Do you love making wearable items, quilts or afghans from wool fabric or yarn? If so, the Make It With Wool (MIWW) Contest is for you! If you knit, crochet, spin, weave, felt, sew or quilt, consider entering the MIWW contest coming up in November. The MIWW contest promotes the beauty, comfort and versatility of wool fabrics/yarns/fibers, encourages personal creativity, recognition of creative skills and development of life skills. Here are the details.
The District 3 (Blaine, Broadwater, Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Hill, Judith Basin, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Meagher, Pondera, Teton and Toole counties) contest is scheduled for November 6 in Great Falls. Our office has the MIWW entry forms. Entry forms and swatches of fabric(s) and/or yarn(s) are due at least four weeks prior to the contest.
The fabric/yarn/fiber need to be a minimum of 60% wool or specialty fiber such as alpaca, angora, camel, cashmere, llama, mohair and/or vicuna to qualify for the contest. Swatches of fabric/yarn must be lab tested in advance for the Junior, Senior and Adult divisions.
The categories are Preteen (12 and under); Junior (13-16); Senior (17-24); Adult (age 25 and older); and Made for Others. Ages are determined as of January 1, 2021.
Entries for the junior, senior and adult categories can include: one-piece garments (dress, jumper, outerwear jacket, coat or cape); two-piece garment (outerwear coat, jacket, cape; blouse/shirt/vest or sweater with a dress, jumper, skirt, pants or shorts); ensemble (three or more garments worn together at one time) such as outerwear coat, jacket, cape; vest, blouse/shirt, and/or sweater with a dress, jumper, skirt, pants or shorts. Pre-teens may enter a dress, jumper, skirt, pants, shorts, vest, sweater, shirt/blouse, jacket or a combination of garments.
There is also a contest for quilts, afghans and applique projects. The quilt top fiber content needs to be at least 60% wool, batting at least 60% wool or 100% cotton and backing at least 60% natural fiber (wool, cotton, linen or silk). These entries can be constructed by an individual or group using hand and/or machine construction. Quilts should have a label. Afghans can be knitted or crocheted. Both afghans and applique projects must be at least 60% wool yarn or fiber, can be made from a purchased kit or a design from a pattern book and should have a label. Applique projects need to have all edges finished with a machine and/or hand technique. The size categories are wall hanging/table runner, 56” x 72” throw, twin, queen, king, applique project or afghan. These entries are mailed in for judging, postmarked no later than November 15, 2021.
First place winners in the Junior, Senior, Adult and Made for Others categories advance to the State competition which will be held during the Montana Wool Growers Convention held in Billings on December 3-4, 2021.
4-H members are encouraged to participate in both the MIWW contest as well as their 4-H contests.
Entry forms and brochures are available at the Chouteau County Extension Office or you can contact the District 3 Director: Janet Smith, 406-799-7003 or miww3janet@gmail.com.
To learn more, contact Janell at the Chouteau County Extension Office at 622-3036, or in the green building next to the Chouteau County Courthouse at 1308 Franklin St in Fort Benton.
Follow us on Facebook @ChouteauCountyExtension to keep up to date on what is happening in Chouteau County Extension and 4-H.
Montana State University, US Department of Agriculture and Montana Counties Cooperating. MSU Extension is an equal opportunity/affirmative action provider of educational outreach.
