Canadian Quilting Destination Mini-Quilt Challenge

At Watergirl Quilt Co. we love to learn and have fun. Look at these thoughtful and fantastic submissions that were sent in to us for our Canadian Quilting Destination Challenge. We asked you to incorporate the piece of maple leaf fabric that we gave to you and to tell us a story about where you live in Canada. 400 people voted and congratulations to the top 3 prize winners: 1st Place: Karen Ross of Sault Ste. Marie, ON 2nd Place : Monique Lavigne-Patenaude of Morrisburgh, ON 3rd Place: Suzanne Powell of Lansdowne, ON Thank you everyone for participating and thank you to the 400 people who took time to vote and to support these quilters.

Vote For Your Favourite Mini-Quilt!

My mini-quilt entry is Roasted Marshmallow Campfire - pattern by Burlap and Blossom Patterns. Our cottage on Big Rideau Lake near Westport, Ontario is my summer quilting destination where I enjoy beautiful inspirational sunrises and scenic boating along the Rideau Canal. Although, what’s most special is family time spent huddled around the campfire telling stories, playing and singing music, and of course, roasting marshmallows.

My mini quilt depicts a rural area of Eastern Ontario. I created a pieced mini quilt using a Google Earth image of my home as well as the home of my sister-in-law who lives nearby and is a new quilter and wonderful gardner. I sketched my design on graph paper using quarter inch intervals. Using vellum sheets, I made pattern pieces for the irregular blocks where two colours meet with a curved line. The creek that leads to the St. Lawrence River, the train tracks that lead to Brockville, Prescott and Cornwall to the east and Kingston to the west, the road, and the places where trees meet fields and lawns were all challenges to creating this quilt. The compass rose is also pieced and appliqued onto the map. I added lettering, decorative stitching, free motion stitches and straight stitching.

These classic Canadian symbols were created using turned-edge and raw edge applique. Northcott fabrics are used and are a great tribute to Canada.
Watergirl Quilt Co.

Brampton, ON is known as Flowertown as the city developed around a large number of floral greenhouses, sadly all gone now due to further city development. This Rose is a tribute to Brampton still known as Flowercity. The rose project is done using the FPP technique using a free pattern found online (Rosebud) and increased 200%. I like to bead my wall hanging/small projects so I added beads to the Rose and also used a Five Point Leaf pattern taught by Naomi Smith of Black Tulip Designs.
Watergirl Quilt Co.

I designed a mini-quilt based on my garden, which is my happy place! I used the sample piece of fabric, a background, a scrap of Kaffe Fassett and a plain rusty coloured Northcott. My fourth fabric was more of the maple leaf design which I used for the rays of sunlight. I also added seed beads. loved creating this piece which truly speaks to my passion for gardening . I also learned a bit about appliqué.
Watergirl Quilt Co.

Applique, hand quilting and machine quilting make this heart stand out to represent everything that I love about my home and happy place.

Congratulations to our first place winner, Suzanne Powell.

I live just outside Lansdowne, Ontario. This is our sugar shack. For the last 29+ years, we look forward to Spring and tapping season. My kids (now 28 and 23) still look forward to having breakfast at the sugar shack when the first batch of maple syrup is ready. I took an old photo of our sugar shack and made a paper-pieced pattern from it. I used the Oh, Canada charm square fabric as the sap buckets and as a sign on the side of the shack (The actual sign hangs above the shack door) and added little maple leaves from the fabric to the peaks of the shack and the venting dormer.

I chose a stylized Tulip because I live in Ottawa and the Tulip Festival is one of the many festivals for which Ottawa is known. The mini is foundation paper pieced using the freezer paper technique I learned in the Zoom workshop hosted by Watergirl Quilt Co and taught by Leanne Parsons of Devoted Quilter. And ... I actually drafted this myself!
Watergirl Quilt Co.

I live in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario right on lake Superior. One of things we're known for is the autumn rail tour to see the autumn leaves and beautiful views of the lake!

Ottawa mini quilt. From left to right are: The Supreme Court, Vimy Memorial bridge, Dominion Observatory, Parliament building, Minto Metropole, National Art Gallery and the Maman (spider sculpture). Drawing, piecing, appliqué ,quilting and embroidery were all used in this piece. This quilt was inspired by silhouettes of the Ottawa skyline.
Watergirl Quilt

My garden, in Kemptville, Ontario

I have tried to represent the trees, the flowers, blue sky and the birds that visit the garden.

My garden is my sanctuary and so much smaller than my last garden so I have tried to create a space with nature all around.
Watergirl Quilt Co.

I live in Ottawa, the capital of Canada which celebrates its seasons with Winterlude in the winter and skating on the world famous Rideau Canal, The Tulip Festival in the spring, and its many music festivals in the summer. I chose to highlight fall. The splendid Gatineau Hills covered in an array of colour, the Ottawa River separating the provinces of Ontario and Quebec and significant to our historic Parliament Buildings, the Peace Tower. Take a peek at the flag. Though it is not red and white there is a maple leaf adorning it.
Congratulations to our second place winner, Monique Lavigne-Patenaude.

I live in Morrisburg, Ontario which is on the St-Lawrence River. I also have the privilege to play golf there. There are 2 golf holes along the river where we can see the large cargo ships while playing or sitting on the deck.
Watergirl Quilt Co.

I live in Brockville, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the shores of one of the most beautiful waterways in the world, the St. Lawrence River. Ships pass by here all the time and when they do, I am in awe. They come so close to the shore. It is a sight to see. I learned that Heat nBond is my favourite iron-on adhesive. It was so easy to use and it didn’t gum up my needle.

Congratulations to third place winner, Karen Ross.

I was inspired by a picture I found on Pinterest by Abraham Hunter, as it reminded me of the mama bear and her cubs that visit us usually every spring. I live in Northern Ontario, and I actually have a photograph, almost like this, of three bear cubs in the tree in my own backyard. I drew my own pattern, and followed Pinterest directions for a bear paw block. The quilt is tie quilted with Colonial knots to resemble berries.

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