State’s Top Seamstresses Advance To National Competitioi
GAY BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
JOHNSTOWN (Cambria Co.)
Two Pennsylvania young
women are anticipating the next
round, which is national compe
tition, since winning the senior
and junior divisions of Make It
Yourself With Wool. The Penn
sylvania state event was con
ducted Saturday, Oct. 14, at Bos
covs in the Galleria Mall.
Aleecha Jones from Loysburg,
Bedford County, was the senior
winner and Deidra Smith, Glen
coe, Somerset County, was the
junior winner.
Make It Yourself With Wool
competitions promote the beauty
and versatility of wool fabrics
and yarns; encourage personal
creativity in sewing, knitting,
crocheting, spinning and weav
ing; offer a forum for learning
life skills, and teach self-respon
sibility.
The garment is judged on and
off the contestant and presenta
tion is 60 percent while construc
tion is 40 percent of the final
score. Fashion and good con
struction methods go hand in
hand with coordination, creativ
ity, and comfort.
Jones found challenge enough
in constructing her first-ever
coat, chosen because the project
was something different, said the
Northern Bedford High School
senior who began sewing at age
seven.
Preteen contestants from left are Jaci Marburger,
Leah Huston, Kelsie Smith, and Jenna Huston.
From left junior contestants are Elisabeth Spangler, Breigh Svonavec, Deidra
Smith, winner; Rebekah Swick, and Kayla Huston.
“The pockets gave me the
most challenge,” she said. “I had
a difficult time getting them in
right and to look nice.”
Her grandmother, Shirley Fen
nel was a faithful encourager
throughout the course of the coat
project. It paid off because in
January, Jones will fly to Sparks,
Nevada near Reno for the na
tional event.
“1 feel great,” she said. “Im re
ally excited to go there and see
the greater level of competition.”
Jones chose 100 percent Pen
dleton wool in black for the coat
and added a lining of black satin
with functional pockets and
pocket flaps. Under the coat, also
in 100 percent Pendleton wool,
she wore a rather burnished red
skirt that featured a back slit, in
visible zipper and back darts.
Jones made a vest that matched.
The daughter of Tom and
Karen Jones has one brother.
She has taken time out from
twirling commitments to enter
the state wool competition each
of the last six years. Track is an
other of her interests in addition
to the youth group at Commu
nity Grace Brethren Church. In
4-H she raises sheep and pigs at
the farm of her grandfather
James Fennel.
As the junior winner Deidra
Smith’s black and white check
100-percent wool, fully lined
skirt and jacket posed certain
difficulties when she tried to
achieve both a perfect fit and a
perfect look, reported the 16-year
old daughter of Dwight and Gail
Smith about setting the sleeves.
“It seemed like everything that
could go wrong did go wrong.
The hardest part was getting the
shoulders to look right,” said
Smith, who felt a particular re
sponsibility to enter the contest
in behalf of the industry she rep
resents as the Somerset County
Lamb and Wool Queen.
She wants to nab every oppor
tunity to sing the praises of lamb
and wool to people who are un
aware of its contributions to nu
merous by-products.
Joan Klein, Darlington, an in
structor to about 40 sewing stu
dents, won the adult division
with a special event outfit. The
beautiful fabric came from the
Am ana Woolen Milts in Amana,
lowa.
The semi-fitted, fully-lined
jacket with asymmetrical front
closur topped the asymmetrical
dress with elbow length sleeves,
and princess seams, which meet
at the hips and slash pockets. For
the lining Klein used a bridal ac
etate with shades of teal and
hunter green.
Like adult winners in other
states, Klein will send a photo
graph and a video of herself
wearing the garment to a nation
al photo competition.
Kelsie Smith, Glencoe, was the
preteen winner with a fully-lined,
deep green hooded cape that she
says she made to wear to the his
torical reenactments her family
enjoys attending. She is 11 and
the daughter of Dwight and Gail
Smith of Glencoe.
Erin Stennett, Irwin, was sec
ond in the senior division; Breigh
Svonavec, Rockwood, second in
juniors; Pam Marburger, Espy
ville, second in adult, and Leah
Huston, Beaver Falls, second in
preteen.
Judges were Barbara Black,
Unita Dull, Jenna Svonavec, Jo-
Rene Lightfoot, and Kathy Vie
regge. Coordinators were state
directors Jodell Antram and
Peggy Black.
The event is sponsored by the
American Sheep Industry Asso
ciation, American Sheep Indus
try Women, Pennsylvania Sheep
and Wool Growers Association
and Boscovs.
Aleecha Jones, left, senior winner in Make It Yourself
With Wool state contest, will compete nationally in Jan
uary at Nevada. Erin Stennett is at right.
Pictured are the adult contestants in Make It Your
self With Wool. From left, Pam Marburger, Joan Klein,
winner, and Ruth Goddard.
W OMESTEAD OTES
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