A Big, Big Bee

If you are looking for a special way to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday, the gals at The Canadian Quilters Association have hit upon a great idea. They are planning a HUGE quilting bee - maybe Canada's biggest ever - to create 1,000 quilts. That's big!

Over 88 guilds from across the country are participating in Canada's Big Quilt Bee but you don't have to belong to a guild to get in on the fun. It all culminates in a four-day quilt bee at Quilt Canada 2017 in Toronto from June 14 - 17.

It's not only a lofty goal (pardon the pun), it's for a great cause. The plan is to donate two quilts to every room at Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada, which provide families of sick children with a home to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital. These are extended stays, often as long as six months to a year, so when they leave for home they can take their handmade quilty hug with them.

They are asking anyone interested to make Slab blocks or quilts using Cheryl Arkinson's pattern - lots of fun, improv stitching.

For an extra sesquicentennial touch, they are asking that each block include one piece of fabric from four different Canada 150 fabric lines specially designed by various manufacturers. I found these three pieces and have incorporated the two on the right into each of my blocks.

My blocks have a very patriotic feel - all reds with a little white tossed in for interest. The blocks finish off at 12", so they are big, and come together quickly.

For full details visit the Canada's Big Quilt Bee; you'll find everything that you need to know there if you're interested in helping out. Remember, you can give one block, or two, or enough to make a full quilt top (there are two different size options); the deadline is May 30.

So, my Valentine this year is to finish off the last of my 12 blocks. Fittingly, I will be wearing my 'Ronald McDonald' socks as I sew, a snazzy Christmas gift from Finland that I received from my brother and his wife a few years ago....M