Ever since we can remember, Mom loved to sew – clothes, dolls and doll clothes – for her family, friends, and neighbours. 

Winters could get very cold on the Prairies, and she made a lot of quilts, mostly from scraps of materials left over from her many sewing projects.

In her later years, her ideas for quilts took on new creativity.

The Life Quilt

Mom’s first heirloom quilt was a masterpiece of love, made for a granddaughter’s wedding. At 87, she journeyed nearly 1,200 miles (1,931 km) to present this cherished gift in person. The quilt’s blocks, a blend of purchased patterns and Mom’s designs, show nature’s beauty and significant moments from family life. Each block was accompanied by a matching Scripture verse, weaving faith and family together.

The Scottish Quilt

Rather than the traditional scraps of material, fabric paints were used for another granddaughter’s wedding quilt. Each block contains an aspect of family history – particularly our Scottish heritage, from castles to dancers, family crests and tartans, the caber toss to a bagpiper. This quilt wasn’t just a gift but a piece of history stitched with love.

The Garden Quilt

At 91, Mom decided on a garden quilt for another granddaughter. Each designed and hand-painted block shares a family garden story: prize roses from Florida, grape arbours with snakes, chrysanthemums for a November wedding, and more. Childhood tales of Mom’s homes, mowing lawns, and a prize-winning wedding cake enrich the quilt. The blocks tell of the Depression-era mushroom field, florist carnations, garden adventures, and a creative tomato character. From constructing patios at 82 to transforming gardens in Langley, Mom’s quilt weaves a rich family tapestry of gardening heritage and love.

The Transportation Quilt

At 92, Mom, now known as GG, heard that her eldest great-granddaughter was going to marry. So, Mom immediately considered working on another quilt. This one captured the evolution of transportation in family lore: Dad’s days as a railroad engineer, the steamboat her grandfather operated, the train station where her parents arrived in Brandon, and her father’s first car. It also recounted family travels by train and car, the vehicle Dad drove while courting Mom, the baby sleigh her father made, family camping adventures, and the horse and buggy she and her brother rode to school. Each stitch was a journey through time and a tribute to our family’s legacy.