Judges impressed by man's work

Staff Writer

Dressed in overalls, boots and a John Deere cap, Perry Enlow fit right in with the crowd of folks who came to the home economics and farm products barn to pick up their Union County Fair entries Monday.

You might have thought the 61-year-old Torrington Company retiree with the neat gray beard was picking up a basketful of vegetables or a bale of hay. Instead, he was in the “Sewing, Needlework and Crafts” division picking up three entries - two “Best in Show” awards for his Cathedral window bedspread and crocheted spread and three first place awards for those two entries and a 9-patch quilt.

Family and Community Club members who have volunteered working in the home economics area of the fair said they never before remember a man winning awards in sewing, quilting or crocheting.

“The judges were impressed with his work,” said Myrtis Rainwater, an FCL member who has been volunteering for 18 years. “They just kept coming back to it and they would refer to the person as ‘her.' After the judging was over, I told them their ‘her' was a him. They were surprised.”

Juanita McCullough, another FCL member who has been volunteering since 1995, said the judges usually agonize over deciding the winner in quilting. This year it was easy.

“This year they said, ‘Don't even bring it back. We know which one it is,'” she said.

Clemson Extension Agent Sue Hovey, who also assists with the home economics division, said this is her 10th Union County Fair and she has seen men win the baked goods division, but never sewing, needlework and crafts.

“His work is beautiful, just beautiful,” she said. “I am happy to see men exhibit in this division. We have had men become sweepstakes winners in baked goods - a man from Boiling Springs won this year for best yeast bread and best pie. Last year Clark Beavans (of Union) won for best modified recipe with a persimmon cake - modified to have less fat.”

Enlow was born in his grandfather's house and grew up in Ottaray, the son of Myrl Hall and the late Noah “Bill” Enlow.

When he was 13, he was diagnosed with polio, which for several years limited his mobility.

His aunt, Elizabeth Hawkins, and her daughter, his cousin Estelle Cody, taught him quilting and needlework. Mrs. Cody suffered from multiple sclerosis and was wheelchair bound.

He enjoyed these crafts but abandoned them after he married. He has two daughters, Stacy Stephens of Union and Leslie McCleod of Moore and five grandchildren.

Twelve surgeries on his back, hand and other areas left him disabled. He picked up his craft work again.

“Sometimes I can't sleep at night, I'm hurting, and I get up and work on a block,” he said. “It gets your mind off all your problems. You get your mind on seeing the pattern form and you forget your troubles.”

Enlow said he plans to use his prize-winning entries in his home or display them on racks. It took about three years to crochet the spread, about two years to make the cathedral spread and another year to create the 9-patch quilt.

In the future, he plans to make Bob the Builder quilts for his three grandsons and quilts with horses or flowers for his two granddaughters.

Though this was the first time Enlow had entered crafts in the fair, it wasn't the first time he had won something there. Years ago, he won a ladder offered by Berry Lumber Company which helped get him started in carpentry, which he also enjoys.

He also won first place for his pigeons this year, which he said are an edible variety.