Butler 4-H Club plans to compete at state farm show
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Five girls in Butler County are looking to take their weaving skills to show this Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Fleece to Shawl competition.
The girls are members of the Fabulous Fiber 4-H Club, the only 4-H Club in the state dedicated exclusively to fiber arts, according to club co-founder Carol Greiner.
The club got its start in 2021, but began competing last year when six members traveled to the farm show and ultimately placed second. Each group competing is responsible for turning fleece into a shawl that fulfills a minimum length and width requirement within a three-hour time frame.
“Our goal is to weave to 82 inches, because it can be longer but it has to be a minimum of 72. So the goal is to weave to 82 because when it comes off, you get at least 10% shrinkage,” Greiner explained.
Five members decided to return to compete this year. Reagan Zanaglio will once again card the fleece; Elsie Schneider, Sarah Bupp and Elise Richendrfer will work the spinners; and Emmalyn Schaffner will weave the shawl on the loom.
To prepare for the competition, the girls have met for weekly practices since October. Greiner said they have also done two timed practices and a timed public demonstration at the Pennsylvania Sheep and Wool Festival. She said the demonstration gave the girls a similar experience to the competition, including having members of the audience ask them questions about the process.
“That really gave us a gauge for what we needed to work on,” she said.
The group met Friday, Jan. 9, at the Butler Farm Show grounds for their final practice before the competition in Harrisburg.
Greiner said between this year and last, she’s seen the girls grow in their teamwork and confidence. Even the shyest members of the club have become comfortable with answering, she said.
“That’s part of the whole 4-H experience, too, being able to talk and communicate what you’re doing and why you’re doing it,” she said.
To match the 250th anniversary of the United States and the farm show’s theme, “Growing a Nation,” Greiner said she planned for their costumes to be in homage to Betsy Ross. Furthermore, the design for the team’s fleece is heavily inspired by the American flag.
“It’s red and white on the outside, and then in the center, it’s a chevron — like a zigzag — in blue. And when it was dyed, the girls had tied ribbon around it so that when they take it out, it will have these white splotches that are supposed to resemble stars,” she said.
While adults compete in a separate sheep to fleece competition that sees them shear the sheep as well, the youth competition starts with fleece already sheared. Team members lay out their fleece and pick pieces they think will work best.
While each member has an assigned role, Greiner clarified all five girls will be carding the fleece to begin. Once a stockpile is built, they each will transition into their specific role.
Reagan acts as the carder, meaning her role is to clean and untangle the fleece using long combs. Once she collects a basket full of carded wool, she gives it to the spinners.
She said she prefers carding the whole time because it gives her the opportunity to move around during the competition.
She, like the other girls, said this competition is their favorite part of being in Fabulous Fiber.
“(I love) learning about everything, meeting new people and gaining new skills,” Reagan said about the club.
Win or lose, Greiner said she and others interested in fiber arts are thrilled to see young people taking an interest in the hobby.
“People that are in this hobby or craft, their biggest joy is to keep kids doing this and carrying this on, because it’s a lost art,” she said.
