These handmade duffle bags are sewn from the meeting and dining tent canvas previously used at the Milltown convention grounds for an annual church retreat held on the Washington property beginning in the year 1911. The secretive church with no name — commonly referred to as The Truth, The Way, or The 2x2s, still hold their annual church conventions at Milltown to this day, making it one of the oldest operating convention grounds in the United States.

As an ex-member who was 4th generation born and raised into this high-control sect that was started by William Irvine in 1897, making these duffle bags has been cathartic and healing, a way of helping me deconstruct and process my own experience growing up in this ‘way’.

These duffle bags are sewn together in Southern California using a SINGER 144w304 long-arm sewing machine that came from Milltown where many of the convention tents throughout the Pacific Northwest were constructed and repaired from 1920s-1980s. There is enough material to make a total of 31 unique duffle bags.

To inquire about purchasing a made-to-order bag, please email
nevin.pontious@gmail.com

Thank you, np