Walla Walla’s Pamela Petermann McBride was a runner-up in the adult division of the state Make It With Wool competition, held Oct. 22 on the Central Washington University campus in Ellensburg.
When she was 9, she started sewing in 4-H. As a teenager, she continued her pursuit of sewing for 10 years. She is still a 4-H member and continues to teach sewing.
In the competition, she won 1½ yards of Pendleton wool and a sewing machine needle organizer for her stunning three-piece ensemble in which she altered the original patterns and fashioned new details.
The blouse fabric was used to make a pleated skirt with a narrow pencil skirt. This provides some walking comfort. She also added hand-crafted embellishments.
McBride modelled the ensemble for the competition.
Herringbone wool 100% fabric was used for her double-breasted mid-calf coat. It has welted pockets, a satin polyester interior and a pencil skirt.
Vogue patterns were used for her coat. It featured boiled wool spirals, gingko leaves, and the blouse.
This blouse is made from 100% worsted wool, and has button-cuff sleeves. It also features machine-embroidered ginkgo leaves on the sleeves.
“Its collar was supposed to be a big bow, but I designed a bias V-shaped collar instead,” she said.
McBride designed McBride’s skirt pattern to be flattering of her body. The skirt features side pockets and is lined with Bemberg rayon.
The gingko leaves were made from herringbone wool. She then felted the leaves using a boiled wool technique, and hand-stitched the ends to make the outer clothes.
Sewing has been part of McBride’s life fabric for some years.
“As a Kennewick High School student I competed four times in the MIWW contest. As an adult, five times,” said McBride, who serves as superintendent of clothing at the Walla Walla Fair.
“Garments are my favorite things to sew. My favorite material to sew is wool fabric, over both cotton and polyester. Polyester is difficult to shape and mold, while cotton wrinkles quickly. Wool doesn’t wrinkle easily. Wool can be shaped and molded for a better fit.”
The Washington Wool Growers Auxiliary, Washington State Sheep Producers and Washington State Sheep Producers are the sponsors of the Washington Make It With Wool Contest. The national contest is sponsored by the American Sheep Industry Women and American Sheep Industry Women.
The Make It With Wool contest is open to all sewers. You can sew, crochet, knit, crochet, or felt wool garments. For more information on the contest and how to enter online, see makeitwithwoolwa.com.
“Garment sewing is a skill that teaches pattern reading, math, construction, fine hand skills, and perseverance,” McBride said. “Sewing is becoming a lost art. Wearing a garment one has sewn brings pride and self-esteem.”
Annie Charnley Eveland works as a freelance writer and produces the Etcetera column. She also writes feature stories for Union-Bulletin. After an extensive 42.5 year newspaper career, including as editor, columnist, and journalist she retired from U.B. Send news with contact name and daytime phone number to [email protected] or call 509-386-7369.