New needlework superintendent keeps textile arts alive

The torch has been passed to a new superintendent of the Northwest Montana Fair’s Needlework Department, and it is burning as bright as ever. Orry Nail comes to the role with a fire for teaching younger generations about age-old crafts like weaving, spinning, sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting and embroidery.

“I want to see these crafts continue, not die out,” Nail said.

Like many women of her generation, Nail learned to sew when she was a child. “I babysat for a lady when I was in junior high who was an excellent seamstress, and she helped guide me along,” she said. Her employer’s encouragement was the nudge Nail needed to discover a lifelong love of creating useful and beautiful things from textiles.

And now Nail is the one offering an encouraging nudge to needlework newbies. “I like to see children use their imagination and their hands to be creative and find their craft.”

As the needlework superintendent, Nail has expanded the opportunity for children ages 11 and under to participate in competitions that were previously open to older crafters only. She hopes to see more entries from children as a result.

Located in the Expo Building, the Needlework Department is a favorite of fairgoers. A maze of colorful quilts greets visitors as they wander through the various exhibits, which Nail and her assistants have spent hours carefully categorizing and arranging. New this year will be a display of vintage notions.

Per the rules of the department, all exhibits must have been completed within the past two years and cannot have been entered in previous competitions. Judges rate the entries based on beauty, degree of perfection, amount of work that went into creating the piece and suitability for the purpose for which it was created. Crafters compete for ribbons, as well as several special awards sponsored by local businesses and guilds.

Although most of the exhibitors won’t leave the fair with a ribbon or an award, they all take home the satisfaction of creating something from scratch. “It’s rewarding to take a bunch of pieces of material and make something beautiful,” Nail said.

For those who are interested in learning a needlework craft but aren’t sure how to get started, Nail has several suggestions. Many local 4-H clubs offer their members the opportunity to learn how to sew. For teen and adult learners, the valley’s quilt guilds are a great resource, as are classes and workshops hosted by Flathead Valley Community College’s Continuing Education Center.

Nail is a member of the Teakettle Quilt Guild, which is based in Columbia Falls but is open to members from across the valley. She said her guild is always looking for new members. “There is a wealth of knowledge in our local quilt guilds,” she said.

Want to learn more? You can find Nail and other knowledgeable needlework enthusiasts in the Expo Building during Northwest Montana Fair Week, Aug. 19-23 at the Flathead County Fairgrounds. They are excited to meet you and share their passion for preserving the traditions of our ancestors.