Quilting by the sea

The world is constantly more chaotic and ever more rushed. I have found a great sense of calm in the traditional, in order, and in an awareness and appreciation of history. Quiltmaking combines these aspects in conjunction with new techniques and designs. My quilts and wallhangings revolve around this very traditional approach to quiltmaking. I continue, after 50 years of quilting, to be fascinated by the use of fabrics and geometrics in old quilts and the effect they have upon me and other contemporary quilt makers. — Barb Robson

Born in Toronto, Barbara has lived in Nova Scotia since 1964. She began to quilt 50 years ago and has been quilting, teaching and exhibiting her quilts ever since. Barb and Peter moved to Mahone Bay, NS in 2013 and are enjoying town life, though they do miss their ocean view from Tuna Hill. Mahone Bay is a great place for a fibre enthusiast with Woolworks, Have A Yarn and Encompassing Designs all in town, not to mention the very active Mahone Bay Quilters Guild.

Her quilts can be found in private collections in Canada, the US and England. In public collections such as the Nova Scotia Craft Council Permanent Collection, the Nova Scotia Art Bank, the Province of Nova Scotia, Blue Cross Canada and All Saints Cathedral.

Barbara is the proud recipient of the Silver Thimble Award (Mayflower Quilter's Guild), an Honourary Life Membership from the Mayflower Quilters Guild and the Dorothy McMurdie Award from the Canadian Quilters Association for significant contribution to quilting in Canada. The purpose of this award is to recognize these individuals and pay tribute to their accomplishments as well as to establish documentation of their contribution to our Canadian quilting heritage.