CWA’s handicrafts competition is jam-packed with skills

JAM judging is a serious business at the annual state CWA handicrafts and home industry competition.

Lindy Cleeland and Jan Oakley judging the cookery section. Country Womens Association (CWA) annual cakes jams and knitted goods competition judging.

JAM judging is a serious business at the annual state CWA handicrafts and home industry competition.

With just over 300 entries from all over the state, a group of experienced women judges started work at lunchtime yesterday and went through to 5pm comparing entries in the photography, knitting, crocheting, jam making, cooking and pickles sections, just to name a few.

And competition was fierce.

Mary Hanslow, left, and Chris Booth sample the jams.

Long-time CWA Orielton branch member Mary Hanslow, 81, tasted each jam entry from a silver teaspoon, with fellow CWA member Chris Booth, of Collinsvale.

The two seasoned judges compared notes before deciding the winning entry.

Taste and colour were the most important attributes of jam, Mrs Hanslow said.

“A good apricot jam is my favourite,” she said.

Chief steward Shirley Morrisby said judges such as Mrs Hanslow represented “the real CWA”.

Mrs Morrisby said arts once on the verge of being lost continued to make a revival.

“Knitting and crocheting and making cakes and preserves is so much more economical to make than going to the shop,” she said.

The competition is open today from 11am and tomorrow from 10am at the Bellerive Community Hall at 59 Cambridge Rd.