MARTINSVILLE, Ind. – Katherine Jackson’s desire to continue a family tradition led her to begin sewing projects for both 4-H and the Make It With Wool (MIWW) competition when she was in grade school. The outfit she made for 2021 – a wool coat, skirt and sweater – garnered her first place in the junior division at Indiana’s MIWW competition last August.

The win also gave her the opportunity to compete with the same outfit at the national MIWW competition in January in San Diego, Calif., where she placed fourth. In addition, her sweater – paired with another skirt – went to state in the 4-H competition.

Jackson’s mother (Erica Jackson) and grandmother (Haila Nash) were both 10-year members of 4-H and have participated in MIWW competitions. “We would go watch my grandma (in the wool show),” recalled Jackson, 15. “I decided I wanted to do it, too. In third grade, I started sewing in 4-H. My grandma always helped me with it. She told me I could participate in 4-H and MIWW with the same outfit. She was the inspiration for this.”

Jackson first participated in MIWW when she was in the 4th grade with a black and white plaid jumper. She’s entered every year since except for one due to COVID-19. She was previously a state winner in the MIWW pre-teen division, but winners in that age group don’t go on to the national competition.

The MIWW competition is designed to promote the beauty and versatility of wool fabrics and yarns, according to program press release. Participants may sew, knit or crochet their entries, which must be made from at least 60 percent wool fabric or yarn. The competition has various age groups and garment categories. The program’s sponsors are the American Sheep Industry Association, ASI-Women and the American Wool Council. The Indiana Sheep Association sponsors the Hoosier state competition.

The road to Jackson’s state win and national appearance began during her 2021 spring break, when she settled on the outfit she wanted to make – a black wool cashmere blend coat, a black and white plaid Scottish wool skirt and a cropped sweater top. “I was sifting through patterns (at the fabric store). I knew I wanted to make a skirt and then I saw the coat. I had to have a full outfit anyway. The skirt and the shirt were the priorities.”

Jackson spent time with her grandmother over the summer as she created her outfit. “My grandma looked over all the final stuff to be sure it wasn’t messed up,” she noted.

After she won the state MIWW competition in August during the Indiana State Fair, she was able to make corrections to her outfit based on comments from the judges. “I also decided to tear out and resew the hem of the skirt because it was uneven and didn’t lay right,” Jackson explained.

At both the state and national competitions, participants met and talked with the judges, and modeled their outfits, she said. After the outfits were modeled, they were put on hangers and left with the judges so they could look at them more closely, she added.

“I was really excited to win state and get to go to the national competition,” Jackson explained. “I’d been to San Diego before and I wanted to go back. It was a new experience (to be at national). It was good for me.”

Jackson plans to enter the 4-H and MIWW competitions this year. “I haven’t picked out my outfit yet. I want to do something different. I’m thinking maybe pants and a shorter jacket. I do wear the outfit I won with. I wear it to church, especially the coat.”

Due to the amount of time involved, Jackson said she probably won’t continue to participate in MIWW once she’s finished with 4-H. Asked how participating in both competitions has affected her sewing ability, she said, “I started off with a little cotton elastic skirt and now I’m doing a full outfit. I’m so much improved.”

Jackson said she plans to go to college and is thinking about studying marketing and communications.

The 2022 Indiana MIWW competition will be July 31 at the state fair. The entry deadline is July 1. More information may be found at www.indianasheep.com under the programs tab.