February 5, 2007
For More Information Contact:
Marie Lehfeldt, MIWW Coordinator (406) 636-2731, or levi@midrivers.com
Amy Trinidad (303) 771-3500, ext. 33, or amy@sheepusa.org(Electronic photos available upon request)
Denver, Colo. - February 5, 2007 - Meredith Olds of Manhattan, Kan., and Danielle Billing of Sioux Falls, S.D., took top honors at the 2007 Make It With Wool National Finals and Awards Program held Jan. 27, in San Antonio, Texas. This event was held in conjunction with the 2007 convention of the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) and National Lamb Feeders Association.
Olds won the title of First Place Junior 2007 Wool Ambassador wearing a five-piece ensemble that she constructed. She designed and crocheted a striped turtleneck sweater and scarf and layered it underneath a burgundy, zippered-front vest with a stand-up collar and paired it with chocolate brown wool pants. Olds topped off the outfit with a tan merino wool and camel hair coat which features raglan sleeves and asymmetrical bound buttonholes. Olds winnings included a $1,000 scholarship from Pendleton Woolen Mills, a $500 scholarship from the ASI Women, $100 worth of fabric from Britex of San Francisco, mohair fabric from Dolores' Unique Designs, Texas, a sheep pelt from Campbell Co. Woolgrower Auxiliary, the "Creative Serging" book from Palmer/Pletsch Publishing, the Women's Boutique Pattern Software from Wild Ginger Software, wool fabric from Britannia, Pendleton or Woolrich in addition to five skeins of yarn from Blue Sky Alpacas. The junior division was open to youth ages 13 to 16.
Billing was selected as the First Place Senior 2007 Wool Ambassador. Billing's winning creation was a black and red ensemble that she planned entirely around her red boots. Underneath a black coat accented with a saucy faux-fur trim, Billing showed off her black cuffed capri pants and a red asymmetrical, Italian-designed jacket. Billing's first-place winnings included a $1,500 scholarship from the ASI Women, $100 worth of wool fabric from Britex of San Francisco, mohair fabric from Dolores' Unique Designs, Texas, a sheep pelt from Stockman Bank of Billings, Mont., the "Creative Serging" book from Palmer/Pletsch Publishing, the Women's Boutique Pattern Software from Wild Ginger Software, wool fabric from Pendleton, Britannia, Franetta or Forstmann Co. and five skeins of yarn from Blue Sky Alpacas. The senior division was open to youth ages 17 to 24.
Alyssa Nelson of Jackson, Minn., and Kimberly Bell of Gillette, Wyo., won First Runner-Up Junior Division and Senior Division, respectively. Nelson constructed a 100-percent wool boucle, spice-colored plaid coat in addition to a wool gabardine, chocolate brown skirt and a pumpkin-colored, slouch neck shirt. Bell used custom-made, 100-percent Columbia wool fabric - made from wool shorn from one of her sheep - to create a jacket and skirt ensemble. She used mint green, cr?me and blue window-pane plaid fabric in the double-breasted jacket and made coordinating solid blue fabric for her above mid-knee skirt.
Nelson's first runner-up ranking earned her a Singer 9920 sewing machine from Singer Sewing Co., a $250 savings bond from The Fabrics Network, a mohair throw from Producers' Marketing Cooperative and Texas Wool and Mohair, a compact stem iron from Rowenta, Inc., the "Creative Serging" book from Palmer/Pletsch Publishing, the Women's Boutique Pattern Software from Wild Ginger Software and fabric from Britannia, Pendleton or Woolrich. Bell won a Brother International NX450 sewing machine, a $250 savings bond from American and Efird, Inc. Co., the "Creative Serging" book from Palmer/Pletsch Publishing, a compact steam iron from Rowenta, Co., a book and DVD from Islander Sewing Systems, the Women's Boutique Pattern Software from Wild Ginger Software and fabric from Britannia, Pendleton or Woolrich.
Jean Olson of Woodbury, Minn., was named the 2007 National Make It With Wool Adult Winner. She paired cranberry-red Pendleton wool with a classic black pin-stripe fabric for her two-piece outfit. She modeled a jacket with the styling of a denim jacket but dressed it up with some silver buttons and matching topstitching in addition to a pair of gauchos that feature a shaped waistband, front slash pockets and hemline cuffs. Olson won an all-expense-paid trip to the national competition, a sheep pelt sponsored by the ASI Women and a Brother sewing machine from Brother International and Wool Fabric.
Winner of the Fashion/Apparel Design Award was Christie Chase, a fashion/apparel design student at Houston Community College in Texas, who designed a sleeveless, inset waist mini-dress with a bubble skirt and wide floppy collar, paired with a cropped jacket featuring bell sleeves. The dress features an appliqu? of a butterfly that was hand-painted on silk dupioni and hand-stitched to the waist band and bodice. Chase received a $1,000 scholarship for her winning outfit from the American Wool Council and an all-expense-paid trip to the national competition, a sheep pelt sponsored by the ASI Women and wool fabric.
A total of 55 junior and senior finalists representing 29 states modeled their creations at the national competition. Some 947 contestants nationwide entered competitions at the state level and utilized more than 2,889 yards of wool fabric and 286 skeins of yarn to create their garments.
Other winners and their awards include:
- Kimberly Bell, Gillette, Wyo., $500 cash, Sew News Exemplary Construction Award;
- Stephanie Barker, Hillsboro, Ore., $500 cash, Creative Machine Embroidery Award;
- Sheilina Sperry, Center City, Minn., $250 cash, Claire Shaeffer Pattern Award;
- Lucinda Vernor, Campwood, Texas, $1000 scholarship, Mohair Council of America;
- Elizabeth Horner, Devils Lake, N.D., $150 savings bond, Texas sheep and goat producers; and
- Koby Seitter, Weatherford, Okla., $50 savings bond, Texas sheep and goat producers.
Marie Lehfeldt of Lavina, Mont., coordinated the event for the twelfth consecutive year.
ASI is a national organization supported by 44 state sheep associations, benefiting the interests of nearly 68,000 sheep producers.
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