Local Finds Made in These Hills

Mystic carryalls, artful quilts and colourful mosaics to brighten up the season.

March 12, 2025 | Janice Quirt | Made in the Hills

In the bag

Tristan from Orangeville is the seamstress behind Helloskywalker’s line of carefully crafted fabric bags and “nerdy items,” as she calls them, featuring contrasting linings and decorative charms. “I started this line when I found that bags that fit tarot and oracle decks were generic and poorly made. It took off from there with interest from other people, and Healing Moon [in Orangeville] asked if I could supply them with bags at the store.”

Adorable drawstring pouches from Helloskywalker.

Available in two sizes and an array of patterns, these holdalls could house jewelry, tarot cards, art supplies, crystals – or serve as reusable gift bags. (Small bag 4 inches x 6 inches $12, medium bag 51/4 inches x 91/2 inches, $23, Helloskywalker, Healing Moon)

Quite a quilt

Amanda White is best-known for her flower farm, Broadside Flowers, in Terra Cotta. But this creative entrepreneur also taps into her blooms to make dye for quilting fabrics. She describes her creations as modern heirloom quilts, meaning they are constructed with quality materials and techniques meant to last for generations.

A star crossed pattern quilt by Amanda White.

“I’m inspired by the colours from my dye garden,” she says. “I’m exploring the range of colours I’m able to achieve from each plant — cosmos, marigold, indigo, coreopsis — as I dye my own fabric. I think they have a particular kind of harmony that I only see with natural dyes.” (Pricing starts at $500 and varies based on size, complexity and fabrics used, Amanda White)

Mixed mosaic art

MaryLou Hurley of Caledon East describes herself as a collector of materials that have a unique beauty, referring to both the forms she decorates and the mixed media she uses to make her mosaic art pieces.

mosaic guitar — Unique items like guitars and violins can become one-of-a-kind creations through MaryLou’s mosaics.

“I transform tired, discarded items and give them new purpose,” she says. “So much of what I create is determined by the mixed media, such as dishes and costume jewelry, I have on hand. This has resulted in some one-of-a-kind creations on a variety of forms, such as stringed instruments, tables or mirrors.” (Guitar $1,100, Mosaics by MaryLou Hurley)

SOURCES

Amanda White, Terra Cotta. IG @amanda_n_w

Healing Moon, 23 Mill St, Orangeville. healingmoon.ca

Helloskywalker, Orangeville. Helloskywalker on Etsy

Mosaics by MaryLou Hurley, Caledon East. truebluelou.com