Eastern Canada’s most dramatic show of quilts, hooked rugs and artistic needlework. It runs for almost a week in late September at historic and beautiful St. Paul’s church in downtown Charlottetown. This is the sixth show since 2013. Attendance has always been over 1200, including many cruise-ship visitors.
It features stunning colour, texture and technique as artisans from across PEI (and further afield) exhibit close to 150 quilts, rugs and other artistic pieces — the whole gamut of fabric, fibre and needle crafts, in all styles from antique to modernist.
Dramatic display: larger quilts are on stands, but most pieces are set out on the pews and railings of the church, against a background of richly warm woodwork, dappled with light from the stained-glass windows, with a background of gentle music.
A bonus: a variety of daily demonstrations by skilled quilt, hooking, embroidery and other artisans.
Another special feature: raffle of a queen-size Kindred Spirits quilt worth $1800
There is continuous supervision, and touching is controlled
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 are labelled with contact data and information about the history, intent and technique of the work.
This is not a sale, but some presenters do allow subsequent purchase of their works, and the labels indicate that.
Dates: Tuesday 22 September through Saturday 26 September, 2026
Hours: Tuesday 10:00 - 5:00 Wednesday 10:00 - 5:00 Thursday 10:00 - 5:00
Friday 10:00 - 7:00 Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
St. Paul’s church in downtown Charlottetown— Grafton at Church Street, across from the Daniel J. MacDonald federal building. It’s fully accessible … and easy to find: just look for the car parked on the lawn — wrapped in a tailor-made quilt!
Admission: $10 - cash or credit/debit card. No charge for children (12 & under)
St. Paul’s Church, with cooperative help from PEI’s Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild
Questions/Information:
Principal contact: Carol Macdonald - carolmcdnld70@gmail.com; 902-218-2213
St. Paul’s church: stpauls@pei.aibn.com; 902-892-1691