The May long weekend was a time to become saturated in quilts on the west coast of Canada. Nanaimo was the host of the Quilt BC 2001 event for the CQA/ACC. Val Ursulak and her team (Coreen Zerr, Laura Morrissey, and Claudette McLenahan), worked for more than two years to assist the Association. It was a great time to visit Vancouver Island. The air was crisp, and the flowers were in bloom.

Our annual National Juried Show was just one of the activities to delight quilt lovers. The Nanaimo Quilters’ Guild also displayed their work in a show called, Honoring the Past - Piecing the Future. In the same room as the NJS there was an Invitational Quilt Show, there were two wonderful versions of the Celebration 2000 Millennium Quilt Blocks we had presented in The Canadian Quilter, the CQA/ACC Trend-Tex Challenge quilts for 2001 provided a colourful stage area, and there was even a corner with CQA/ACC Trend-Tex Challenge quilts from all thirteen previous years, next to the CQA/ACC booth.

CQA/ACC booth with board members ( l-r) Paulette Eccleston, Judy Lyons, Grace Ballard (standing), Carol Cooney, Lara Bowditch and Marsha Rafuse.

The Coast Bastion Hotel was a centre of activity as it housed workshops, meetings, and auctions. For those looking for new quilting techniques and ideas there were six different workshops. These were taught by Kay Phillips, Toronto; Jim Wilford, Windsor; and Lorraine Stangness, Strathmore.

The CQA/ACC Annual General Meeting which reported the activities of the Association ended with singing and birthday cake to mark 20 years as a national association. Special thanks to Northcott Silk Inc. for donating the fabric for all the fabric candles.

The final banquet was decorated with balloons and all the quilt entrants to the CQA/ACC & Trend-Tex Challenge. The fun of the bidding for the 45 wall hangings was only interrupted by draws for door prizes.

The Board of Directors spent three days in meetings discussing the business of the Association and planning new projects. It was a busy time for all.

Besides the CQA/ACC activities, the individual and busloads of quilters that came could view all the quilts and visit the Merchant Mall, all within a short walk. As well, the City of Nanaimo had quilts on display in the museum, and in store fronts. Our special thanks to all the quilters in Nanaimo and area, whether you were organizing, volunteering, or visiting the shows. Your support is appreciated and we hope you invite us back again.

Quilt BC 2001 Gallery

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