If there's one word that might come to most minds at the mention of wool, it would probably be, "practical."

Though it's been around longer than just about any other fabric, wool still holds its own against come-lately synthetics because of its durability and remarkable ability to maintain its warming qualities even when wet. Because of that, it's prized by hunters, skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts, who treasure wool garments ranging from caps and socks to thick plaid shirts and bib overalls.

But for day-to-day use, fun or even a fashion statement? That might be another matter entirely, but for some of the participants in the upcoming Make It With Wool contest, placing any limits on what can be done with their favorite fabric is out of the question.

"I've made a couple of very nice skirts and dresses; when I get dressed up to go into town, they are what I wear," said Bess Johnson, who ranches with her husband near Casper.

Looking beyond plaid

A participant in Make It With Wool for many years, Johnson won the statewide contests in Wyoming in 2005 and 2007. She's also placed as high as seventh on the national level. Some of her winning entries have included a light blue jacket and a split riding skirt.

"It doesn't have to be plaid. I know when people think of wool, they think of plaid, but I've never done anything in plaid," Johnson said. "There's every color of the rainbow available in wool."

Though she loves making fashionable clothes in a variety of hues, Johnson hasn't forgotten the practical side of wool, and sews many of her family's garments, including some rugged enough for ranch work.

"I made my husband a set of overalls that's just as tough and warm as a set of Carharts," she said.

And it's not only clothes that wool is good for making. Alice Bailey of Casper won best accessory in her district contest in 2008, the first year she'd ever entered, with a felted purse. (There isn't an accessories category at the state or national level.) Bailey said she's also been pleased with the results she's gotten from her other explorations into the uses of wool, including plush toys and some items of clothing.

"Wool is very versatile, and can be very soft. It can be washed - just not in hot water," she said. "It doesn't have to have that stinky smell many people associate with it."

She's especially proud of the vests she made for her husband and teenaged son to wear when they participate in the anachronistic sport of cowboy action shooting.

"They needed period clothing to participate in the cowboy action shoots, so I made them both vests that turned out really well," Bailey said. "It's a lot of hard work, but how do you get more homemade than that? When they go to their shoots, I know nobody's vest will look exactly like my husband's vest or my son's vest."

Preprocessed wool fabric can be ordered from numerous locations, but Bailey said she prefers to make her own.

"It's more time-consuming to make the fabric yourself, but once you're done, you get something that's unique," she said. "Twenty pounds of fleece makes about 10 pounds of yarn."

Of the various types of wool fabric, Bailey said the felted fabrics are some of her favorites. Those might include the introduction of other fabrics, such as silk.

"Once it (wool) is felted, it gets really tight; you can't even see through it," she said. "It's good for plush toys, because the stuffing won't come out."

Bailey said she was introduced to sewing with wool and the Make It With Wool contest by Brandi Forgey, the director of Make It With Wool for Wyoming's District 12, which is centered in Natrona County.

It all begins with sheep

The unique qualities and strong attributes of wool can be traced to its basic structure, Forgey said.

"When you look at wool under a microscope, it looks a lot like scales," she said.

While all wool shares the same basic qualities, it wouldn't be accurate to simply say that wool is wool when it to comes to its applications as a fabric, Forgey said. Even at the level of raw material - the fleece from freshly sheared sheep - connoisseurs can find a huge variety from which to select, she said.

One obvious factor is the breed of sheep from which the fleece comes, said Forgey, whose husband's family runs a large sheep and cattle ranch. Wool can run from very fine to quite coarse, depending upon the breed, she said.

But beyond breeding, there are other factors that affect how sheep grow their wool, which in turn can alter how the fabric comes out, Forgey said.

"The quality can vary by the diet and age of the sheep," she said. "One fleece that many people prize is 'virgin wool,' which is made from the sheep's first cutting."

Even the location of where the wool grew on the sheep in the first place can be a factor, she said.

"Sometimes the fleece from the back and the belly of the sheep are put into different kinds of wool," Forgey said.

Once the wool is in contestants' hands, Make It With Wool largely leaves it up to them to determine what can be created. There are a few basic parameters for the contest, one of them being that the fabric used must be at least 60 percent pure wool, she said.

"There are some fabrics used in the contests, you'd never guess were wool," she said. "People don't want the big, clunky plaid look.

"We've seen just about everything in the way of entries; dog beds, jackets, purses, belts. At the national level, we've seen everything from prom gowns to designer garments."

Forgey encourages participants to make something that will bring satisfaction long after the contests are over.

"My gosh, sew stuff you're going to want to wear," she said. "That's the key; sew something you really, really like."

More than just sewing

Regardless of what contestants might dream up and bring to the shows, Forgey sees Make It With Wool as a chance to tap into things that might not be as tangible as a cozy blanket, but are certainly no less important.

Learning to sew things for themselves allows people to tap into a side a life that many have lost touch with in an age where nearly everything is mass produced, Forgey said.

"It (sewing) was becoming a lost art, like cooking," she said. "The lost art might be making a comeback."

It can also help people reconnect with agriculture and gain an appreciation for farming and ranching, she said.

"I think a lot of kids, and even many adults these days, don't even know where milk comes from," Forgey said. "But I think more people are going back to the grass roots things now."

Forgey said she's encouraged by the number of youngsters who participate in Make It With Wool.

"You can see there's such a pride in these kids, and people are amazed at how well some of these kids can sew," she said.

Sewing also encourages people to turn away from the growing number of distractions in current society and toward each other, Forgey said.

"A lot of what we do is just getting together," she said. "It's great to see a preteen sitting down and getting tips from some of the elderly sewers."

And while the competition might be stiff, it's never vicious, she added.

"Our participants give one another advice and show each other different things to try," she said.

Johnson and Bailey agreed there are benefits to participation that go beyond a potential prize or something to wear.

Johnson said she's naturally quite shy, but entering Make It With Wool gave her a reason to step out a little.

"At the local level, you have to model your work in front of a panel of judges, and that did make me nervous," she said. "You have to come out and do a series of turns, and then they ask you a series of questions about what you've made."

Bailey said she loves the satisfaction of making things for her family, but also joked that it can be so engrossing; it can at times be difficult for her family to get her attention.

"I'll just sit down to start knitting, and I'll lose all track of time," she said.

* Mark Heinz is a freelance writer. He lives in Powell.

Enter the Make It With Wool contest

The Wyoming Make It With Wool contest will be Dec. 6 - 7 at the Parkway Plaza in Casper.

Competitors in the state contest must qualify at a district contest. There are 12 districts in the state and because their contests are held throughout the year, some have already passed.

The contest for District 12, which includes Natrona County, will be 9 a.m. Nov. 21 in the ARLC building at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds. Most of the contest requirements are the same at the district, state and national level, but some may change slightly, so be sure to call before you enter. For example, District 12 has additional categories for accessories and wool crafts, but the state and national contest do not. For more information, call District 12 director Brandi Forgey at 307-237-0050.

To find out your district and director, call Roxana Johnson, state director of the Make It With Wool Contest at 307-327-5558.

Last year, there were about 25 entries in the state contest, she said.

Competitors compete in the following divisions:

* Preteens: Ages 12 and under

* Juniors: Ages 13 - 16

* Seniors: Ages 17 - 24

* Adults: Ages 25 and older as of Dec. 31

* Made For Others: All ages (Attendance at contest is not required; photos and garment are sent instead)

Preteens may enter a dress, jumper, skirt, pants, shorts, vest, sweater, shirt / blouse, jacket or a combination of garments. All other divisions may enter any of the following combinations of pieces:

* One-piece garment: dress, jumper, outerwear jacket, coat or cape

* Two-piece garment: coat, jacket, cape, blouse/shirt, vest or sweater with dress, jumper, skirt, pants or shorts

* Ensemble: Three or more garments worn together at one time such as a coat, jacket, cape, blouse/shirt, vest and/or a sweater with a dress, jumper, skirt, pants or shorts.

Fabric or yarn used to make the garments must be 100 percent wool, or a wool blend with a minimum 60 percent wool or specialty wool fiber such as mohair, cashmere, alpaca, camel or llama. The entire garment body must be made with wool or a wool-blend fabric.

"The one thing about wool that I like is, wool is a lot more forgiving," Johnson said. "You can hide mistakes, manipulate it, stretch it, shrink it.

"In my mind it's a lot easier to work with than cotton, and I would encourage any body who hasn't to as least try making something out of wool."

Trims, facings, linings, interfacings and underlinings do not have to be made with wool.

Those entering the adult, junior or senior divisions must send $2 and a 4 X 4 inch sample of the wool used in their garments to Johnson for testing. (If the wool doesn't meet the minimum criteria of 60 percent wool, it's disqualified.) All garments must have been completed after Jan. 1, 2009 and there is a $10 entry fee.

The garments are first judged on construction quality, which is 40 percent of the final score, and then there's the style review. During the style review, contestants in all divisions except Made For Others model their creations for the judges. The contestants are judged on their presentation, how the garment fits, and the appropriateness of the garment for their lifestyles. The style review accounts for 50 percent of the final score and marketability counts for 10 percent.

Judging of the style review is not open to the public, but the contestants will also do a fashion show during the Wyoming Wool Growers Association and Wyoming Stock Growers Association convention opening luncheon Dec. 7, which is also at the Parkway Plaza.

Each participant in the contest receives 2.5 yards of Pendleton wool and the winner of each division may receive sewing supplies. The winners of the junior and senior divisions also win a trip to the national Make It With Wool contest in Nashville, Tenn. which takes place Jan. 21 - 23, 2010. The winner of the adult division is also entered in the national competition, but not in person. Photos of her garment and a video of her wearing it are sent to the national contest.

"Our adults have usually placed relatively high at the national contest, so we're very competitive," Johnson said.

There is also a wool afghan and quilt making contest during the Wyoming Make It With Wool contest. Entrants do not need to qualify at the district level, as the afghan and quilt contest is only held at the state level. The entry fee is $10 and the blankets must have been completed in 2009.

Afghans may be knitted or crocheted using yarn that's at least 60 percent wool.

Quilts must have a top that's at least 60 percent wool, wool batting, and a back made of natural fiber. They can be hand- or machine-made.

To learn more about the Wyoming Make It With Wool contest, call Johnson at 307-327-5558.

-- by Carol Seavey