Stories in Stitches IV

Stories in Stitches IV

Quilts, Hooked Rugs and Needlecraft in a gorgeous setting

This week!  Two wonderful artisan exhibitions open this Tuesday, 10 September.  They run for five days, from 10:00 am till 5:00 pm (7:00 on Friday), until Saturday the 14th.  Admission to each show is just $5 at the door.

Stories in Stitches is our show (the fourth one) of quilts, hooked rugs and several other types of needlework.  Hundreds of pieces are set out on the pews and mounted on racks in the church and in the parish hall.  Start with the quilt-covered car on the lawn!  Information: www.stpaulschurch.ca; 902-218-2213; carolmcdnld70@gmail.com

The Barachois Hooked Cushion Collection displays 242 cushions covered in rug-hooked designs, on tour from Barachois New Brunswick, in observance of the World Acadian Congress and the upcoming 200th anniversary of that church.  These cushions are set on on the pews of The Kirk of St. James, a few blocks away from St. Paul’s (at the corner of Pownal and Fitzroy streets). Information: Facebook: Barachois Hooked Cushions; 902-629-1234, dandsmacleod@bellaliant.net

Stories In Stitches

This is Eastern Canada’s most dramatic show of quilts, hooked rugs and artistic needlework.  Every second year historic and beautiful St. Paul’s church in downtown Charlottetown is the place for stunning colour, texture and technique as artisans from across PEI and around the Maritimes exhibit their craft.  In 2019 Stories in Stitches runs from Tuesday 10 September to Saturday the 14th, from 10:00 am till 5:00 pm (7:00 on Friday).

Entries run the whole gamut of fabric, fibre and needle crafts, in all styles from antique to modernistic.  And what a great way to display these works of art: set out on the pews and railings of the church, against a background of richly warm woodwork, with light from the stained-glass windows.  The church’s beauty and acoustics will be on display along with the fabric arts, as gentle music plays in the background — “a feast for the eyes, ears, even the soul,” says Curator Carol Macdonald.

There’s more: the parish hall, a few steps away, is the site for scores of hooked-rug creations being shown by PEI’s Island Matters group and their friends.  The hooking exhibition includes the ‘Pillow Challenge’: dozens of pillows covered in appliqué, knit-work, and needled design, with voting by viewers to determine a prize-winner. There are also demonstrations by both rug-hooking and quilting artisans.

Why the title, ‘Stories in Stitches’? ... because there’s usually a story about why a piece was created, about a person or cause for which it was made, or about something that happened during the making.  Items will be labelled with contact data and information about the history, intent and technique of the work.  This is not a sale, but presenters are given the option of allowing subsequent purchase of their works, and the labels will indicate that.

The previous shows (2013, 2015, 2017) have each drawn an appreciative audience of more than 1200, including many cruise-ship visitors.  For admission of just $5 at the door, viewers get to spend a delightful hour or two — a single price for the two locations, which are both wheelchair accessible. 

The St. Paul’s show is easy to find: just look for the car parked on the lawn — covered in a tailor-made quilt!

For information, contact Carol Macdonald at 902-218-2213, carolmcdnld70@gmail.com