Suttles & Seawinds, Nova Scotia

Vicki Lynn Bardon, a Nova Scotia designer, returned home from New York after studying design and working for American Home magazine. She and her husband Gary helped initiate the international revival of quilt making by founding Suttles & Seawinds to provide employment for rural woman. Initially the products were quilts and related home decor items such as placemats, runners, pillows, etc., but gradually a line of clothing was created using techniques such as piecing, appliqué and quilting. Many articles appeared nationally and in the international press as Suttles & Seawinds quilts and clothing were promoted in art galleries and seen in prestigious stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales, and many fine stores across Canada. "Suttles" - a local word for scraps of fabrics traditionally used to make quilts, and "Seawinds" reflecting the intimate link between generations of Nova Scotians and the sea, became the company name honouring the use of the traditional skills to make exquisite products, and exporting these to places afar. Today Suttles & Seawinds makes a wide variety of unique and beautifully crafted quilts, nighties, clothing, placemats, tea cosies, cosmetic bags and more. Also offered is a wide selection of fashion, jewelry, accessories, home accents, gifts and rugs selected from the best suppliers across Canada and from intriguing global markets. All this is assembled in a magical retail shop, housed in a splendid Victorian mansion and its charming barn, in the seaside town of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. The name Suttles & Seawinds is known across Canada and internationally for products of great quality and distinction