Published: November 15, 2009 07:51 am      

Wool outfits focus of competition

Seventeen-year-old Krysta Gilbert of Hardesty waited patiently for the modeling competition to begin in the “2009 Make it Yourself with Wool Contest” Saturday at High Plains Technology Center.

She was looking forward to modeling her lined pink jacket and black and white houndstooth skirt, which she sewed using woolen fabric.

Her outfit had already been judged, and she had answered questions asked by the judges about her project.

“I wanted pink, and the black and white set it off really well,” she said of her outfit’s color combination. “The jacket is 80 percent wool, and the skirt is 100 percent wool.

“I started making it in the spring and didn’t work on it during the summer. I guess you could say it took several months to sew it.”

Another participant, 13-year-old Emilee Evans of Cashion, made a skirt.

“It’s black and it’s knee length, and it kind of flows at the bottom,” she said. “I chose it because I like black skirts and the way they feel. I thought it would be really pretty. It’s 100 percent wool.”

Though neither Gilbert nor Evans took first place in the event held Saturday, they did win pieces of wool fabric.

The competition covered pre-teen, junior and senior divisions.

Gilbert was one of only two contestants in the senior division. She took second place. First place went to Jo Eike of Fargo, who constructed a suit jacket, plaid skirt and matching coat made from a Vogue pattern.

In the junior division, first place went to Alicia Fuksa of Hennessey, who made a brown woolen jumper and a woolen neck scarf she knitted herself. The fabric came from Ireland. Second place went to Calli Finley of Arnett, and third went to Jacy Gillenwaters of Mooreland.

In the pre-teen division, first place went to Dasan Gillenwaters, also of Mooreland, who constructed a black jacket with trim. Second place went to Laura Givens of Arnett and third place went to Madison Evans of Vici.

Rhonda DeVor of the OSU Extension Office in Woodard County said this year’s contest was “was difficult” because so many of the garments were well made.

“We have so many quality sewers in this area,” she said, noting she supplies wool to all the pre-teens who participate with the idea in mind they will make a garment with it and return next year.

The competition Saturday involved District One, one of three districts that make up the contest. It covers Northwest Oklahoma and the Panhandle.

Twenty contestants from the district competed.

The winning contestants will go on to participate at the state level, which will be held Dec. 5 at the Northwest Technology Center in Fairview. Top contestants from state competition will go to the national competition in Nashvile, Tenn., which will be held Jan. 21 through Jan. 23, 2 010.