World’s Largest Quilting Bee?

World’s Largest Quilting Bee?

PART 1 In Canada, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) in Toronto is our nation’s largest fair. It has been in operation since 1879 and has opened annually on the same site for several weeks each year, with just a few exceptions because of war, plagues...
The Gift of the Label

The Gift of the Label

After my recent interview with Karen Brown of ‘Just Get it Done Quilts’ (on YouTube – June 27) one commenter said: “It seems that current day charity groups could use the advice of your speaker with regard to the donations of quilts being made to Ukraine right...
Maple Syrup for Britain

Maple Syrup for Britain

I learned a new fact that this month, as I was doing research in The Gananoque Reporter.  I discovered that the people and children of Gananoque shipped hundreds of pounds of maple syrup to the children of Britain in April of 1942.  Maple syrup provided to the people...
The Little Street That Went To War

The Little Street That Went To War

I have been thinking a great deal about how women form community to support each other individually, as a group and to support a cause, and how sewing and quilt making is often the basis of this community gathering.  This article from The Winnipeg Tribune in...
What’s in a name?

What’s in a name?

What’s in a name? What’s in a phrase? Research evolves.  When little has been written of a topic, and present day researchers are dependent on the clues that are found in disparate primary sources and buried in archives across a vast country, as well as...