Quilters to unite at national event

Holly Clarke gets a kick out of putting a modern touch on a traditional craft.

Clarke said she spends an average of three weeks putting together colourful geometric patterns to create a quilt with a more modern design.

“I find working with my hands brings me fulfilment,” she said. “It’s such a joyful hobby and it brings joy to so many people.”

She is thrilled a national quilting convention, which will showcase local work alongside pieces from across the country, is coming to Winnipeg for the first time in 22 years.

Quilt Canada, put on by the Canadian Quilting Association, runs from Wednesday to Saturday at the convention centre and features a national juried show, workshops, local vendors and keynote speakers.

Clarke, who will have four of her pieces in the national juried show under the modern category, said it’s great to see the event land in Winnipeg. She said it’s a great opportunity for local quilt makers to show off their work and take pride in their community.

“It’s very exciting to be recognized on a national level like that.”

She didn’t think she’d get in when she applied, and her acceptance email came as a huge surprise.

“I think I let out a little screech of joy when I read the email,” said Clarke. “The first thing I did was tell my husband and text my family how excited I was.”

Clarke is a part of the Winnipeg Modern Quilt Guild, who will have their own display at the event that will run concurrently with the national showcase. She said the guild has 62 members and 22 of them will show off their work at the convention.

Clarke has been making quilts since 2017 when she realized she could combine her hobby of sewing with her day job as a graphic designer. After sitting at a computer all day at work, she enjoys being able to work with her hands to create something tangible.

It quickly became addictive and two years later, she started selling her quilt patterns online. Her favourite part is being able to create something and give it to a loved one that will last and keep them warm.

Quilts are like “a hug in fabric,” said quilters association executive director Carole McCarville.

McCarville said this year’s national juried show features 150 quilts and $40,000 in cash awards.

Along with the juried show, McCarville said there are nine exhibits in which an additional 350 quilts will be showcased.

She said lectures about dyeing quilts and making quilting affordable, along with workshops about new techniques, allow the community to grow and learn from each other.

“For someone who doesn’t know about quilting, it really opens their eyes to the opportunity,” she said.

The 2025 convention in Toronto was attended by 7,000 people — the biggest turnout to date.

McCarville said as many as 5,000 people will show up for the Winnipeg convention, which is open to the public.

tiago.resko@freepress.mb.ca