industrial designs.”

Taylor’s project -- which earned Grand Champion, Champion and State Fair entry honors -- explains that “once the electric light bulb came to be and the generation of electricity became commonplace, the need for lighting devices of all types became apparent. However, lack of pre-made lamp parts became a major issue because there were no formal lamp parts manufacturing companies at the time.”

That meant taking existing steam and gas pipes and converting them to accommodate electricity.

“In went light bulbs, gas pipes, steam pipes, wire, switches and some creative thinking, and out came the steampunk lamp,” he noted.

For his 21st-century creation, Taylor added a USB charging station for his phone and electronics, while a motion sensor turns off the lamp when he leaves the room, saving energy.

“I think this will be useful on my desk and will help decorate my room nicely,” the son of David and Jenney Taylor of Greencastle added.

A GHS golfer, Taylor has outfitted the steampunk lamp with three clocks -- one showing the time at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland, while another carries the time for the home of The Masters at Augusta National in Georgia. A third clock has the time at the TPC course in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“It was a summer-long project,” noted Taylor’s grandfather, Dale Jessup, who happened by at an opportune time. “Most lamps like that have pressure gauges but he decided he wanted to do something about golf, so he put in the clocks.”

But perhaps the most amazing creation in the building is a cake version of a Singer Sewing Machine, a project that earned Champion, Honor Group and State Fair entry awards for the clever Reagan Ladd.

Intricately fashioned, the sewing machine cake even includes accessories like a tape measure, pin cushion, scissors, checkered fabric and spools of thread -- all done with cake and/or frosting.

So don’t be in a huge hurry when you visit the Community Building. You may never know what you might miss. But you only have until Friday to find some treasures.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: