"MAKE IT WITH WOOL" CONTEST WINNERS
RECEIVE BROTHER SEWING MACHINES
Brother Donates Two Simplicity® by Brother Sewing Machines
to Unique Sewing Competition
Brother continues to support young sewing
their garment, the garment’s marketability, style
up in the senior category, which won her the
enthusiasts and this year was no exception, as
and show, and their personal interview.
Simplicity® by Brother SB4138. She explained
they generously donated two Simplicity® by
Brother sewing machines as prizes to the two
runners-up of the National Make it With Wool
Competition that was held in Scottsdale, AZ,
last January.
that she chose to use lightweight wool to
For the past 20 years, Brother has donated
promote this material as an everyday fabric for
sewing machines to this unique contest, which
all seasons and selected red to show a color that
encourages and inspires the younger generation
works well all-year-round. Meighan is a second-
to nurture their craft. This year, Meighan Stevens
year graduate student at Brigham Young
and Camille Anderson were the national runners-
Make it With Wool was first introduced in 1947
up and the recipients of the Simplicity® by Brother
when the wives of sheep owners gathered
SB4138 and the Simplicity® by Brother SB3129
to begin the first contest to promote wool as
sewing machines, respectively.
University in Utah, and she said she can’t wait to
go home to Ohio to start using her new Brother
sewing machine to create her new project. She
SB4138wanted to design
explained how she always
a profitable commodity. Over the years, the
Meighan Stevens
contest developed into a youth-centered annual
a coat using polka-dot fabric and said she is
planning on creating her own polka-dot design
sewing competition designed to promote the
“I’m so appreciative and thankful to Brother
beauty and versatility of wool fabrics, yarns
for their continued support of the Make it With
and fibers. Celebrating its 68th year, this all-
Wool contest,” said Meighan. “I finally have a
volunteer program is proudly sponsored by
sewing machine to
the American Wool Council, the American
call my own!” Meighan
Sheep Industry and American Sheep Industry
was born and raised
Women, and it continues to encourage
in Ohio, and began
personal creativity while developing life skills.
sewing on her mother’s
The contest is open to participants ranging
sewing machine when
in ages from pre-teen through adult, and
she was five years
begins at the state level. The unique guidelines
old. Her mother was a
require contestants to select, construct
home economics teacher and she encouraged
and model their own garment or outfit that
Meighan to learn the fundamentals of sewing,
contains at least 60 percent wool (and each
including: hand sewing, blanket stitching,
submission is laboratory-tested to meet this
embroidery and button work to refine her
strict requirement). Two
hand/eye coordination. She entered her first
Camille Anderson shared the same excitement
winners are chosen from
Make it With Wool contest when she was seven
when she received the Simplicity® by Brother
each state contest to
years old and now, at the age of 25, she just
SB3129 sewing machine for placing as the first
move onto the national
competed in her twelfth contest – having used
runner-up in the junior category. Camille said,
competition, where
her mother’s sewing machine for every project.
“It sews so smoothly, and I just love the fun and
they are judged on the
Meighan entered a red wool coat and a color
crazy stitches!” Camille explained that she was
construction quality of
block dress that placed her as the first runner-
five years old when her grandmother taught
Camille Anderson
on green fabric by stitching circles with her new
Brother machine. She said she was blown away
with the feature that allows for sideways sewing.
“I wish I had this
machine when I was
making my coat for
the contest,” Meighan
explained. “The yoke
alone took me over
one month to make.
This one feature will save me so much time on
future garments. I’m excited to discover the
projects that I can create with my new Brother
machine.”
The Simplicity® by Brother Limited Edition
line of machines is a fresh and innovative
option for beginning sewers and accomplished
enthusiasts who are looking for an affordable
and technologically advanced sewing machine
that has all the advanced features of higher end
machines.
The National Make it With Wool Competition
featured 60 junior and senior finalists
representing 30 states and the New England
region. More than 1,750 yards of wool fabric and
over 270 skeins of yarn were used to create all
of the garments that were entered into the state
contests.
“We are so thankful to Brother for their
continued support,” said Mary Roediger,
National Coordinator for Make it With Wool.
“Brother has not only made a name for itself in
her how to sew, and said she has loved the
craft ever since. She entered her first Make it
With Wool contest four years ago and today,
at 15 years old, she is more excited than ever.
In addition to placing in the contest, Camille
was recognized with the Junior Exemplary
Construction Award for ‘Exceptional Quality of
a Garment.’ Camille entered a purple wool coat
that she said took her one month to complete,
but that was after making a practice coat just
to make sure it would fit. “I’ve always liked to
make coats,” Camille said. “It’s time-consuming,
but I love the challenge.” Camille explained that
she doesn’t have any specific project in mind
to make on her new Brother machine, but she
always allows time over the summer to create
something fun. “I’m so excited about my new
Simplicity® by Brother sewing machine – it’s
so fancy,” Camille said excitedly. She explained
how she loves the automatic thread cutter and
wide extension table for larger projects. “It will
be so helpful when I’m sewing my next coat. I
can’t wait!”
the sewing industry, but has earned a special
place in our organization as a company who
cares about our cause,” stated Mary. In her
thirteenth year with the Make it With Wool
contest, Mary explains how past winners have
been thrilled with their Brother machines, and
this year just tops the cake!
"
I'm a Brother fan
through and through.
"