by Joanna Dermenjian | Jun 30, 2025 | Artifacts, History, Research
I know – the image is blurry. But you get the gist of it. This embroidery pattern was published in Canadian newspapers in 1947. The Canadian National Exhibition or ‘CNE’, was reopening in 1947, after being closed from 1942-46 when the grounds were in...
by Joanna Dermenjian | Jun 5, 2024 | Article, Artifacts, History, Labels, Research
This post is written by me, with additional conversation provided by an IG follower, Deb Greensill, from England. Joanna writes: During the Second World War, Canadian women on the home front knit socks, scarves, vests and balaclavas for the military, and sewed...
by Joanna Dermenjian | May 5, 2024 | Article, Research
***THESE QUILTS ARE CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT THE INTERNATIONAL QUILT MUSEUM IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA THROUGH TO JANUARY 24, 2026*** When I first joined Kingston Heirloom Quilters in Kingston, Ontario, I was introduced to their oldest member, Phyllis Vanhorne. Since I lived...
by Joanna Dermenjian | Apr 8, 2024 | Article, Red Cross, Research
The text on the back of the photo above reads: CANADIAN RED CROSS, NEW BRUNSWICK DIVISION, Work Room in Legislative Assembly Room, Fredericton, N.B. (Shared by permission: Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (PANB): MC2441 – New Brunswick Division, The Canadian...
by Joanna Dermenjian | Mar 5, 2024 | Article, Research
Last week, I received a lovely gift from Margaret in Australia (on IG @quiltsinkidsbooks), including Australian military knitting patterns from both the First and Second World Wars. I have never seen these booklets before. These examples of knitting ephemera caused me...
by Joanna Dermenjian | Feb 6, 2024 | Article, Labels, Red Cross, Research
In the April 1987 issue of ‘Canada Quilts’, a letter to the editor was published from a British woman, Pauline Adams, who was looking for information about quilts made in Canada during the Second World War, that had been shipped to Britain. Pauline wrote: “There seem...
