Kim Hanson

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Calgary’s Confederation Park…Urban Beauty and the Quilts of Berny Sproule

September 28, 2016 | Leave a Comment

So lovely that you stopped by.

Loading up my vehicle with the quilts of Berny Sproule, I headed over to Confederation Park last week. Arriving in the early morning light, I caught some stunning Indian Summer displays of the beauty of nature. Despite the early-ish hour, the Park was alive with pedestrians and cyclists and dog-walkers, all of them yielding me the right-of-way when they saw my camera! Without fail, people walking by stopped to admire and remark on the beauty of Berny’s quilts.

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Confederation Park is what now would be described as inner-city. Spanning more than 160 hectares, it’s located in the neighbourhoods of Mount Pleasant, Capitol Hill, Collingwood and Highland Park. As its name would suggest, the Park was “born” in 1967, Canada’s 100th birthday and celebrates Canadian Confederation with displays of flowers and memorials and flags. It’s obvious that a Park this large could have only been created “back in the day” before Calgary’s population soared to well over 1 million people.

Flags

Confed

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Berny is a retired teacher, long time quilter and does quilting on her long arm machine.

Right away I was so attracted to Berny’s baby quilt, which she calls “Pile of Sheep” made for her granddaughter, Cecilia Francis. Berny altered the pattern somewhat and decided to stack the sheep on top of one another. Such a delightful result!

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I cannot resist a colourful baby quilt! Berny’s “Elephants on Parade” immediately grabbed my heart. I love this little quilt! Berny made her applique Elephants using different dot-patterned fabrics. Her choices were perfect. Elephants just stampede off the background fabric making this little gem really special.

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Elephants2

Elephants on Parade was stitched and quilted for another granddchild, Felix Patrick. One way Berny makes her quilts unique, is that she adds a special touch in the form of a label.

Elephantlabel

With this kind of love and affection who wouldn’t want to be a grandchild to Berny Sproule? So special and sweet and charming.

Courtney’s wedding quilt is spectacular. The beautiful fabrics blended-in with the Fall backdrop of nature at Confederation Park. It is truly beautiful and for Berny’s daughter, Courtney, it must have been love at first sight.

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Wedding

Courtney’s quilt label reads, “Sunsets. It began with a smile, a hug and a kiss, who knew it would turn out in unconditional bliss. Courtney and Justin, as you begin your new life together as wife and husband, may your journey be filled with love, happiness and good health. This quilt is a celebration of your promises to love, honor and cherish each other”. All our best wishes, Mom and Dad.

Just below the wooden bridge and foot path where I snapped photos of Courtney’s wedding quilt, there is a stream which is a protected wildlife reserve.

Confedstream

There are benches and more wooden bridges and a child’s playground in the Park; there are picnic tables and pathways and tunnels so one can walk under 14th Street N.W.

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A morning walk along the pathways of Confederation Park is like meandering through a lush and marvellous oasis in the middle of the City. So lovely.

Kim

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Filed Under: Beautiful Calgary urban parks, Photography, Quilt Photography, Quilters, Quilts, Writing |

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