Canadian Red Cross Quilts

In World War II the Canadian Red Cross sent the UK over 2 million comforters for hospitals and families displaced from their homes. These’ comforters’ included clothes, socks, bandages, and over 40,000 quilts. The quilts were made by women in their local communities by red cross and quilt groups and and some were made by children. They were made of scarps and were not always the best quality. The Redcross provided backing and wadding.

I own one of only 200 quilts that survived, a  friend of mine has three and my daughter has one. They have not survived because they were well used in times of need and comfort.  There are people who have memories of them and one man remembers the hospital ward he was in looked like a flower garden with all the colourful quilts on the bed!

The quilts are all distinguishable by a small Redcross label on the reverse and some by the fabric that the Redcross provided for the backing.

Our Quilter’s Guild hold records on these quilts as they do in Canada. I find it an intriguing subject and if you are interested in learning more there is a lot of info out there for you. There is a wonderful podcast by Jo Andres’s Haptic and Hue about Canadian Redcross Quilts called Canada’s Forgotten Quilts. You can listen here.

And, if you are passing by my home town of Hailsham, Gallery North have a mini exhibition which shows you some of these Canadian Red Cross Quilts. A pertinent reminder in these difficult times that even the humble stitch can help others in a time of need.

Download Mandy’s Canadian Red Cross Quilts blog here