We Are Canadian

“Can I just stay? Please?” That was my heartfelt plea after spending two unforgettable weeks north of the border, teaching at The Blue Barn Quilt Co. in Alberta and soaking up the natural beauty of the Canadian Rockies. “It feels so good to be here. You folks are so nice, love hockey, practice kindness, and give one another the benefit of the doubt. Truth be told, I am guilty of being a poser in my 20's while traveling abroad with a Canadian flag patch sewn on my backpack. Simpler times...
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It all started when shop owner Linda Timms came to my Georgia O’Keeffe workshop in Santa Fe. We hit it off like Timbits and coffee, and next thing I knew, I was heading to Canada to teach at her big, beautiful blue barn. We planned it for September—when Edmonton’s crisp mornings still give way to long golden days, and the larches in Jasper and Banff (our side trip!) start to turn that iconic, blazing yellow.

Linda is a bright spark—creative, adventurous, and a total beauty—with a vision to build a quilt shop that’s a true destination. Inside, you’ll find bold, colorful fabrics, the full SKY Ombré collection, and an incredible wall of Liberty of London prints. But it’s the students who make the retreat, eh? The magic happens when people gather together—supported, inspired, grounded, and ready to give’r creatively. Add in a light-filled studio with space to spread out and fabric that makes your heart race, and you’ve got the recipe for a real good time.

Linda's husband built the barn which resides on their acreage with family homes close by, a horse farm, miles of paths through trembling aspen, and fields of hay bales neatly dotting the gently rolling hills. I even spotted a beaver slapping his tail as he plunged down into his dam and a white-tailed doe with her spotted fawns on an early morning walk with Libby. Pretty idyllic. See me on that horse? First time since being bucked off 4 years ago! 

We worked on numerous quilt concepts from A to Zed, including Dawn Star, SKY Grand Star, and the Ombré Table Runner. Students cut into their ombré fabrics, jostled color and value around, and learned by doing. I enjoyed giving my morning dish, where I teach design and sewing techniques, show videos, and have group discussions where everyone gets involved. I encourage them to try hard stuff! We did a Meet'n'Greet and a Trunk Show too. It was such fun! It felt easy going and there was lots of laughter as I stumbled through some Canadian slang...Toque being my new fav.

Folks work on blending the ombres, auditioning color, creating spark, celebrating the seams, doing improv within structure, bouncing the light around and eating home grown tomatoes. Drinking chai lattes with sweet treats to nibble during break time was quite memorable too. 

A double wedding ring layout uses SKY and florals to brighten up even the gloomiest days is what's on Linda's design board. She dragged it out (because I begged!) so we could get a pic of it in front of the towering sunflowers and cobalt background. Doesn't it look great? Can't wait to see it finished. Below we created a new bundle for sale in our shop in honor of the gang. It's the BLUE BARN BUNDLE! 

The BLUE BARN bundle has 1/2 yard cuts of SKY ombre and Fat Quarters of Chalk and Charcoal.

Blue Barn Bundle

We wrapped up the week with a promise to do it all again. It wasn’t a goodbye, just a so long for now. I swapped quilts and cute sewing outfits for hiking gear and Smartwool, then headed to the airport to scoop up my sweetie for the next adventure.
​Together we set out to marvel at Canada’s wild landscapes and that glowing, mysterious light you only find this far north. The plan was to take a week to wander through Jasper National Park—hiking the Sulphur Skyline, soaking in the steamy Miette Hot Springs, boating to Spirit Island, and traveling the Glacier Icefield Parkway until we arrived at Lake Louise, where we stood in awe at water so turquoise it didn’t look real. Honestly, it has to be seen to be believed. 

If you're still reading this, you like nature too :) It's our church. Some days we began under the moonlight and ended in the chilly shadows of a setting mountain sun. The tea house hike at Lake Louise was a favorite. It started at sunrise, winding up through the golden aspen and larch trees, crossing glacial rivers and taking a rest on a porch perched above a waterfall- savoring a hot cup of rooibos tea and berry scones. Other day hikes included Opal Peak, climbing up Tunnel Mountain and arriving at Ink Pots, which are rare, colorful springs bubbling up in alpine fields.  We did see a few moose out there, but no bears! Rut season was in full swing so we kept our distance, especially after a frightening encounter years ago in Glacier National Park with the kids.

Well, I didn't pack up all my quilts...can't stay in Log Cabins without actually sleeping under them. Yum yum :)

Picking SKY colors that reflect the landscape we so loved was a must. Below shows the Ombres and C&C that best represent the feeling I have when I think about our mountain adventure. Meet the ROCKIES BUNDLE!

The ROCKIES BUNDLE has 12 half yard cuts and 6 FQ in C&C. Brand new in our shop! 

The Rockies Bundle

We eventually rolled into the town of Banff and spent our last few days doing more chilling than hiking. We were happily pooped and ready to indulge in the welcomed luxuries of a bustling mountain town—good restaurants, steaming lattes and the silkyness of high-thread-count cotton sheets. After years of hearing about the Canadian Rockies, finally experiencing them filled my heart. Their magnificence touched me deeply.

Part of that awe comes from knowing the Rockies are in my story long before I ever got there. My dad worked a college summer up at Lake Louise in the late ’40s, chopping wood. There’s a hazy black-and-white snapshot of him I carry in my mind: a gangly young man sitting on a log, grinning wide, oversized T-shirt stained from work, baggy jeans cinched by a chunky leather belt. He looked so free—just happy to breathe mountain air and work hard. “Go to Canada one day and see the Rockies,” he once told me... I did, Dad.