Contestants from 16 counties will compete for the best homemade woolen garment Saturday at the High Plains Technology Center.
The event, which will start at 9 a.m., is titled “Make It With Wool.”
“The whole purpose is to promote use of wool,” said Rhonda DeVor, family and consumer science extension educator for the OSU Extension Office in Woodward County.
To participate, the contestants have to use fabric with a content of no less than 60 percent wool, DeVor said.
They are judged on garment construction, creativity, an interview and modeling of the clothing, she said.
Garments may consist of any wearable item -- from dresses and suits to coats and vests, she said, noting “even the little ones have to (sew) a garment themselves.”
“It is open to any age up to adult,” she said. “We have pre-teen, junior and senior divisions.”
The pre-teen division is for youths up to 12-years-old. The junior division is for 13- to 16-year-olds, and the senior division is for 16- to 24-year-olds, she said.
“We have a pretty good turnout,” DeVor said, noting junior or senior contestants who win at the state level often come from the competition's District One area.
The state's 77 counties are split into three districts for the "Make It With Wool" competition and District One involves 16 counties in Northwest Oklahoma and the Panhandle, including Woodward County, she said.
“District One has the fewest number of counties but has the biggest number of contestants ... because we push for use of wool and are so rural,” she said.
Most of the contestants are involved in 4-H, she said.
Contestants who win in the district contests will go on to compete in the state contest, which will be held Dec. 5 at the Northwest Technology Center in Fairview, she said.
Top contestants from state competition will go to national competition in Nashville, Tenn., which will be held Jan. 21 through Jan. 23, 2010.
For more information about the event Saturday, DeVor may be contacted at the Woodward County OSU Extension Office at (580) 254-3391.
