Sue Amundrud is always in the stands when Team Saskatchewan takes the ice at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, and it’s certainly hard to miss her if you walk by.
It’s not because she’s wearing anything particularly funny, or because of her Saskatchewan jacket and plethora of Scotties pins. It’s because she is always cozied up under a unique, handmade Team Saskatchewan quilt — and those green and golden hues certainly catch the eye, even in a sea of Saskatchewan fans.
Amundrud went to her first Scotties in 1998 when the tournament was in Regina, and then again in 2004 in Red Deer, Alta. where she noticed that the stands were filled with fans decked out in team spirit.
“People tended to have something to cheer their team with. And sometimes it was signs and sometimes it was flags, and so I'm thinking, 'okay, what could I do?'” said Amundrud.
The following year, when Amundrud travelled to St. John’s, N.L. for the Scotties in 2005, she made a Saskatchewan quilt and took it with to show her provincial spirit as she cheered from the stands.
A friend of hers was curious, however, about what Amundrud was going to do with the quilt once the tournament was over, and a heartwarming Saskatchewan curling tradition was born.
“I hadn't thought about it, I guess, but [I said] you know what, if the team earns it, I'll give it to the team,” said Amundrud. “So if they make the playoffs, they get the quilt, and that's what I have been doing ever since.”
And so she has.
Amundrud makes a new Saskatchewan Scotties quilt each year, and if Team Saskatchewan makes it out of the round-robin draws and into the championship pool, she gives them her quilt to celebrate.
“Sometimes I have to take it home with me because they don't do as well as we would hope, but I've given away several and made some special ones,” said Amundrud.
She gifted a quilt to Amber Holland’s team in 2011, when Team Saskatchewan last took the gold, which was given to the team’s alternate Jolene Campbell who was expecting a child at the time.
“Stephanie Lawton's gotten a couple of them, and last year her husband was telling me that one of them the kids take on picnics,” laughed Amundrud.
When Amber Holland’s team competed at the World Women’s Curling Championship in 2011 as Team Canada, Amundrud actually made them a second, Canada-themed quilt to commemorate the accomplishment — which was given to third Kim Schneider.
“I don't always know what they've done with it, but it's up to them,” said Amundrud. “They have to earn it.”
Each year’s quilt is unique, but it always features the same few elements: that rich Saskatchewan green with gold or white complimenting colours, at least one curling rock in the design, and the four hearts of the Scotties logo.
Amundrud has even made a few special quilts aside from her annual Team Saskatchewan project.
In 2011, on the 30th anniversary of the Scott Paper and Kruger Inc. sponsorship, Amundrud made a Scotties quilt as a gift for the company that featured the winning team’s flag from each of the last 30 tournaments.
The following year, she made a custom quilt for the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, which was auctioned off as a fundraiser during their annual telethon.
Amundrud enjoys being in the stands to cheer on her home province each year at the national tournament, no matter where it’s hosted, and she feels it’s particularly special this year being on home ice.
“It's become a tradition now, at least on my part,” said Amundrud. “And I guess some of the curlers have gotten to know that, 'okay, she's up there [in the stands] with the quilt.'”
Robyn Silvernagle and her team received a Scotties quilt from Amundrud last year, after making it to the semi-final draw in Sydney, N.S., and Amundrud is already prepared to customize her Saskatchewan quilt for the team again this year.
“This time there are six [curling rocks] and we'll see, if they win the quilt, their names might go on the rocks,” promised Amundrud.
Ultimately, win or lose, Amundrud is a fan from Melfort, Sask. who enjoys being able to support her province’s team and offer some recognition for their achievements using the craft that she knows best.
“It's just because I'm a fan, and quilting is something that I enjoy doing, so I feel like this is something I can do,” said Amundrud. “If they do well, then they have something to take home with them.”
Much to the excitement of Amundrud — and the rest of the crowd — Saskatchewan battled their way into the championship pool after a nail-biting tiebreaker game against New Brunswick, which means the team will have to decide what to do with their Scotties quilt once again this year.
Amundrud gifted the quilt to Silvernagle, third Stephanie Lawton, second Jessie Hunkin, and lead Kara Thevenot following their final game of the tournament against British Columbia on Feb. 21, after the team knew they wouldn’t be heading into the playoff arm.
And in the end, Amundrud did write in the team’s names on the curling rocks to commemorate their 2020 Scotties victories.
