Have Quilt, Will Travel

Bridget, a wonderful childhood family friend who spent several years abroad, recently returned to Canada and was keen to show her girls what a quilting bee is all about, so a few weekends ago her sister Trish and a couple of my sisters joined her at their lovely home in the Gatineau Hills, which she affectionately calls 'Chateau des Cerfs'.

I didn't see the following note until I arrived back home, but she sent it out to everyone in advance of our weekend. It explains much more perfectly the quilt's history and her wishes for the weekend than I could, so I will let her beautiful words do the talking as you scroll through pics of our fun together.

'As I’ve just managed to drop and break a gifted perfume bottle from Qatar, I thought I’d give a little background on this quilt that has followed my path around the world for over 25 years; it started in the Middle East and it looks like we’ll be finishing it with a hint of those unmistakable oils in the air.











1992:  On an isolated military hospital compound, in the desert region of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, hundreds of international healthcare professionals lived and worked in a 5-km walled ‘city’ ... 15 kms inland from the Persian Gulf.

Men's and women's living quarters were separated by gated 15-foot high cement barriers, manned by armed military guards at three separate check points.

Ten pm curfews, no TV or internet (or alcohol 😳)  ... not to mention gender segregation ...  turned out to be the perfect boredom busting combination. This imposed state of stillness sprouted so many new and interesting hobby/interest groups; we shared our knowledge, passions and talents.

One such opportunity was gifted by an Australian woman, who offered to give classes on hand piecing quilts. Off we went (this international group of ladies - Flemish, English, Scottish, Australian and Canadian) to the Souk to buy material for our blocks, meeting in the segregated women’s quarters weekly.

Soft pink with flowers contrasted with dusty blue, these little triangles were carefully sewn together, moving from pin to pin, following the 1/4" guideline. As I journeyed, the quilt tagged along to Scotland, France, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Malaysia, Thailand, and finally, to Canada.

As we can all relate through our growing years, the exposure to the sometimes year(s) long process from choosing the pattern to the penultimate quilting bees, the talent, camaraderie and lightheartedness between the women closest to us was contagious and exhibited nothing short of artistic and technical excellence.

The closeness and connection I felt with my Mother, my extended family (Grannie Afelskie and her five sisters from Eganville and Wilno, Auntie Barb Hoffman, Aunt Marcella Pecoskie) and of course, close family friends ... including your mother Martha Burchat, Edna Kilby, Norma Boyle, Lois Marshall ... left a lasting impression on me. The laughter that emanated across the garden from Grannie's house late in the afternoon drew us children like bears to the beehive to see what the ruckus was all about (of course conversation was entirely Kashub but it didn’t matter ... we loved it). History repeated itself as my mother’s bees soon took on the same flavour and, as previously shared, I distinctly remember a certain talented quilter sewing her shirt to the masterpiece 😉.

To watch all these matriarchs, whose work ethic was undisputed, let down their hair and come together in the world of quilting was so much more than fabric and thread.

It’s by no mistake that I have asked each of you specifically to this, my first Quilting Bee. All of you have had an incredible impact on my life and as I’ve often mentioned to Frannie, the Burchat girls were - and still are - true role models, legendary in our minds. Returning to Canada, I could never have dreamed the re-connection I feel with you Trish; I cannot imagine life without you.

I feel honoured to have such an incredible collection of talented, artistic and strong women from my past influencing my gutsy and graceful daughters in this wonderful tradition that our ancestors participated in.

Welcome ... ❤️ ... and may the fun begin!'

Needless to say, we had a wonderful reunion and both Munro and Kenzie are naturals - they took to the process like ducks to water. As quilters are known to do, we shared delicious meals and lots of great laughs and some great new tunes (you are going to want to crank it!). We also celebrated two recent birthdays...

each with their own cake (nothing beats birthday cake!).

















And this is how we left our hostess, happily stitching this beautiful quilt that has followed her around the world for a large part of her life. She is enjoying these long November evenings stitching to her heart's content. It's going to be a beauty....M

p.s. Your eyes did not deceive you. In the fifth photo Betty is indeed using an often under estimated quilting tool - the hand saw! Once the quilt was stretched and rolled to a narrower width we cut the end pieces shorter so that it could be moved around easier.