SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — The BAAAhd Girls finished third of 10 teams in the Sheep to Shawl competition at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
“We’re thrilled to place third in the overall competition,” said Lorraine Felker, president of the Fiber Arts Guild at Walk In Art Center. “We’re especially honored to have received the Team Choice Award, which is chosen by other participants in the competition.”
It was the second year in a row that the BAAAhd Girls finished third in the Sheep to Shawl competition. This year, a record 10 teams participated.
The SchuylkillGurlz, an a capella group based at the art center, brought the Small Arena to silence as they opened the competition with “America the Beautiful.”
“It sent chills down your back and brought tears to my eyes,” said Kim Morgan, a spinner.
The competition theme was America the Beautiful, chosen in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026.
The BAAAhd Girls patterned their shawl after the “purple mountains majesty” line in the anthem, written by Katherine Lee Bates. A companion group, The BAAAhd Company, entered a shawl inspired by its “amber waves of grain” sentiment.
The competition was intense for teams, who had 2 ½ hours to make 78-by-22 inch shawls from scratch.
“Competing at the farm show was like facing your good friend in a boxing ring,” said Margi Wright, a BAAAhd Girls spinner, who had friends of opposing teams.
“I love seeing them and sharing hugs and prayers, but when the bell rings, I want to win,” she said. “I’m always exhausted afterward, between the physical and emotional struggle I feel.”
The competition was the hardest Wright had experienced in the five years she’s participated in Sheep to Shawl.
The BAAAhd Company competes at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. (SUBMITTED)
For weaver Kris Amey, competing at the farm show was an “unforgettable thrill.”
“The cheerful buzzing atmosphere of the crowd made every moment enjoyable,” Amey said, but facing cameras challenged her ability to concentrate and stay focused.
The BAAAhd Company experienced a glitch when its spinning wheel broke late in the competition.
“It did slow us down,” said spinner Hana Vojtechova, “but we finished and turned our shawl in on time.”
Weaver Alice Gillespie, who competed in Sheep to Shawl 40 years ago, said the team pulled together to finish on time.
“All members of our team,” she said, “handled the extra stress with grace and skill.”
Felker, a spinner with The BAAAhd Girls, said competing at the farm show is always a bit daunting.
“Thanks to all our public demonstrations in the past year,” she said, “we shifted into automatic pilot, blocked out the crowds and cameras and did out task as best we could.”
Both teams are already discussing their approach to next year’s competition.
A Fiber Arts Festival is scheduled for Feb. 21-22 at Walk In Art Center, 220 Parkway, Schuylkill Haven. Information is available at www.walkinartcenter.org, information@walkinartcenter.com or 570-732-3728.