Kanata Quilt Guild

Check out what one of our awesome member guilds is up to!

Our Kanata Quilt Guild was honoured to be invited to participate once again in the Fall Harvest Festival at the Glen Cairn United Church on October 15.

Not only was the show a quilter’s haven, but also a destination for those to enjoy the artistic and stunning beauty of our many quilts on display. Members of the Guild welcomed too, the opportunity to give back to the community.

We displayed our quilts in one half of the church, and those from the Richmond Area  Quilters Guild, in the other half.

From the enthusiasm and compliments received from the many visitors, the quilt show aspect of the Festival was certainly the highlight, but perhaps the children enjoying the bouncy castle outside would dispute this!

Everyone was pleasantly surprised with a visit from our very special guests, who bypassed the bouncy castle and came directly into the quilt show.  It was an honour to welcome Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Mayor Jim Watson, and City Councillor Allan Hubley and introduce the awe-inspiring works of art created by many of our guild members.

They were particularly impressed with the art quilt of Parliament Hill created by Beth van Wyngaarden.

The Kanata Quilt Guild is a relatively young guild, now in its seventh year which has grown from initially 60 to currently 160 members. As Ottawa’s only day-time guild, it meets on the second Thursday of the month from 9:30 a.m. to noon except in the summer months. We are an active, warm and welcoming group of quilters from beginner to advanced and even those who are simply interested in quilts.

Each year, the Guild hosts a jam-packed program of fun and exciting activities including workshops, sew days, charity projects, guest speakers, and so much more! 

Our Guild also belongs to an inter-guild planning group for Eastern Ontario.  This year many of the guilds are working on a celebration quilt to commemorate Canada's 150th anniversary in 2017.  

These quilts will form part of the travelling quilt show to be displayed at many of the guilds, quilt shows, and other similar venues in Eastern Ontario.  I’m sure you’ll agree that its an exciting time to be a quilter and to be part of the Kanata Quilt Guild, a dynamic guild where we learn, create, have fun and share our passion for quilting.   

This article was written by Sue Edkins of the Kanata Quilt Guild

Canadian Guilds Show Their Support to Quilt Canada 2016!

A huge shout out to the Canadian quilt guilds that showed their support of our upcoming Quilt Canada 2016 conference! This incredible annual 4 dayconference in June, brings quilters together across the country to enjoy classes, lectures, friendship and of course the largest Merchant Mall ever!

Without their continued support each year we could not deliver the top notch conference that quilters come to count on.  Thank you for supporting the Canadian Quilters Association/Association canadienne de la courtepointe. 

You guys rock!

FAN
Island Quilters' Guild
Vancouver Quilters' Guild
Vermilion Quilters Guild
Grouse Mountain Day Quilters Guild
Kootenay Quilters Day Guild
Prince George Quilters Guild

Annapolis Valley Quilt Guild
Elgin Nimble Thimbles
Near North Quilters' Build
Dufferin Piecemakers Quilting Guild
London Friendhip Quilters' Guild
Limestone Quilters' Guild
Brant Heritage Quilters' Guild

Timberland Quilters' Guild
Abbotsford Quilters' Guild
Black Gold Quilt Ptach Guild
Niagara Heritage Quilters' Guild
Mahone Bay Quilters' Guild
Orillia Quilters' Guild
Cochrane Quilters
Almonte Quilters Guild
Nanaimo Quilters' Guild
Orchard Valley Quilters' Guild

Battle River Quilters' Guild
Mississauga Quilters Guild Inc
Summerland Material Girls Quilt Guild
Lethbridge Centennial Quilters Guild

Silver Star Quilters
Westshore Quilters' Guild
Sagebrush Quilters Guild
Fraser Valley Quilters' Guild
Region of York Quilters' Guild
Greater Moncton Quilt Guild
Victoria Quilters' Guild
Brampton Quilters' Guild Inc

Ocean Waves QuiltSociety
Akerley Area Quilt Guild
Country Lane Quilt Guild
Ridge Meadows Qilters Guild
Kincardine Sunset Quilters' Guild
Lions Gate Quilter Guild
Waterloo County Quilters' Guild
Halton Quilters Guild
Foggy Bay Quilt Guild

Busy Hands Quilt Guild
The Valley Quilters Guild
Georgian Quilters' Gild
Tofield Country Quilters
Baconsfield Quilters Guild
Kennebecasis Valley Quilting Guild

Pembroke Log Cabin Quilt Guild
Parksville Quilt House Quilters Guild
Penticton Quilter's Guild
Blue Mountain Quilters Guild
Royal City Quilters
Chilliwack Piecemakers Quilting Guild
Gwillimbury Quilt Guild
Happy Quilters
Pieceful Night Quilters Guild
Fraser Quilters Guild
Chilliwack Quilters Guild
Stitches from the Heart
Central Alberta Quilters Guild
Oxford quilters Guild
Northshore Pins & Needles Quilting & Stitchery Guild
Northern Lights Quilt Guild
Kanata Quilt Guild
Saskatoon Quilters' Guild
Sylvan Lake Quilters Guild
Huron Perth Quilters Guild

If any guilds are still interested in finding out more about how you can help, please contact the President, Linda at president@canadianquilter.com.

Cochrane Quilters' Guild First Parade

Cochrane Quilters' Guild were in the First Cochrane Christmas Parade on Dec. 13. Suzanne Stranks was very instrumental in bringing the idea to the guild and organizing the volunteers. 

Her DH (Dear Husband) works for TransAlta and they sponsored our float providing a truck/driver and entry fee. 

The entry fee was waived by the parade committee so we were able to buy fabric  (yes what a chore for a quilter isn't it) for red fleece skirts and white fleece scarves. We are all tickled pink to have been given First prize and a free entry into next year's parade. 

Suzanne Stranks holding the trophy

 With the win we led the parade through downtown Cochrane. We had to go past Addie's Creative Fabrics, our lqs (local quilt shop), and not one of us got out to shop!

Cindy Simpson
Regional Rep for Alberta
 

In this photo two of the gals with their backs to us..... they were busy watching the fellows with the Men in Kilts Window Washing truck/float. They did indeed have kilts on!

 from all of us who are a part of CQA/ACC!




 

An Amazing Guild and a Giveaway

 It is always so interesting to see what different guilds do, who belongs and the fun things they create.

After seeing the cutest photo (pictured below) posted from our NWT Regional Representative Shona Barbour, it prompted me to ask a few questions that I thought would be fun to share with you.

Here is Shona and her friend Kayla's 9 month old Jacob at their UFO retreat.   Shona mentioned the needle is in the down position!

The Inuvik Quilting Guild began in 2006 when three quilters got together regularly to quilt. In 2007 as interest grew in the community, the guild became a registered non-profit society with bylaws, a Board of Directors, a bank account and the ability to fundraise. They have remained in good standing as a society since that time. Shona Barbour (NWT Regional Rep) has been the Chair of the guild since its inception. Their main activity is the Monday Night Quilting Get Togethers which occur every week from September long weekend to May long weekend, making a weekly gathering a bit unique to a guild.

Blocks made at the UFO retreat

 The guild averages about 30-40 members and requires people to purchase a $25 annual membership if they register for courses and activities. They have some members who pay their membership only to be on the email list and others who purchase a membership and participate in all the activities! The guild is made up of a VERY young group with many members starting to quilt in their late 20's and now keeping up with things into their 30's. It is not unusual to have a row of baby car seats in the room during weekend activities as there has been a baby boom in the guild over the past two years.

By Candace Morgan

They have tried hard to maintain a very regular schedule of annual activities; beginner classes are held in the fall, members teach a couple classes throughout the long winter, the New Year Creative Challenge is launched at the annual Christmas party, out of town instructors come in the new year and the summer quilt show begins July 1 of each year. They have maintained this schedule for about four years. In the summer they do many partnerships with the Inuvik Community Greenhouse such as; natural dyeing, flower pounding, Dyer's Garden and some kids activities.

By Lynda Smith

They have a wide range of quilters in the guild but many of the younger crowd have been drawn to the simple lines and geometry of modern quilting. But at any given Monday Night Get Together you will see a wide variety of projects; big and small.

Every couple of months the guild hosts a UFO weekend and these have been incredibly popular as it gives members classroom space and dedicated time to finish projects. They are fortunate to have  classroom space and a storage cupboard available to them at the local Aurora College campus.

This means irons, ironing boards, mats, rulers, extensions, cutters are all available to members to use. As guild members are working mothers, grandmothers, professionals in the community, small business owners, etc there is no set time commitments for the UFO weekends and people can come and go as they need to. Many times kids and partners come to share a paper bag lunch with their moms!

Life in the North is great and pretty much the same, quilting wise, as being in southern Canada. They have an amazing quilting/textile community with some members being graduates of university design programs and even the Capilano College Textile Arts program in Vancouver. They get  fabric through internet shopping or trips away and the guild brings in a supply of batting for sale. The Yellowknife Quilters bring  great instructors to Yellowknife and some Inuvik members make trips down for those classes (Pippa Moore, Susan Carlson, Karen Stone, Gloria Loughman, Elaine Quehl, Carol Soderlund and others have been there recently). The biggest difference Shona has seen is just the 'young' age of the members and the commitment members have with the guild. Every activity is filled with participants, and Board members have been easy to work with and enjoy volunteering. People always have great things to say about their group; openness, warmth, energized, eager, and so committed to quilting.

by Anick Jenks

Thanks Shona!   What a fantastic guild.  Do you have a guild or quilt group you would like to share with other Canadian quilters?  If so, email me at vicepresident@canadianquilter.com.  I would love to hear from you!

And to celebrate guilds across the country, we have a giveaway!  The latest edition of the Quilter's Connection magazine.  If you want to enter, leave a comment below telling me that you are a CQA/ACC member and something unique your guild or quilt group does.   If you don't belong to a guild, tell me something fun you do while quilting.  I will randomly pick a winner on June 24th, 2013.

Only CQA/ACC members can win.

WIP #4

Have you heard of Jelly Roll races?   The Blue Mountain quilt guild of Port Coquitlam BC is familiar with this event.

This is one of the ways they racked up their inches for the Stitch Across Canada challenge.  They did this as part of their program and it only took 2 hours!

To find out more about the Jelly Roll race and how to do one, you can check out this excellent video.

Have you ever visited the Moda Bake Shop?  They post a new project every single day!  Many are quilts and you can even select projects based on their packaging of fabric, such as their 'layer cakes' 'charm packs' etc.   Here are all the fun things you can create with jelly rolls.