From Canadian quilts to beaver pelts, Dianne Stevenson enthralled her audience at the Seniors Centre for Excellence with her unique look at Canadian history.
Stevenson, a former resident of the Alma area now residing in Burnaby, British Columbia, returned to the area to visit family and speak at local venues. Ranked top of her class as a Canadian quilting teacher in 2010, she teaches quilting classes and history
At the Oct. 2 event, she began her talk with the travels of Jacques Cartier, who established trade with native Canadians.
A top hat made from a beaver pelt was passed around the room as Stevenson spoke of the history of the hat.
“These hats were worn by men from many walks of life, including clergy men and the military and were considered prized possessions,” Stevenson said.
Pelts were shipped to Russia to be processed and then sent back to Canada.
The guard hairs on the pelt were removed, exposing the wool underneath. A lengthy process involved the use of nitrate of mercury, heat, steam, beer grounds, wine sediments and sulphuric acid.
“Mercury affected the bodies and minds of men employed in the industry. The term ‘mad as a hatter’ evolved from this,” said Stevenson.
Top hats were waterproof and could stand the weight of 200 pounds and remain rigid.
Native Canadians traded pelts for guns. Guns were transported in three pieces on ships. The saying “lock, stock and barrel” when a purchase was made came from the names of the three parts of the gun.
“Trade blankets, sold and made popular by the Hudson Bay Company, were in use long before the company came into existence,” Stevenson said. “Woolen materials were shipped to Whitney, England where they were woven, felted, shrunk and dried on racks in fields. The blanket that resulted was so dense that it didn’t need to be hemmed when cut.”
The nap of wool was worked with a teasel plant. White blankets were used by the Plains Indians as they provided camouflage while hunting and in spiritual ceremonies. Materials similar to trade blankets are used in the Canadian Olympic team wear today.
“The Queen of England has also been a recipient of a trade blanket during a state visit to Canada,” Stevenson noted.
The finished product was never trademarked, which opened opportunities for other companies to produce similar blankets.
A question and answer period followed the presentation. Many seniors shared memories of their experiences with trapping and trade blankets.
