Several months ago my brother and I were forced to make the decision that our mother could no longer live at home and needed more help with her needs. She is suffering from dementia. Neither of us was prepared for the emotional implications of this decision let alone the practical ones. We were faced with a home crammed with things that represented our lives and those of our parents and grandparents. The home is now just an empty house and we have tried to deal with the contents. I collected up pieces of linen - table mats, hankies, embroidered napkins and tablecloths, gloves and aprons. These had been embroidered, crocheted, stitched, darned and and owned by my grandmothers Maud and Gladys and my Mum, Eileen. What on earth should I do with them. I do not want to leave my boys with the decision of what to do with my things let alone my grandmother's. I wanted to do something that would connect me to them and also be relevant and even something of use for my children. I bit the bullet and started cutting up the pieces. I am stitching a crazy patchwork quilt in squares made up of pieces belonging to Maud, Gladys and Eileen. I am using old transfers to add my marks to the pieces now. So far I have made 17 squares so a long way to go but all the time I am stitching them ( glass of wine at hand in front of the telly) I think of these women, their lives and how they have made me what I am.
You post really touched me Liz. We had a similar problem with all the stuff we took out of my husband's aunt's house. I also have a box full of similar pieces made by my grandmother and aunts. You've now given me an idea of what to do with them all!
ReplyDeleteI do hope you manage to use them. It's a bit of a long project but the good thing is that you are handling and looking at the bits at the same time and its very relaxing just to randomly embroider. No planning! I've been thinking of a simple way to record who and where the pieces came from. One idea was to photograph the patches and then make a little book or I may even print out a panel and stitch it on the backing. Let me know if you have any ideas too.
ReplyDeleteVery interested to hear how you are using the fabrics, Liz, and wish you well. I did much the same 3 years ago - made a scalloped lap quilt, in an apron shape, of my Mum's fabrics and mine and my children's with a photographic record of each fabric and its history in a book. I shed quite a few tears, but cutting up the fabrics and making something new (as part of an ongoing degree) was cathartic. We've recently moved to Cirencester so I'll hope to get to the Nailsworth exhibition and maybe get to meet you? Best regards, (another) Liz
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