Welcome to our 2023 Exhibit
The Mystery of Mary Maximchuk

The story of Mary Maximchuk began in the late 1940s in Sifton, Manitoba (pop.240). Willard S. McPhedrain, a C.N.R. station agent, and his wife Olive were entrepreneurs who built Sifton Products, which sold wool batts, socks plus carders and spinning wheels built by John Weselowski, owner of Spin-Well Woollen Mills Sifton.

A young Mary Maximchuk at the time, assisted in the McPhedrain family home. Olive McPhedrain, owner of Mary Maxim©, was interviewed, by Linda Lazarowich on July 23, 1980, at the McPhedrain home in Paris, Ontario.

This was the first of more than 75 graph patterns on Canadian and many other themes. The first pattern printed for market was No.400 Reindeer. The Reindeer and Hunter/Pheasant patterns remain popular 70 years later.

Mrs. McPhedrain then explained how the company name change evolved. “Willard felt a more personal name would help sell knitting kits and adopted the name Miss Mary Maximchuk. However, confusion arose between personal and business mail, so the name was shortened initially to Miss Mary Maxim and then again to Mary Maxim© in 1954.”

McPhedrain noted “Mary and other ladies in the village were hired to draft other graph patterns and knit custom sweaters for mail-order sale.” Cross-Canada sales grew quickly and the company expanded and moved to Dauphin, Manitoba. Growth continued and in 1958 Mary Maxim® closed its Manitoba operation and moved to Paris, Ontario. After the move east, Mrs. McPhedrain lost contact with Mary. Regrettably, the life of Mary Maximchuk after 1958 remains a mystery.

People mailed the order form in the envelope provided but they were not always asking for a sweater pattern and wool. Mrs. McPhedrain noted “The envelope was also used by men to propose marriage to Mary Maximchuk because if she was such an excellent knitter, she must also be a great homemaker!”

First Nations Designs

Mary Maxim© sweater patterns echo fragments of motifs that are unique to First Nations People.
The Cowichan sweater includes geometric designs found in quill work, weavings, and birch bark biting.
Many geometric designs are common to Indigenous and early European cultures, including pre-historic Trypillian culture, found in parts of modern-day Ukraine.

Sport Designs

Mary Maxim sweater designs were popular with people of all ages, those involved in sports, recreational activities or simply to be in fashion.

Specialty Designs

The Beaver and Maple Leaf are proud national symbols of Canada.

«Mexicana» a unique design, is filled with colorful representations of the rich folk culture of Mexico.

Mary Maxim© patterns are popular with contemporary designers in Canada and abroad. International giants, such as Ralph Lauren©, Jones New York©, Roots© and others have used these patterns to create their collections.

Spin-Well Woollen Mills

When John Weselowski, founder of the Spin-Well Woollen Company, immigrated to Sifton, Manitoba, he found that his land grant was not suitable for farming. He was also a blacksmith and began to build a wool spinning and carding business.

Weselowski brought his technical expertise from his homeland, the Carpathian Mountains
Region of Ukraine, known for its long tradition of wool artisanry.

Acknowledgements

In 2023 the Museum received a grant from the SUS Foundation to tell the story of Mary Maximchuk and her part in the development of the Mary Maxim company. We are grateful for their financial support in furthering the work of our Museum.

Guest Curator: Linda M. Lazarowich, MSc., owner of the vintage collection of Mary Maxim© sweaters and author of text for the exhibit booklet.

Artifact Loan: Manitoba Craft Museum and Library – child’s blue sweater, Spin-Well Woollen Mills drum-carder and spinning wheel.

The Museum appreciates the support of the Shevchenko Foundation in funding Alona Pluzhnyk, graphic designer of the exhibit booklet.

For photography, thank you to Ryan Orne-Zaluski and Severyn Shved.