Earth Ark

Earth Ark, 2011, installed in Little Current United Church Sanctuary, October 30, 2011.

This post is a review of the design and construction of Earth Ark, the first of four meditation panels in the Manitoulin Circle Project. It began in July, 2009 with a drawing. The drawing was scaled up on Judy's studio wall, using the 12 inch square ceiling tiles as a measuring grid. This large drawing was then transferred to quilt-backing cloth so that there was a pattern to work with. All four drawings were transferred at the same time. In late October, 2009, the community project began. Every Thursday the United Church hall in Little Current hosted a drop-in session for anyone who wanted to come and work on the panels. All levels of experience were welcome. French knots in grids, embroidered with perle cotton into silk squares. The grid of green and brown reminds one of the pastoral farm land of Manitoulin Island. One of the most important ideas underlying this project is the idea of re-cycling beautiful linens. Linda's gift of her collection of women's handkerchiefs inspired the 'heaven' in the Earth Ark panel. Laid on point, these handkerchiefs recall a more refined, slower time. The lower half of the panel is made in the broken dishes pattern, using cotton damask and a mix of silk and velvet. Hand piecing. machine piecing The lower half of the panel represents the water. This idea of an island (Manitoulin) surrounded by water and sky evolved as if it were meant to be. The upper half of the panel represents the sky. An original pattern of large foundation pieces looks like rays from the sun. These were hand and machine pieced with strips cut from re-purposed linen damask table cloths. Traditionally, the symbol of the circle within a square represents something dynamic (the circle -the spirit) being contained within something that is stable and limited. (the square - a building). Symbolically, circle within a square imagery is perfect for liturgical objects. This design also incorporates a white crescent shape, cut from a single piece. Eventually, after about 8 months of stitching, the pieces all came together. Myra helped to put Earth Ark into the quilt frame in May 2010. And hand quilting began. Hand quilting this 90 inch panel took 6 months. The rainbow was embroidered and quilted at the same time. In the green earth section, chain stitch embroidery was also the quilting stitch. In December 2010, the quilt came off the frame. The edges were bound by hand. There was still some hand quilting to do in the heaven area. Judy drew an Emily Carr sky into this area, and quilted it in the hoop during the summer of 2011. Cleaned in September 2011 Installed in October.

What is the Manitoulin Circle Project?

What is the circle project?

The circle project is the creation of four large meditation panels using hand stitching. They are designed to hang in the sanctuary of the Little Current United Church. They are liturgical pieces and use the gentle colours of Christian faith.

White for celebration and holiness. Green for ordinary days. The four large panels each have a large circle within a large square. They measure between 90 and 100 inches across. Besides the circle in the design, the circle also refers to the circle of women who are welcome to participate in the construction of these pieces every Thursday. The circle project is an attempt to honour domestic rituals. Those small slow things we grew up with, like family meals and conversation. Like mending. The circle project is about slowing down and learning a skill. It's about performing that skill with one's own hands.

It's hand work. It's touch. It's hope.

It's community. It's ritual. It's faith.

The project started when lead artist Judy Martin studied Liturgical embroidery in 2009 and approached Reverend Faye Stevens for advice and support. Part of the course of studies required that Judy design for a real building and go through a commission process and Rev Faye arranged for this to happen.

However, please note. It was JUST THEORETICAL!

The university did not expect the idea to really go ahead. But we were inspired on Manitoulin and so it began in October 2009. This project has nothing to do with Judy's degree work any more.

The Manitoulin Circle project is huge and is not finished yet after nearly two years. But it will be finished. Have faith.

Community Volunteers

In this post I want to talk about the community aspect of the Manitoulin Circle Project.


Every Thursday, the project is open to the public. I take boxes of cloth and thread to the United Church Hall in Little Current and am there all day. It's a drop in event, and so far, more than 90 different individuals have stitched on these panels. That in itself is a wonderful thing. So many hands. So many different hands. Meeting regularly with others in such a public project gives me discipline. I have a regular day each week to work on this project. As well, I have access to the large church hall, a studio with empty hard wood floors and large tables where it is possible to lay out the 90" works in progress, and set up the large quilt frame. Most of all, it has allowed me to be part of the local community in a way I absolutely love. I'm doing what I love to do, designing and hand stitching contemporary wall quilts, but even better, I'm doing it with friends. The women who have come on a regular basis have become close friends of mine and also close friends with each other. It is surprising to me, especially on Manitoulin Island where so many women quilt, that only a few of the project volunteers have prior experience with quilting. Most of the regulars are new to stitching. I'd like to take this opportunity to single out and thank a few of the most regular.

Heather Hutchinson and Wendy Gauthier have come the most faithfully. Both claim to be non-stitchers, but they have each helped with the embroidery and other sewing beautifully. Most of all, both have positive energy and give a good spirit to the day. Heather will take the project over for Thursday afternoons when I'm away and this kind of support is amazing.

Heather Thoma, Julia McCutcheon, and Karen Doughty are also very regular stitchers who come winter and summer. Heather because she believes in community so much, Julia because she believes in the project so much, and Karen because she feels it is a wonderful opportunity to learn a new craft and to meet people.

Judy Larimer, Cornelia Browne and Marian Hevel are summer residents on Manitoulin, during the winter they live in the United States. Judy is so supportive to the project and to me personally and says so to everyone she meets. We sign in each Thursday, and my record book has the names of everyone who has helped out, either through stitching or through donating linens, keeping the furnace going, moving the quilt frames, providing snacks. Thank you all very much. Thanks for coming out. Thanks for your support.

Thank you to the Manitoulin Expositor, the weekly local paper that every single week places an announcement under "coming events" that reminds the community that the project continues, what the hours are, and that they are most welcome.

I'd like to also thank Reverand Faye Stevens who was my initial support system and who keeps me inspired to keep going with it. She has a vision for a contemporary kind of church, one that is involved with the community in a variety of ways. Even though I rarely attend Little Current United Church, I feel part of it because of Reverand Faye, and also because of the choir, who practice on Thursday evenings and cheer me on. In fact, most of the congregation and the women of the UCW are interested and very supportive. Thank you.

It's interesting that the community aspect of these panels is what most people seem to be interested in. Even though I have personally poured hours and hours of my own time into the actual hand work, what people see is the group project.

I'm OK with that.

And PLEASE, feel welcome to drop in and join in anytime. There is at least another year of Thursdays ahead to complete all four of the panels.