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.

Senior Exemplary Construction Winner

Gabrielle Augustine
Palmerton, Pennsylvania

Gabrielle won the Senior Exemplary Construction Award with her cranberry and plaid ensemble. She used Simplicity 2508 to create a black-and-white plaid, lightweight wool flannel coat, lined with a polyester-blend moleskin material that adds coziness. She inserted contrasting piping in the seam between the coat’s lining and facing.
Gabrielle made the dress using Simplicity 1798 along with some button and sleeve details from other Simplicity patterns. The dress is made from cranberry wool crepe, lined with Bemberg rayon. To further customize the dress, she added pleated sleeves, and vintage buttons. Her ensemble exemplifies her desire to create garments of a better quality than ready-to-wear.

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