Maybe its first-timer's luck.

Maybe it's some great mentoring.Probably a little bit of both and a whole lot of hard work.Whatever it is, Mercy Melo of Palmerton is heading for Denver in January for the national "Make It With Wool" contest.On Oct. 8, Melo won first place in the junior division at the Pennsylvania "Make It With Wool" contest held during the Keystone International Livestock Expo at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg."I was very surprised to say the least," Melo said about her win. "I think I was in shock the whole day."Her mother, Monica Melo, said she was happy about the win and then a little concerned."I didn't realize that meant she was going to Denver," she said about traveling there in the winter. "I'm really excited for Mercy. She worked really hard. It was nice to see her rewarded by having this great experience of going out to Denver."Mercy heard about the "Make It With Wool" contest from other members of the Blue Mountain Fiber Guild. The problem was that she had never sewn a garment before."I'd only hand-sewn before," she said.Her experience is with needle felting.Since her mother isn't experienced with sewing, guild member Kathy Augustine offered to teach her.Mercy began her project in August and several nights a week she went over to Augustine's house for sewing classes."Kathy was amazing. I can't thank her enough," Mercy said.The contest required that competitors make either a one-piece, two-piece or three-piece garment from wool. Mercy chose to do a two-piece outfit and created a black wool miniskirt with a two-toned gray shawl.All along the hemline of the skirt, she attached 26 hand-felted gray sheep with black faces, like the Gotland sheep on her farm.The shawl was made of 325 macramé knots using two shades of gray wool yarn. Mercy tied 10 knots for each single macramé knot.The shawl is in the shape of a triangle with each side being 2½ feet long. Long fringe dangles from two sides.Mercy said there were two other girls in her division. Both had competed in this contest before.When Mercy heard the announcer say there was a tie for second place, she thought for sure she would be one of them, but then she heard the names of the other two girls called. She realized then she had won."I'm not nervous," she said about nationals.She doesn't expect to win, but then again, she didn't think she would win at states.In addition to being a member of the fiber guild, Mercy is also the 2016 Carbon County Fair Queen, and a member of 4-H Club for nine years.A senior at Palmerton Area High School, she is the president of the Environment Club, a member of Future Business Leaders of America, co-captain of the field hockey and tennis teams, and a Concourse Club Guiding Star.