Events, Museum

6. The Grant Family, Wilbert District

On Sunday, July 17 the museum hosted “Quilt Walk”, an indoor / outdoor exhibit that included heritage quilts from the CMMM collections and more recent items created by local crafters. For those of you who weren’t able to attend, we’d like to show you, over the next week or so, the beautiful handiwork we had on display.


From CMMM, 1998.P.102:

Ray and Florence Grant farmed in the Wilbert District before they moved to Cut Knife where they lived until they both passed away. Crafter – unknown.

grant family quilt wilbert district
Owned by the Grants, Wilbert District

AFTER THE JOURNEY

Excerpt from “Timeline of Quilting History” compiled and written by the Clayton McLain Memorial Museum:

Once a pioneer family reached their destination, quilts and blankets were still needed for uses beyond bed coverings. Instead of keeping rain and wind out of the wagon, they covered windows and doors of log cabins and dugouts. There was a need for emotional sustenance as well. Putting a favourite quilt on the bed gave a woman a sense of connection with her former way of life. Something of beauty was very much needed in her barren home.

CLAYTON MCLAIN MEMORIAL MUSEUM (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

Events, Museum

5. Graduation Quilt

On Sunday, July 17 the museum hosted “Quilt Walk”, an indoor / outdoor exhibit that included heritage quilts from the CMMM collections and more recent items created by local crafters. For those of you who weren’t able to attend, we’d like to show you, over the next week or so, the beautiful handiwork we had on display.


From Terri Paziuk:

My Graduation Butterfly Quilt. Maker: Gladys Hewson in an Appliquéd Butterfly pattern. Grandma Hewson was an avid quilter and sewist often receiving boxes of used clothing which were cut up and placed into her quilts. Everything – fortrel, cotton, silk, polyester, wool – was used in squares!

This quilt was my request for blue and white. It is made with a polyester cotton blend blue and white fabric, and is machine appliquéd and hand quilted. Circa 1983. Owner Terri (Coe) Paziuk.

Crafted by Gladys Hewson

NOTES ON QUILTING

Excerpt from “Timeline of Quilting History” compiled and written by the Clayton McLain Memorial Museum:

The process of making a quilt involves three steps: piecing, layering, and binding. Piecing is the sewing of the quilt top. Layering places the quilt’s backing, batting, and top in place. The main function of quilting is to hold the three layers together. Binding completes the quilt by finishing the edges with a trim of fabric.

Appliqué is a very popular style of quilting, which is basically sewing fabric onto fabric. On the quilt top, pieces of fabric are added, so it is almost like a fourth layer of quilting.

Motif is a style of quilting in which the blocks have a certain theme. For example, the quilt created by Gladys Hewson (above) has a butterfly motif.

CLAYTON MCLAIN MEMORIAL MUSEUM (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
Events, Museum

4. Keepsake Quilt

On Sunday, July 17 the museum hosted “Quilt Walk”, an indoor / outdoor exhibit that included heritage quilts from the CMMM collections and more recent items created by local crafters. For those of you who weren’t able to attend, we’d like to show you, over the next week or so, the beautiful handiwork we had on display.


From CMMM, 1998.P.115:

Quilt was made by Minnie Rorke (Scoular), Bertha Ann Brown (Scoular), and their mother, Elizabeth Bell Scoular (Foster) at their home in Galbraith, Ontario in 1911. It was brought to the Cut Knife area when Elizabeth came west to the Baldwinton district in 1912. After her death it was left at the home of her son, Robert John Scoular (1883 – 1969) and mother, Libbie Scoular (Wood) (? – 1977) in the Gallivan district. Robert’s daughter, Beth Piche (Scoular) donated it to the museum.

quilt crafted approx 1911
Crafted by the Scoular family in Ontario 1911.

LEAVING DEAR FRIENDS & LOVED ONES

Excerpt from “Timeline of Quilting History” compiled and written by the Clayton McLain Memorial Museum:

While the men talked eagerly of overcoming challenges and settling on the abundant rich farmland awaiting them, the womenfolk were all too aware of the dangers and hardships that lay ahead. Another factor that made pioneer women more reluctant about migrating west was their close ties with women friends and family. Most likely these dear friends would never see each other again. To ease this separation, friendship quilts were sometimes made for the woman leaving for westward lands. A friendship quilt served as a remembrance of dear ones let behind.

– CLAYTON MCLAIN MEMORIAL MUSEUM (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
Events, Museum

3. First Day of School Dress

On Sunday, July 17 the museum hosted “Quilt Walk”, an indoor / outdoor exhibit that included heritage quilts from the CMMM collections and more recent items created by local crafters. For those of you who weren’t able to attend, we’d like to show you, over the next week or so, the beautiful handiwork we had on display.


From CMMM, 2012-051:

Jessie Rutley Vance‘s (1875 – 1970) mother, Mary (MacMillan) Rutley, carded, spun and dyed the wool from their own sheep in Ontario. She wove a ‘first day of school dress’ for Jessie with the fabric (1881 ca). Later she re-used the dress for the checked background of this quilt. Jessie and her husband, Norman Vance Sr. came to Saskatchewan from Ontario in 1908 with four of her eight children.

As Jessie was the eldest, and it was made from her dress, this keepsake was given to Jessie for use on the Vance farm near Baldwinton. Jessie kept it on her bed for many years to keep warm from the cold winter nights.

The ‘M’ on the back of the quilt identifies Mary as the crafter.

Crafted by Mary Rutley 1881 ca.

MIGRATING WEST

Excerpt from “Timeline of Quilting History” compiled and written by the Clayton McLain Memorial Museum:

The women gathered together all the quilts, blankets and tied comforters they could either make or acquire. While very special quilts were packed in a trunk or used to wrap precious china, everyday quilts were left out for bedding. It wasn’t long before women found this bedding to be necessary for many other uses. A folded quilt offered a little padding on the wagon seat for the person driving the oxen or anyone riding over the long rough trail. When winds rose up and screamed across the dusty plains blankets, quilts and comforters were used to cover the cracks and any other openings that let the choking dust inside the wagon.

– Clayton McLain Memorial Museum (all rights reserved)
Events, Museum

2. The Canada Day Flimsy

On Sunday, July 17 the museum hosted “Quilt Walk”, an indoor / outdoor exhibit that included heritage quilts from the CMMM collections and more recent items created by local crafters. For those of you who weren’t able to attend, we’d like to show you, over the next week or so, the beautiful handiwork we had on display.


From Terri Paziuk:

Flimsy or quilt-top-to-be-quilted. Owner / Creator Terri Paziuk with Pattern by Laura A. Coia of ‘SewVeryEasy’ – – For Canada’s 150th Birthday in 2017.

Crafted by Terri Paziuk

These beautifully bright colours greeted visitors at the entrance to the Duvall House. And, yes, for the non-quilter, Terri wasn’t joking. A google search confirms that ‘flimsy’ is a real quilting word: “A flimsy (n., pl: flimsies) is a completed quilt top, but not quilted, with no batting, backing, or binding.” from the Quilted Twins Quilting Lingo.