From Pack Ice through Spring Seasons, Fogo Island Inn highlights the rich history of Newfoundland textile-making in the form of A Crazy Quilting Experience. On now through May 2018, guests of all ages will put needle and thread to fabric alongside Fogo Island’s gifted artisans, engaging with quilts which have been prized and beloved for centuries as objects that convey artistic beauty and a history of resourcefulness and survival.
The “crazy quilt,” one of several traditional designs, is defined by its vibrant and spontaneous array of patchwork, usually accented with hand-embroidered, decorative herringbone stitching. Born from necessity and thrift, these quilts began as a patchwork of odds and ends, such as fabric remnants from pieces of clothing that had run their course, combined with other patches to become something at once utilitarian and pleasing to the eye. Today, Fogo Islanders retain the knowledge and practice of quilting, and continue to produce an array of designs with heritage monikers such as “tea leaf,” “nosegay-compass points,” and “rob Peter to pay Paul.”
Guests of all experience levels will be able to choose from a variety of immersions guided by a Master Quilter, who will meet them for tea and orientation, introduce them to the storied history of Fogo Island and Newfoundland quilting, and, dependant on the length of stay, teach them a range of quilting techniques.
The warm and cozy A Crazy Quilting Experience itinerary is complemented by the many amenities of Fogo Island Inn, including meals imagined by Executive Chef Jonathan Gushue and his kitchen team, rooftop saunas and hot tubs, an in-house Cinema, a heritage Library replete with non-fiction and regional literature, and the Fogo Island Gallery, currently exhibiting Isa Melsheimer’s “The Year of the Whale.” And crazy quilters, known tea connoisseurs, will be pleased to unwind from a day of fabric-selecting and stitching in the Inn’s newly-commissioned Tea Room, located on the first floor next to the Gallery.