An adventure.............

This adventure was triggered by an event from 2014.   April 17, 2014 to be exact and I can't seem to find any reference to it on my blog. Now that is bizarre.

Anyway - Ronda and I went to the Bowmanville Antiques and Folk Art Show in April of 2014. According to the article above, we were promised a show of 300 antique quilts.  But once we arrived at the show, we found that the 300 quilts were in fact a few beautiful antique quilts that were part of a massive collection. Carol Telfer (an antique dealer) was trying to sell this entire collection as one.  The quilts were stunning - we took pictures (but where are they??????)

The owner of the antique quilt collection is Jim Erickson.   Now who is he??????

Jim Erickson

Here are a couple of articles about Jim

Number one

Number two

Video clip



Did you notice where he lives?????   Yes - that would be Salt Spring Island!!!!   Guess where I am at this moment????   Yes - that would be Salt Spring Island.


Once I knew I was coming here, I contacted Jim to see if I could arrange a visit.  He said yes and yesterday Yvonne and I  spent some time with Jim.  I knew nothing about him, other than what I had found on the internet, but I figured if he had a love of quilts, it would be a worth while visit.

OH MY GOD - it was the most fabulous two hours I have spent in a long time.


He lives in a beautiful secluded part of the island.  His house is gorgeous.


Anyway - he had a number of quilts laid out on the beds in the two bedrooms upstairs and we oohed and aahed over the quilts.  Each and every one them equally stunning.   Here are a few pictures I snapped.

Antique wool quilt

Crazy patch with a large BLUE I in the center of it

Silk log cabin top all seams embroidered

Stunning log cabin made from wool

Exquisite hand quilting

An Amish striped quilt - never seen one of those before

Dresden plate

And how do you store a collection of almost 300 quilts?????   Lots and lots of cupboards!!!!!!!

Quilts stored in one cupboard

Another cupboard

and let's not forget the numerous trunks around the house

There are quilts that are rolled up, quilts in bags, there are quilts everywhere!!!!!!

Not only does Jim collect quilts, but he is a quilter himself. He has a beautiful loom in his kitchen and has made woven blankets. He knits and well - I think he would put a lot of us ladies to shame by his work. He is fascinated by what one can do with string - be that yarn or fabric.  Oh I forgot to mention that he had made a beautiful knitted sweater with stunning embroidery.  Not only did he knit the sweater but he spun the yarn!!!!!

Jim's crazy quilt - all done by hand!!!!!

He does NOT own a sewing machine and is NOT into collecting anything past 1930.  His collection is featured in the latest Canadian Antiques & Vintage magazine.  Unfortunately this magazine is not available on the island so will have to find it on the mainland.

Jim is featured in the lastest Canadian Antiques & Vintage magazine

Then we sat down for a cup of tea. Well not before I asked him if I could see his Oscar.  Hey - when am I going to get close to another Oscar winner in my lifetime?   Darn - the Oscar is on tour and currently in a museum in Victoria!!!!!  But I did snap a photo of his two certificates for Nominee for Set Design.  

Nomination certificates for set design

As we were having a cup of tea, he mentioned his gardens and so we went on a tour.

The house from the gardens

The house is absolutely gorgeous and I would move in in a heartbeat!!!!!

Another view of the house

You have to keep in mind that there has been NO RAIN here since May and things are dry as a bone.  However his vegetable garden is doing well with careful watering.

Vegetable garden

He dug fresh potatoes for us

Flowers in another part of the garden

What can I say - the visit was amazing.  Jim is such a wonderful person, happy and relaxed.  It was truly a pleasure to meet him and he was so generous with his time.  Now to dig up some cash to buy one of his quilts. First I would have to pick one and that would be hard.  If you want to see the entire collection, check out this link.  All quilts are for sale.


Then we came back home and spend a quiet afternoon visiting and I am trying to get the binding complete on at least one girlie John Deere quilt.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!