For years, Mandy Shaffer has been a fixture of the needlework committee at the Wood County Fair — and this year won’t be any different.

Shaffer does many different jobs, including overseeing that there are enough judges and volunteers as well as helping anyone who has any issues.

“It’s a lot of work and we get pretty tired out by the end of the week, but it’s just really fun to have people have that opportunity to see their fiber arts shown and just have the opportunity to show what you’re able to do,” she said.

Along with being on the committee, each year Shaffer enters her own projects to be judged and displayed.

She said she loves taking part in the fair and she enjoys getting to display her own works, while also checking out what others have done.

“I just think it’s a really cool chance to look at a lot of different needlecraft and honestly the whole fair, whether it’s the art building, just to see the talents in our community,” she said.

Everything that is entered as part of the needlework department will be on display in the Home and Garden building. It will all be judged and then put on display, along with any ribbons that are won.

Shaffer said that the committee always makes sure everything is displayed clearly for people to view, but that it is also protected to keep everything safe.

There are multiple categories that can be entered. They include knitting, crocheting, needlepoint and quilting. Every category involves sewing, whether it’s by hand or with a machine.

Sewing is beginning to become a lost art, as many people don’t know how to do it. Shaffer said she hopes the displays will show people that it’s not entirely lost and that there are still people who know how to sew.

“Sadly, in too many of our schools, we’ve lost the home ec classes and the basic training skills in sewing and different things like that,” she said. “That ability to do that is still out there and there’s people who would gladly teach you how to do something if you want to learn it.”

Shaffer said she believes sewing is important not only because it allows people to fix something that is torn, but also because it brings a lot of joy to people.

She said when people create something that is their own, they often get a great feeling of accomplishment. They can keep their piece for themselves, or they can give it to someone else to enjoy. Either way, Shaffer said sewing allows people to create something that is original to them.

“We’d love to see a lot of people enter this year and love to see the building full, that’s always our goal,” she said. “Everyone in the committee is always really excited to see the building full and I think Wood County has a really great showing of talents that come in.”