In the summer of 1994, I saw a piece of grey fabric that was ideal for a pair of shorts. However, lurking in the layer below, a mishmash of cottons called out to me to use them too.
Up until then, I had only sewn clothing. It served as a way to get a good fit and avoid my four older sisters’ hand-me-downs.
That summer day, my curiosity wondered what I could do with these scraps and the pile I had retained from dressmaking. (Remember when people used to wear cotton dresses?)
Soon, I found some allies and some pattern books. My first creation had eight-point stars and reflected zero understanding of colour values.
Lesson one learned.
My first pinwheel quilt
From there, I moved onto pinwheels and other simple shapes as my love of quilting grew. My colours became bolder and my designs followed patterns less often.
Meanwhile, I began winning awards as a community newspaper journalist. My career and creativity bloomed with a relocation from the Ottawa area to Peterborough in 1998.
Joining my first quilt group
Shortly afterward, I joined the Trent Evening Quilters. The group, affiliated with Trent University, welcomed working women to meet after work so they could learn from their peers.
To keep it alive, I led the group for two stints and initiated its inaugural quilt-in.
Over the years, I have evolved from scrap quilting to bolder, artistic designs. Much of my learning arose from attending endless shows to support the Scrappy Quilter blog I wrote for Peterborough This Week more than 12 years.
Along the way, friends and I traveled to shows, including those in Vermont and Ohio.
Like most working women, my quilts arise from a slow process that can take years to complete. This includes my Infamous Hockey Quilt that began in 1995 and finally wrapped up in 2018.
The Infamous Hockey Quilt
Why that title? Every time I would finish another quilt, friends and family members would ask “What about The Hockey Quilt?”
Yes, 24 years equals a very long overtime period.
Now, a new pattern to learn
These days, I look forward to connecting with more quilters and organizers who keep this art form alive thanks to their own love of quilting. Combining my publishing expertise with a beloved hobby feels like a dream job!
In the past few weeks, I’ve been learning about the Canadian Quilters Association and the magazine from Executive Director Carole McCarville. Leslie Van Patter has also generously shared her knowledge as the outgoing editor.
Of course, I have much to learn about you, your projects and your guilds. Contact me at Lois.Tuffin@CanadianQuilterAdministration.com with story ideas or if you didn’t get your copy in the mail or your inbox.
Hopefully, I’ll meet many of you at Quilt Canada. Until then, happy quilting!
