Well, I feel compelled to address an issue that’s been raised concerning the Pattern of the Month Contest. My decision to post the entries for the Pattern of the Month Club on Facebook and on my blog for you to vote for your favourite has turned sour. I’m writing this for the opportunity to explain why I changed the rules from in house judging to farming it out to social media to determine a 1st prize.
The change transpired due to the fact that the contest participants dwindled down to only three to four entrants, the bulk of which were either people from my hooking group or friends. Then it became really hard for us to pick a winner without bias and I couldn’t send it out to my hooking group when some were playing. Even with blind judging I didn’t think the group would be comfortable with commenting when one to two of them had entries and I certainly didn’t want to risk favouritism. I really try to do everything right, but there always seems to be a fly that squeezes through a hole in the screen and swims around in the ointment. I didn’t see a problem coming, I think my joy over the entries and the fun of picking the monthly winner blind sided me. I never dreamed people would be uncomfortable judging or consider that I was setting up participants to feel like losers.
I truly believed putting it out to a vote was a fun way to pick a winner and I feel the majority of voters enjoyed being part of the contest…something fun to do with rug hooking because who doesn’t like to see different hooked versions of the same design? To me it was no different than a juried show at an exhibition. Someone gets the red ribbon, others do not. I never considered those who do not receive a prize to be losers and never dreamed that others would worry that participants might feel this way. Personally, I think in terms that one is chosen and the others are not.
I would also like to note that in October’s group of four submitters, one of the rug hookers had won one prize previously and three of them each won twice before…..so they are by no means losers. The rugs were all lovely and all worthy of the wool prize, but it was a contest that dictates there has to be a winner; that does not take away from the value of the other rugs.
I’m not sure what will happen if I remove the post from Facebook, it has tentacles that reach beyond my knowledge, but I’ve deleted it from my blog and I will find impartial people to vote independent of the shop for October’s prize. I also received an email stating that people have been making comments that there was vote padding and that it was becoming a popularity contest. Whether this really happened or was just perceived I don't know, but now that it was brought to my attention I can’t disregard it. Like I said before I am fair to the point of boring so the only way to settle this is to go back to the old system, decide in house and only post the winner. I won’t post November or December monthly submissions for voting or the full rug at the finale. We will choose and then present the winner after the decision is made.
I certainly have appreciated the few who have stuck with the contest and I would never want to offend or upset you in any way and I hope you all had as much fun as I did. There are only two more months to go before the big finale and I look forward to seeing the entire year of designs together, I might even be more excited than they are and there will most assuredly be tears on my part. Unfortunately only one will win a prize, but that by no means diminishes the rest….you are all winners!
So in closing, I’m very sorry if I caused anyone to be uncomfortable or feel like a loser or if you thought the voting was manipulated. I would rather cut my hand off than offend anyone. This contest was supposed to be all about the fun. There were only a handful of comments compared to the hundreds of people who voted happily, but I know how talk can spread and get out of control. I feel I have to protect the integrity of the contest.
I would like to take this time to thank all the kind folks who have participated in the voting. From your comments I believe you enjoyed participating. I certainly appreciate your taking the time to help me out and I thoroughly enjoyed reading all your comments.
The change transpired due to the fact that the contest participants dwindled down to only three to four entrants, the bulk of which were either people from my hooking group or friends. Then it became really hard for us to pick a winner without bias and I couldn’t send it out to my hooking group when some were playing. Even with blind judging I didn’t think the group would be comfortable with commenting when one to two of them had entries and I certainly didn’t want to risk favouritism. I really try to do everything right, but there always seems to be a fly that squeezes through a hole in the screen and swims around in the ointment. I didn’t see a problem coming, I think my joy over the entries and the fun of picking the monthly winner blind sided me. I never dreamed people would be uncomfortable judging or consider that I was setting up participants to feel like losers.
I truly believed putting it out to a vote was a fun way to pick a winner and I feel the majority of voters enjoyed being part of the contest…something fun to do with rug hooking because who doesn’t like to see different hooked versions of the same design? To me it was no different than a juried show at an exhibition. Someone gets the red ribbon, others do not. I never considered those who do not receive a prize to be losers and never dreamed that others would worry that participants might feel this way. Personally, I think in terms that one is chosen and the others are not.
I would also like to note that in October’s group of four submitters, one of the rug hookers had won one prize previously and three of them each won twice before…..so they are by no means losers. The rugs were all lovely and all worthy of the wool prize, but it was a contest that dictates there has to be a winner; that does not take away from the value of the other rugs.
I’m not sure what will happen if I remove the post from Facebook, it has tentacles that reach beyond my knowledge, but I’ve deleted it from my blog and I will find impartial people to vote independent of the shop for October’s prize. I also received an email stating that people have been making comments that there was vote padding and that it was becoming a popularity contest. Whether this really happened or was just perceived I don't know, but now that it was brought to my attention I can’t disregard it. Like I said before I am fair to the point of boring so the only way to settle this is to go back to the old system, decide in house and only post the winner. I won’t post November or December monthly submissions for voting or the full rug at the finale. We will choose and then present the winner after the decision is made.
I certainly have appreciated the few who have stuck with the contest and I would never want to offend or upset you in any way and I hope you all had as much fun as I did. There are only two more months to go before the big finale and I look forward to seeing the entire year of designs together, I might even be more excited than they are and there will most assuredly be tears on my part. Unfortunately only one will win a prize, but that by no means diminishes the rest….you are all winners!
So in closing, I’m very sorry if I caused anyone to be uncomfortable or feel like a loser or if you thought the voting was manipulated. I would rather cut my hand off than offend anyone. This contest was supposed to be all about the fun. There were only a handful of comments compared to the hundreds of people who voted happily, but I know how talk can spread and get out of control. I feel I have to protect the integrity of the contest.
I would like to take this time to thank all the kind folks who have participated in the voting. From your comments I believe you enjoyed participating. I certainly appreciate your taking the time to help me out and I thoroughly enjoyed reading all your comments.
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