The Eastern Ontario Quilt Documentation Project (EOQDP) will be returning to North Grenville on May 2 and 3, 2024 for another discovery tour of the treasure trove of quilts that belong to the residents of the area. The history and pictures of the beautiful quilts that were brought in by the community last May have now been published in a ‘Quilts of North Grenville and Area, 2023’ book which is available at local quilt shops and at the North Grenville Historical Society for $25.00 a copy.
Look in your closet or your attic – you may have a quilt that was made for a milestone event, a special celebration. or just for family use, that could be part of our project. The EOQDP is interested in all quilts … no matter the condition…. and in learning the stories behind the quilts. We are especially interested in quilts made or brought to North Grenville in the early days of settlement and/or quilts made by local groups such as signature quilts. The North Grenville Municipality has provided funding to continue the initiative to record local quilts, and Bethany Garner, curator of the EOQDP, will be returning to work with our volunteers as we document the rich history of quilting in the North Grenville area. Bethany is a quilt historian and restoration consultant who lives in Kingston, and who specializes in the conservation of heritage textiles.
The EOQDP is a historically significant project as quilters over the years have incorporated their families’ history, as well as social, economic and historical events in their art. Quilters also understood and practiced the concept of ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ in order to create their quilts and they used all manner of textiles such as sugar and flour sacks, leftover scraps of fabric from clothing projects as well as repurposing well worn clothing and bedding to make warm quilts for their families.
As they age, the fabric and colour in these quilts can deteriorate, and the oral history of who, when, where, and why these quilts were made can be lost to future generations. The main goal of this project is to preserve the history of these quilts as well as the stories of their makers.
If you are the proud owner of an old or antique quilt or have a significant quilt that was made for a milestone event or a special celebration that you would like to have documented by the EOQDP and incorporated in the next book release, please contact Nancy Grundy/Teresa Harrison to make an appointment to have your quilts photographed and documented on May 2 or May 3. To register: documentation.ngquilts@gmail.com or call Nancy Grundy 613-791-7505 for questions.
The event will be held at Grenville Mutual Insurance’s Building, located at 380 Colonnade Dr, Kemptville and is being sponsored by The North Grenville Municipality, Kemptville Quilters’ Guild and the North Grenville Historical Society.