Part of the Mystery Has Been Solved

I dashed off an e-mail to the address on Ree Nancarrow’s website and received a note in response. Ree said, “What a fun note to receive!” and then went on to offer a possible explanation:

During the years I was a member of Denali Quilters at Denali National Park (including Cantwell, Healy and Anderson), we often had retreats. Before the retreat someone chose several blocks and provided instructions for everyone attending the retreat. Anyone could make as many blocks as they wanted to. The person’s name was written on a piece of paper, one paper for each quilt block they made, and put into a basket. One name was drawn out of the basket, and that person got all the blocks. Why they kept my name on the back of the quilt block is a mystery for sure, as well as who it might have been.

So there you have it. At least part of the mystery has been solved, although we don’t know how the blocks ended up here in Kalispell. I may put a note about this on the quilt label when I finish the quilt.

I’ve added some sashing strips to the design wall. They are pulling the layout together nicely.

I’ll finish this one and then start working on the Sunbonnet Sue quilt.

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The second installment of the T-shirt class went well. I have five students. One student, Mary, came with not only her class T-shirt put together, but three other T-shirts that she had made for her granddaughter and one she made for herself. Her granddaughter is a very tall teen who has trouble finding clothes to fit. Mary is thrilled that she’ll be able to make shirts for her granddaughter and her granddaughter is thrilled to have clothes that fit. Mary hemmed all her shirts on my coverstitch machine during class and copied the T-shirt she had brought to class so she could make one like it at home.

One of my other students worked as a pattern drafter in California. I love having her in class as I am learning more about that part of the business. She brought the T-shirt she had made and hemmed it on the coverstitch machine. She also offered to teach us how to do a rub-off of a T-shirt at the next class because another student wants to copy a raglan-style shirt and that style wasn’t in my class plan. I asked that student if she had an old one she would be willing to take apart and copy, but she didn’t, so we’ll try the rub-off method.

I am very happy with the way this class has been going. I’m itching to make some more tops, though.

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Our trip to the processor in Eureka yesterday was great. Cathy and I got to visit and catch up, and not only did we get to talk to the manager of the processing facility, he took us on a personal tour. The new owners have expanded and made some improvements. We each got a copy of the cut sheet so we will know what options this processor offers to customers. The exciting part is that they are getting their certification that will allow them to go beyond what’s called “custom exempt” processing. All of our pigs and Cathy’s cows are sold this way—basically, we raise the animal for someone else, sell it to them, and they pay to have it processed. We are not allowed to sell individual cuts, only whole or half animals. Under this certification, though, we will be able to sell individual cuts or smaller batches of meat. That will open up our markets to people who don’t want to pay for or don’t have freezer space for a large animal.

We will need to make a decision soon about ordering weaners. If we decide to go ahead with pigs this year, I want to get on this processor’s schedule ASAP. Cathy is a bit more flexible with her scheduling, because beef can go in whenever it’s ready.

I was laughing a bit to myself during our tour, because if someone had said to me when I was 30 years old, “Where do you see yourself in 25 years?” I very much doubt I would have said that I saw myself standing in a meat locker examining cow carcasses. Life is an adventure.