MARYSVILLE — The Red Curtain Arts Center in Marysville played host for the first time to the Quilceda Carvers’ annual Spit ‘n’ Whittle July 25-27.

Carl Knust, president of the carving club, estimated that between 60-70 people attended over the three days, and thanked the seven instructors.

“Based on the feedback we got from our members, this arts center is an excellent venue for many things,” said Knust, who noted that Spit ‘n’ Whittle has been hosted by many sites within the past 14 years, most recently near Friday Creek in Burlington. “We just try to get as many people in one place as we can. Everybody who went had the opportunity to have hands-on lessons in whittling.”

While Ted Rumsey of Camano Island carved walking sticks, Snohomish’s Mildred Holder and Sultan’s Annette Schalo learned how to craft a miniature 3D Japanese anime-style figure from Bremerton instructor Jeff Iller. Ferndale’s Larry Wickkiser received instruction on how to fashion whimsical treehouse decorations out of 200-year-old cottonwood bark from Arizona.

Knust reported that the club will be returning to one of its regular venues at the end of this summer, as they staff a booth at the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe from Aug. 21 through Sept. 1, which he asserted “always generates a lot of interest.”

While the group typically meets in the red barn at Jennings Park on the fourth Saturday of the month, Knust noted that the Aug. 23 meeting will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the park’s barbecue shelter, and speculated that it might not be as well-attended, given how many members will be at the state fair.

For more information, call Knust at 360-657-4611 or log onto the club’s website at www.quilcedacarvers.org.