about the work

from a young age, i always felt drawn to explore beyond the ordinary. inspired by my grandmothers mennonite sewing, i began experimenting with textiles and found solace in creating. after years of travel and exploration, i discovered the meditative art of quilting – a practice that brought me peace during a time of change. creating a cherished quilt for my grandmother solidified this passion, and now i find great joy in sharing that journey with you through the house jacket guidebook and my other quilts and wall hangings. my work is a celebration of my heritage, my japanese relations, creative resilience, and the joy of finding ones own path through craft.

hand sewing, repurposing, remembering, and creating are what give me life. i am nothing but a channel for the forces around me, bringing life forwards and helping others remember and return.

may we all remember. may we all fully embody ourselves.

my relations:

i - april chelsea anne wada - was born in morden, manitoba to richard and wendi friesen. my grandparents are anne and bill giesbrecht, and abraham and kathrine friesen. i come from a lineage of kindhearted, and honourable people who are well respected members of my community. i am mennonite on both sides of my family for as long as anybody can remember.

i was raised within my community, but due to assimilation we appear as regular canadians. only once you had sunk your feet into our community would you have been able to feel our culture. it continues to become more diluted with time. the river presiding over my ancestral home is the buffalo creek. and all of the prairie surrounding my ancestral home has been turned into chemical, mono crop agriculture. my ancestors tilled the whole of the prairie, leaving none for the earths creatures. my people do not remember what it means to be whole.

i was brought into a japanese lineage in 2018, when i became pregnant with a japanese / mennonite child. my body becoming a bridge between two cultures, forever holding the genetic memory of my daughter, and later my sun. i entered into a japanese family tree through marriage in 2021. through my japanese family and friends, i am seen and acknowledged as a community member.

photo taken 2026/03/25 of my current work in progress. a full size quilt stellar jay made with exclusively upcycled japanese textiles.