Oh Canada, Traditional Quilt Blocks Envisioned

Ontario

Ontario

My childhood memories of Ontario revolve around its lakes, beautiful beaches, red sugar maples, endless orchards, and the Niagara Escarpment. Ontario has a rich quilting history, particularly with patterns associated with the Underground Railroad, such as Bear’s Paw, Jacob’s Ladder, and the North Star. However, I also considered what brought my parents and so many other immigrants to Ontario after WWII—its industry. Struggling with less fond memories of steel mills and factories, I ultimately chose the monkey wrench block, symbolizing Ontario’s legacy as Canada’s manufacturing powerhouse.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan

When it comes to Saskatchewan I think of wide open spaces, endless skies with streaks of lightning and towering summer storms. From the flat prairies’ to the endless lakes in the boreal forest it is often the place that is overlooked for its splendour. The thought of sunshine and the gently waving fields of sunflowers, always produces a smile. Since southern Saskatchewan is the sunniest place in Canada and sunflower are the only oilseeds native to the Great Plains of North America, I had to pick the  “sunny” the sunflower block.

Manitoba

Manitoba

From my history lessons I recall around confederation the first nations and Metis peoples living in Rupert’s Land and HBO territory were on a collision course with the new Canada in the east. 

My impressions of Manitoba are also of two different worlds. I remember walking at the edge of the treeline and being in awe of the polar bears waiting to return to the sea ice in Churchill. Further to the south I enjoyed my time at the Forks where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers converge around Winnipeg. It’s the only place in Canada where a huge dike has been built to protect a major city from frequent flooding. I finally decided since Manitoba is also the centre of Canada (at least from a trans-Canada highway perspective) it would not be cars but rather Red River carts that brought settlers to the region in Manitoba’s history.  I thought a wagon wheel block appropriate. 

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador

I have visited Newfoundland multiple times, with my longest trip in the summer of 2014, exploring southeastern Newfoundland. St. John’s, with its colorful vibrancy, was a delight. The sweeping, wind-swept moorlands further south reminded me of Nunavut’s—vast, open landscapes, few people, roaming caribou, and dramatic seabird-covered cliffs. Standing at Cape Spear, the easternmost point in North America, I imagined ocean travellers catching the first hopeful glimmers of lighthouse beams as they arrived in the New World. Unable to find a traditional lighthouse quilt block, I adapted the ocean waves block, using colour placement to evoke beams of light radiating from a lighthouse.

British Columbia

British Columbia

Oceans, mountains, watching the sun dip down in the ocean, cathedral like trees, salmon runs, spirit bears, fruit, wine, wild rivers make it such a difficult place to choose an image that is of special reminder to me of this place. In the end I decided to pick the evergreen tree. When I was a child I remember big oak and chestnut trees in Ontario but nothing compares to the cedars and fir trees that seem to reach to the heavens. The old growth forests are a place of mystery and represent some of the largest and oldest life Canada.

Yukon

Yukon

The very 1st time I visited the Yukon was the spring of 1980. What a sight I must have been in my stylish suede jacket and fancy boots! I had so much to learn about this largely unknown part of Canada. 

When I think log cabin for a provincial block I have to think Yukon. Imagine the miner or trapper in their log cabin in the deep of winter. Yellow and red certainly would have to be used to symbolize the warm hearth and gold they sought. Other images are of northern lights, silent woods and high mountains come to mind. Robert Services Cremation of Sam McGrew, and stories of Jack London however keep bringing me back to the symbol of the log cabin.

Canada

Canada

It comes as no surprise that I chose the maple leaf block to symbolize Canada. Traditional pieced maple leaf patterns have long been a favorite in quilting. The iconic red maple leaf flag, adopted in 1964, is recognized worldwide. However, the maple leaf had already appeared in earlier national symbols, including the first fledgling flag, which featured yellow (Ontario) and green (Quebec) maple leaves.

Nunavut

Nunavut

When I think back to my years of travel through this part of Canada, my 1st choice for a block would be the Inuksuk. I however had no luck finding a traditional block pattern that comes close to representing this iconic image. I also considered the idea of a bear claw block, in white, for the polar bear but had already used that design for Quebec. Most of my trips north however were during the darkest time of the year. If it was not too cold to be outside and you were not in ice fog, I would see amazing dark skies filled with endless stars. Surely, I thought they were also important to the Inuit for travel on the land. 

Surprisingly stars were not an important means of navigation to the Inuit as you might think. During the summer months there is very little or no darkness….no stars! In the coldest, darkest months of the year extensive travel was not typically undertaken. However the North Star, Polaris, or in Inuit astronomy Niqirtsuituq certainly has been used by many travellers to determine the location of true north. The magnetic north pole is located in Nunavut and as of 2013 Canada also has laid claim to the true “north pole”. Therefore it is not surprising to find this star symbol depicted on the flag and coat of arms of Nunavut.

In the end I have chosen the traditional friendship star block. One point for each of the Nunavut’s Kivalliq, Kitikmeot, Qikiqtaaluk land regions and one for the vast waters that connect all the communities. A perfect block to also represent the Inuit, some of the kindest and friendliest  people I have encountered. 

New Brunswick

New Brunswick

My first visit to New Brunswick was in 2001, a trip I remember distinctly. In defiance of the fear that was felt following 9/11, I booked a flight to Saint John the day after the towers fell, determined not to let terrorism deter my travel plans. When I think of New Brunswick, I picture lobsters, the flowerpot rock formations in the Bay of Fundy, and above all, the covered bridges—including the world’s longest covered bridge. While I couldn’t find a traditional bridge quilt block, I felt that a modified log cabin block would capture the essence of these historic structures.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

I have had the privilege of visiting Nova Scotia several times, but my most memorable trip was in the fall of 2017 during the Celtic Colours Festival. This province is known for its rugged Cape Breton coastline, the iconic Peggy’s Cove lighthouse, and its picturesque villages. While all of these could inspire a quilt block, I ultimately chose the tall ship block, as it best represents Nova Scotia’s rich maritime heritage.

Alberta

Alberta

I left Alberta as the last block. Maybe because my readers will have so many opinions on what that block should be. It really is so personal afterall. 

This has been my home since 1980. I have lived here happily most my life. It is a province of so many contrasts. It was the 1st time I saw what I consider a real mountain, true prairies and the intriguing badlands. I saw my 1st oil rig, bought a horse and finally learned how to ski. It was a wide open playground, anywhere you went. It was also the 1st place that showed me that women could do the same jobs as men. I had never seen women drive buses and deliver mail in Hamilton! 

The wild rose block is also a beautiful traditional block. The roses grow just about anywhere and are a symbol of this province. But in the end I fell back to what made this place so special for me. After three decades working as a meteorologist, you should expect a bit of an odd bias.

 I decided in the end that mountains would symbolize my province. It might seem an odd choice as certainly BC can claim to have a lot more mountains! But it is the mountains that make Alberta what it is, and so different from our western sister. The mountains act as a barrier to the mild maritime temperatures in winter and block moisture to give us those big blue skies. It gives crazy chinook winds and presents a special challenge for meteorologist trying to forecast the weather. The foothills is the 1st place that storms travelling from the west reform after disappearing in the mountains. It is the birthplace for strong summer storms that travel across the prairies giving us more hail, lightning and tornadoes than just about anywhere else in the country. Yes, just wait a bit and the weather is sure to change in this province. Thank the mountains!