The Quilt of Belonging

We were not allowed to take pictures inside the Art Gallery - I was thinking that might be the case, I did bring my camera but I didn't take any pictures. These are a few pictures from the Quilt of Belonging website. The quilt is absolutely stunning. You can check out each block on the website. There is one block for every nation in the world ( as defined as a nation by the United Nations) It starts out red and then the blending of colours from red to purple and yellow and green and slowing back to red again. The colour is just wonderful. That is the first thing that hits you when you see it. The entire bottom row of blocks and the blocks on each end are from all the various First Nations (Native Indian Bands) in Canada. They are all beautiful as well. I had not idea that there were so many individual native bands in Canada, around 70. This is the block from the United Kingdom. Beautiful embroidary of various flowers. The English Rose, Scottish Thistle, The Shamrock and a Daffodil (Wales?)
This is the block for The Netherlands. The little house is done in cross stitch. Each countries block was representitive of the needlework and culture of that country. The Eastern European countries do such wonderful needle work. This one below is Hungary.
The blocks are all set so beautifully with the background fabric bringing out some of the colours of the blocks. The shape of the block is a hexagon because that is the shape of the carbon atom - which is the base for all living things. The is a book that can be ordered from the website -- I really think I need that book! Although a picture and the story of each block - and the history behind the quilt can be view on the website - I think it would be nice to have the book and look at the blocks when ever I need some inspiration. The is no block for Canada -- at the top in the centre of the quilt in the red part is a Maple Leaf - that is quite hard to see if you don't know it is there. (The quilt's colour goes from red on each end and red in the middle like the Canadian flag) The quilt says - what Canada is - many different nations - including the native nations - all living in one country. The Quilt really is a piece of art.