Kylie Manville of Valley Falls was one of two Make it With Wool designers to win top honors at the national finals and award program during a fiesta-inspired style show at the American Sheep Industry Association /National Lamb Feeders Association Annual Convention on Jan. 26.
The second designer to win a top award was Mallory Muntefering of Dimock, S.D.
Manville won the title of First Place Junior 2013 Wool Ambassador. Finding a need for more dressy clothes in her wardrobe, Manville used a creative combination of wool and mohair textures to construct a versatile burgundy and black wool coat.
Her gabardine wrap-around suit jacket is detailed with curly mohair yarn that is needle-felted and appliqued to add interest and coordinate with a soft mohair boucle skirt. In addition to other prizes, Manville's winnings included a $1,000 scholarship from Pendleton Woolen Mills and a $500 scholarship from ASI Women. The junior division was open to youth ages 13 to 16.
A total of 59 junior and senior finalists representing 31 states and the New England region modeled their creations at the national competition. Contestants nationwide entered competitions at the state level and utilized more than 1,837 yards of wool fabric and more than 337 skeins of yarn to create their garments.
Muntefering was selected as the First Place Senior 2013 Wool Ambassador by making a full-length front zipper and balloon-bottom cashmere coat with green, crushed velvet adorning the collar and sleeves. Her dress features a pleated center and is accented with a broach. Among other prizes, Muntefering's first-place winnings included a $1,500 scholarship from ASI Women. The senior division was open to contestants ages 17 to 24.
Brittany Lippy of Manchester, Md., and Jacob Worthington of Orem, Utah, won First Runner-Up Junior Division and Senior Division, respectively. Lippy made a semi-fitted, lined brown/blue tweed jacket and matching pants and vest in ivory and slate blue. Worthington made a light-weight brown heather suit consisting of a jacket with two single-welt lower pockets with flaps, a single vent and interior double-welt pockets and pants featuring front pleats and cuffs.