Wool garment competition held in Somerset
Daily American
By JACKIE COUGHENOUR
Daily American Correspondent
Tuesday, October 17, 2014 12:52 AM EDT
Pennsylvania’s version of the Make It Yourself With Wool contest was held Saturday at The Factory Shops at Georgian Place in Somerset.
The state event is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Sheep & Wool Growers Association, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, American Sheep Industry Women and American Sheep Industry Association.
Prizes for winners and other expenses were covered by numerous individuals and businesses, both from the local area and out of state, contributing to the success of the competition.
For 55 years, the American Sheep Industry has been promoting wool and “developing life skills†across the nation through the Make It Yourself With Wool contest. Besides life skills, contestants learn to recognize creative skills by encouraging personal creativity in sewing, knitting, crocheting and spinning.
Contestants of any age can participate in the contest by constructing a garment made of wool. There were five divisions in which to compete: pre-teen (ages 12 and under); junior (ages 13-16); senior (ages 17-24); adult (25 and older); and “Made for Others,†where the garment is made for someone other than the person who constructed it.
There were 19 contestants in this year’s competition, with 12 being under the age of 25.
The winners were:
€ Pre-Teen Division: first place: Stephanie Augustine of Carbon County; tied for second place: Victoria Woullard of Somerset County and Hannah Huston of Beaver County
€ Junior Division: first place: Gabrielle Augustine of Carbon County; second place: Tara Fisher of Lebanon County
€ Senior Division: first place: Rachel Siegel of Lebanon County
€ Adult Division: first place: Sharon Donahoe of Bedford County; second place: Joan Klein of Beaver County
€ Made for Others Division: first place: Sharon Donahoe of Bedford County ; second place: Pam Marburger of Crawford County.
Winners are eligible to go on to the national competition, which will be held Jan. 25-27 in San Antonio, Texas.
