2009 National Make It With Wool Finals
held in San Diego, CA on January 24

Lauren Riback of Philomath, OR and Michelle Janik of Sandy, OR, winners of Oregon’s 2008 Make It With Wool Contest, traveled to San Diego, California during January to compete in the 61st National Make It With Wool Contest held on January 24, 2009, in conjunction with the American Sheep Industry Convention.

Lauren, Oregon’s Junior winner, and Michelle, Senior Division winner, each placed in the National contest. Lauren won the Creative Machine Embroidery award and Michelle placed as fifth runner-up in the Senior division. In all, the National Contest included a total of 55 entries representing 28 states.

“Lauren and Michelle are true Ambassadors of the Make It With Wool Contest,” said Maureen Krebs, Oregon Make It With Wool Director.

While in San Diego the girls were able to take in the sights before rehearsing for the banquet and style show. The highlight of their trip was a tour of the USS Midway, which is docked in San Diego, along with an afternoon of shopping in “Old Town.”

The Make It With Wool contest continues to be one of the longest running events of its type and is open to all age groups and to both female and male contestants. Over the past four years the Oregon Make it With Wool Contest has seen an increase in the number of contestants.

“I am looking forward to the 2009 contest to be held in Pendleton on December 5, 2009, in conjunction with the annual Oregon Sheep Growers Convention” said Maureen.