My oldest daughter called me one day and the conversation went something like this:

“Mom don’t freak out, Deb is okay but she has been in an accident.”

The particulars of the accident were discussed.The rest of the conversation is blurry with my maternal core rising to my throat with worry. This phone call woke me up – WIDE AWAKE. No one knows when their days are numbered. I took it for granted my family would always be safe.

I once saw an heirloom quilt embroidered with “Remember me when I am gone”. I thought it was morbid. My daughter lives in another state and I feel “gone”, not dead, but absent from activities that would bring joy to both of us. I decided to make a quilt for these personal reasons, so that we feel more connected while apart. It is a gesture to show I care and think about her while she recovers from the accident.

I choose fabric that represented my daughter’s life. The collection is “Potluck”. She is an animal loving, chicken raising, wool dying, knitting extraordinaire, talented, and hilarious daughter. I cherish our visits filled with laughter and catching up. The label I made communicates memories of her endless love of the park and the swings in particular.

This quilt is a small way of preserving our relationship and is an extension of myself. A quilt can be artistic expression and a way to show how someone hopes to be remembered. What people do to bring joy into others’ lives is important, so whether it is a quilt or something else, give time and love to those who are special to us.

15 Jan This entry was published on January 15, 2014 at 6:10 pm. It’s filed under Quilting at the Cottage and tagged Daughters, fabric, quilting, Quilts, sewing. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.