'Confederation Quilt': Stitching together Canada’s story

CTV National News: Canada's special quilt A museum is hoping a unique quilt with a special place in history will be a big draw for Canada's anniversary. Todd Battis reports.

It’s impossible to know if Fannie Parlee realized the powerful symbolism that her quilt would take on when she started stitching it together more than 150 years ago. But her variegated patchwork design endures as a tangible example of the ideals that continue to define Canada to this day.

The New Brunswick seamstress had the foresight to collect pieces of the gowns she made for the ladies attending the balls and galas of the Charlottetown Conference in 1864 -- a week-long meeting where representatives from the colonies of British North America hashed out the idea for a confederated Canada.

“Did she know at the time that this is something that would be extremely important? That there was a country developing?” asked former Kings County Historical Society president Richard Brown in an interview with CTV News. “I’ve thought about that.”

The quilt is a well-preserved example of women’s art from Canada's early history. For many, the colourful mosaic achieved by joining the scraps of rich silk and velvet represents the diversity of peoples that call themselves Canadians.

Five years ago, Parlee’s Confederation Quilt was confirmed to be of national interest by experts in Ottawa.

The Kings County Museum in Hampton, N.B. hopes it will be a big draw during the Canada 150 celebrations this summer.

With a report from CTV’s Todd Battis in Halifax