Student Activity #6: Quilt Show

I have spent several months working as an office clerk at the Globe’s Toronto office. Finally, George Brown has decided to send me out on an actual story!! And … I get to go back to Middlesex County, an area I really enjoy.

My assignment is to travel by train from Toronto to London, then transfer to the newly-opened connection to Lucan. My destination is the Butler farm in Biddulph township. The Butlers are an remarkable family – they escaped from Ohio along the Underground Railroad and established a settlement which they called Wilberforce, after a famous British anti-slavery crusader. [see http://www.londonhistory.org/Pbutler.htm]

I’m visiting the Butler homestead because they’re hosting a large quilt exhibition. The purpose of the exhibition is to highlight the cultural heritage of both black and Irish settlers in the Lucan area. Because my mother is a seamstress, I know that quilts are both practical and creative. I’m looking forward to photographing the quilts and interviewing their designers so that I can write accurate captions for each.

After the day’s festivities, the Butlers invite me to stay for the evening supper and dancing. Many of the Lucan townspeople bring fiddles and drums. The music is terrific and many of the songs are about their own pioneer experiences.
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/

Roadblock! You have to choose between the following two tasks:

Your quilt should have:

  • nine squares or panels,
  • with at least three different images.
  • a minimum of two colours

You may add a complementary border around the perimeter of your quilt.
Your quilt should be accompanied by a recipe-card sized label explaining the historical and cultural significance of the images you selected.

OR

Compose a song which reflects the experiences and sentiments of 1860’s settlers.
Your song should

 

 

Will’s notes:

Insert your own quilt design and caption into Will's album

or

Attach a lyric sheet from your song.