Soon after the Lost and Found Mystery Quilt story was published on the Blog, CQA/ACC received an email from Beverly Rambo of Oxford, Ohio. She had picked up an embroidered signature quilt top from a Goodwill store in northern Michigan several years ago.
“The quilt top (or tablecloth) is of Canadian origin, which makes me wonder,” she wrote, “could it be a misplaced or lost textile? Was it really intended to be sold at Goodwill? Is someone looking for it? What story does this quilt tell?”
Joanna Dermenjian, of Suture and Selvedge, who researches Red Cross quilts and other quilts made during the world wars and sent overseas, thought it was “an amazing piece, full of history and geography and story”. She thinks it is likely a summer bedspread, possibly made for a fundraiser for the war effort.
“Sometimes Canadian women made items like this during the war to auction off in order to raise funds to buy materials to make quilts or knitted items for the war effort,” Joanna explains. “It was common for many women to each contribute a block.”
What is especially interesting about the 30 blocks (each approximately 11 inches square) in this quilt top is that they are made by women from seven different communities in Saskatchewan: Verigin, Hamton, Rhein, Yorkton, Runnymede, Regina, and Playmore.
Do you recognize any of the names on this quilt? Beverly kindly transcribed the text as best she could, noting that the embroidered lettering can be difficult to decipher.
Column 1:
Mrs L.M. Fesjk
Edna K
Mrs J. Tomek
Jinnie Kulczycki, Runneymede, Sask
Mrs Mary Kozmech
Anna (?)
Column 2:
Mrs. D. Wlasichuk
Mrs M. Prokopetz
“A” and 1942
Mrs Ann M. Andrychuk, Verigin, Sask
Mrs Annie Filipchuk, Hamton
Mrs Mary Andrychuk
Column 3:
Miss K. Andrychuk, Verigin, Sask 1942
Mrs J.A. Zaharia, Rhein, Sask
Mrs Lena Oystryk, Verigin, Sask
Mrs. M. Filipchuk, Regina, Sask
M. B. 1942—Mrs Edith Boychuk, Playmore, Sask
Column 4:
Mrs (can’t decipher name), Verigin
Mrs N Chyril (?), Hamton, Sask
Mrs T Oystryk, 135 Betts Ave, Yorkton
Mrs Metro Kereluk, Rhein, Sask
Mrs Zelly Todoschuk, 1942
Mrs F. Oystryk
Column 5:
Mrs M.T. Bernard, Hamton, Sask
Mrs Mary Uhryn, V for Victory
Mrs John Andrychuk
F-Mrs Mike Uhryn
Mrs George Achtymichuk
Martha Oystrick
“I am writing,” Beverly says, “to share information about this item to see if anyone, particularly in the Saskatchewan communities listed, has any knowledge about this quilt top and/or would like to take ownership of it due to its historical significance.”
If you have a lead, please email editor@canadianquilter.com.
