Small quilts part two
We just said goodbye to our 21 year old cat, Celeste, last night. She was a trooper. Kate brought her to us as a kitten. Kate died in 2002 and loved her always. Even more so, Celeste kept Ben safe and warm when his anxiety disorder was revealing itself in full force. She slept on his chest for months and helped him stay connected. We will bury her today in the front yard in a shroud, a receiving blanket of Ben's and with some of the ashes of her sister Rejoice. What a passing.
Making quilts has been a path through grief for me over the years. I am going to post a few pictures of small quilts that have helped me express the loss.
The first quilt I created in May, the anniversary month of Kate's death. I titled it Courage:Couers. Heart energy is what courage is all about. I love heart motifs and these all spoke to me. This quilt is simply made with fusible interfacing anchoring the hearts of many fabrics. It was great to embellish them with embroidery. The ribbons dividing the three sections of the hearts spoke to me of the different parts of life that call for the heart energy. The ribbon is translucent. I have learned that grief is best when it is honored and allowed to flow. This quilt is one of my favorites and I honor Celeste with it today.
Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham has a Mother's Memorial. There are a number of memorial plaques for children that have died. No dates, just names. Kate's plaque is there. I visit it regularly these days with my sister Dana who walks her dog, Biscuit, in the cemetery. Kate's birthname was Kate Brownyn Oakley. Her father's family was Oakley and it was a name that derived from the Swedish and meant Oak Leaf. It seemed right to honor Kate and all the Oakleys who have now passed with this simple quilt. I picked up leaves and acorns near the Mother's Memorial. The street leading into the space is lined with magnificent oaks. I like to think that Kate is near her name tree and this piece bring comfort and celebration of the name and the trees.
I created this piece in February one year and never really named it. I have always been fascinated with the gloaming sky in winter and the way in which the dormant trees are so glorious in their stark relief. I created this piece with a beautiful piece of hand dyed fabric from the Skagit Valley and world renowned fiber artist, Judy Robertson. The tree is done with machine quilting or thread work as it is now called. I now think of this piece as Winter Comes to All. I reflect on my very old cat who had quit eating and could no longer walk. She had given up eating a few days before. She made her way outside yesterday to sit in the grass. It started to rain and I ran out to find her laying on her side, unable to move, wet and breathing lightly. I brought her inside, toweled her gently and put her on her bed where she stayed until she passed away in the night. It was a gentle death. I was able to get her a drink of water several times yesterday. She seemed grateful for the moisture. I am reminded that winter does come to all beings and that letting Celeste go so peacefully was a gift.
Thanks for being interested in my quilts. I think it time to go public with this blog.
Making quilts has been a path through grief for me over the years. I am going to post a few pictures of small quilts that have helped me express the loss.
The first quilt I created in May, the anniversary month of Kate's death. I titled it Courage:Couers. Heart energy is what courage is all about. I love heart motifs and these all spoke to me. This quilt is simply made with fusible interfacing anchoring the hearts of many fabrics. It was great to embellish them with embroidery. The ribbons dividing the three sections of the hearts spoke to me of the different parts of life that call for the heart energy. The ribbon is translucent. I have learned that grief is best when it is honored and allowed to flow. This quilt is one of my favorites and I honor Celeste with it today.
Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham has a Mother's Memorial. There are a number of memorial plaques for children that have died. No dates, just names. Kate's plaque is there. I visit it regularly these days with my sister Dana who walks her dog, Biscuit, in the cemetery. Kate's birthname was Kate Brownyn Oakley. Her father's family was Oakley and it was a name that derived from the Swedish and meant Oak Leaf. It seemed right to honor Kate and all the Oakleys who have now passed with this simple quilt. I picked up leaves and acorns near the Mother's Memorial. The street leading into the space is lined with magnificent oaks. I like to think that Kate is near her name tree and this piece bring comfort and celebration of the name and the trees.
I created this piece in February one year and never really named it. I have always been fascinated with the gloaming sky in winter and the way in which the dormant trees are so glorious in their stark relief. I created this piece with a beautiful piece of hand dyed fabric from the Skagit Valley and world renowned fiber artist, Judy Robertson. The tree is done with machine quilting or thread work as it is now called. I now think of this piece as Winter Comes to All. I reflect on my very old cat who had quit eating and could no longer walk. She had given up eating a few days before. She made her way outside yesterday to sit in the grass. It started to rain and I ran out to find her laying on her side, unable to move, wet and breathing lightly. I brought her inside, toweled her gently and put her on her bed where she stayed until she passed away in the night. It was a gentle death. I was able to get her a drink of water several times yesterday. She seemed grateful for the moisture. I am reminded that winter does come to all beings and that letting Celeste go so peacefully was a gift.
Thanks for being interested in my quilts. I think it time to go public with this blog.
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