Brenda sent me a box of hankies, some photos and a note. The hankies belong to her mom who is 91 years old. In the late 1980’s Brenda asked her mom if she could have the hankies that she kept in a ceder chest. She wanted to make a quilt using them. She found a pattern and started sewing the quilt by hand. She’s still working on it, two more squares to go and hopes to finish it this year. She wants her mom to get to see the finished quilt.
The hankies that she sent me were the ones she didn’t use. She said they’ve been sitting in her draw and wanted me to have them. I posted a photo of the hankies on my blog a few days ago and got this message from Ann:
“When I saw this picture, I remembered my mother having some of the exact same hankies. I just spoke with my best friend who told me she sent the pictured hankies to you. I had given her some of Mom’s hankies when she passed away. So, not only did they look like my Mom’s, they WERE her hankies! What a nice surprise. I’m so happy they will be put to good use. Thank you so much!”
This is what working with these hankies is all about. Making connections, sharing ideas and stories and creating beautiful and meaningful work.
I’m floored………the quilt is beautiful and the connection to “mother” is so touching. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful expression of art-love.
What a joy to see this today! My mother sent me the link, but it came across my Facebook feed earlier in the day, perhaps through a share or like of the blog post. It caught my eye and there was an internal dialogue of ‘hey that kind of looks like that butterfly quilt of my moms’…and I skimmed past it in a rush. My mother is Brenda, and Ann is a very special friend to me as well. So many fun memories!!
I have seen these hankies at different times over the years and remember vividly the care which was taken to keep the pieces together. I also remember when the pieces came home with us from Grandmas and seeing the progression of the quilt on visits home to Mom and Dad. The project of the quilt has been one of many filed under ‘to be completed’, as all us crafters can understand! I’m so happy to know it is almost finished. It has been a very special undertaking for my mother.
I’m happy that some of the ephemera of the lives of my grandmother and Ann’s mother, who I remember fondly from my childhood, have found a home with you.
Wow Chris, what a wonderful way to come upon your mom’s quilt. I’m glad it’s making the rounds and lots of people are getting to see it. It should be seen it is so beautiful and meaningful. And it sounds like it’s been a part of your life for a long time. Thanks so much for writing. Just another connection made.
What a beautiful quilt. I love how the hankies are cut to showcase their lovely designs. The white surrounding them is perfect.
Maria, thanks for posting. I was so surprised. Csndy, none of the hankies have been cut at all. They were all folded to form the butterflies and hand stitched to stay in place. I just couldn’t bear cutting them and the pattern I found had instructions on how to fold them. I just tried to pick the hankies I felt had the best chance of looking like real butterflies. Thanks to Ann and my daughter Chris for posting. We definitely have had a lot of memories.
It was such a great surprise to hear from Ann and your daughter Brenda. It made the whole story come together in a beautiful circular way. I love the way you folded the hankies to make the gorgeous butterflies. Thanks again for sending the photos and sharing your quilt story.
Wow . just wow