Quilt of Belonging Book Review
By Dusty Newey
CQA/ACC, Book Reviews, Autumn 2005

Quilt of Belonging Esther Bryan and friends The Boston Mills Press 296 pages, $29.95 Can. funds

This is a wonderful book about a wonderful quilt. By now, probably everyone knows about the Quilt of Belonging but if you haven't heard of it, this book will give you the whole story.

The quilt started with Esther's dream, in 1998, of creating a quilt that would show the hundreds of cultural influences that have shaped and are still shaping, Canada. According to Esther, at least one person from every country of the world lives in Canada and she tracked them all down! There are also 640 First Nation, Métis and Inuit bands or groups represented in the Quilt.

I was lucky enough to see the quilt while it was still a work in progress. In the fall of 2003, the Board of Directors of CQA/ACC took an afternoon trip to Esther's workplace in Williamstown, near Cornwall. Just seeing the few panels that were displayed then was impressive but when I saw the whole quilt displayed in Waterloo at Quilt Ontario this past May, it took my breath away. It's 120 feet long and 10 feet high, using every colour imaginable and it's truly staggering. Each block represents a different culture and each one says something about that culture. I asked to see the block from Romania (where my mother was born) and I recognized the colours and the fabric right away as similar to items in my grandmother's home.

To know the stories behind each block, you can turn to this book. Each page shows a block, explains how it was made and the significance of the design. We also learn a little something about who made the block and many makers are pictured.

Esther is quick to share credit for this quilt - many people helped join the blocks and wherever it travelled before it was finished, people were invited to sit down and quilt a few stitches in it. She also asked visitors to sign a guest book that travels with the quilt. This was a magnificent project and it's well worth buying the book. She received funding from various sources and also received donations from visitors and well-wishers. Donations are still accepted to help defray the costs of shipping and displaying this wonderful piece of cultural history. Visit the website at www.invitationproject.ca to see where and when the quilt will be displayed next - maybe you'll be lucky enough to have it in your town.

Anytime you feel overwhelmed by the king-sized quilt you're struggling with, think of Esther's quilt and you'll be inspired to carry on!

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