The Make It With Wool competition (MIWW) recognizes excellence and creativity in wool garment composition and construction. Each garment body must be made of fabric or yarn that is at least 60 percent wool. Judges evaluate entries based on the garment’s or ensemble’s appropriateness to the maker’s lifestyle, the coordination of fabrics and yarns with the design, the contestant’s presentation, the construction quality, and creativity.

The garments designed by seven of the national award winners were originally featured in Threads #176 (December 2014/January 2015) and now you can see them and appreciate their stunning design right here on our website.

First Place Junior Winner & Use of Claire Shaeffer Custom Couture Collection Pattern Award Winner

Renata Goossen
Potwin, Kansas

Inspired by a love of 1950s and ’60s fashions and a desire to learn traditional tailoring methods, Renata created her ensemble from a Claire Shaeffer Custom Couture Collection pattern (Vogue 8333) and followed its detailed tailoring instructions. She selected a 100 percent wool Pendleton fabric for the jacket and skirt. She underlined the jacket with silk organza and attached the collar and lapel to the jacket by hand, sculpting them with pad stitching and hair canvas. Vintage brass buttons accent the bound buttonholes. The skirt (Vogue 7937) is slim in front, but back gores and a curved hem lend a bit of flare. Renata loves to sew with wool and says her goal is “to honor the process that brought the fabric all the way from the sheep grower’s ranch to my needle.”

Launch Gallery