The Make It with Wool competition (MIWW) recognizes excellence and innovation in wool garment design and construction. Every year, sewers compete in age groups and in special award categories, and the state winners advance to the national judging round in January. Garments must be made from fashion fabrics or yarns containing at least 60 percent wool fibers. Judges consider each entry’s appropriateness to the contestant’s lifestyle, the coordination of fabrics and yarns with the garment’s style and design, as well as the presentation, construction quality, and creativity.

Threads highlights National MIWW winners each year to recognize their hard work and skill, and find inspiration in their stunning garments. This year’s winners were featured in Threads #182 (December 2015/January 2016), and now you can see them right here on our website.

National Adult Winner

Dianne Galloway
Sandusky, Ohio

Dianne found a burgundy wool jacquard that cried out to become a cocktail dress with special details. She paired the dress with a luscious black wool bouclé coat trimmed in dense black mouton sheepskin. Dianne designed the dress based on two garments in her closet, adding a midriff band and creating keyhole openings along the princess seams at the neckline. She used an organza underlining as the pattern pieces to determine the most attractive pattern layout on the floral jacquard fabric. Dianne embellished the neckline and outlined the midriff with nearly 1,800 black glass beads. She used Marfy 2886 for the bouclé coat, constructing it with many tailoring techniques she learned through the years. She drafted a lining pattern for the coat and installed the black satin brocade lining by hand. A fabric from a men’s silk tie covers the piping she inserted between the coat’s facing and lining seam. Vintage black velvet buttons close the coat, while hidden embroidery in the pockets adds a touch of whimsy.

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