What peace to know my mom is at peace. My family is I know looking forward to January 10, her memorial service, and the closure it will bring. I worked through my dad's death by focusing on baby quilts for twins. Today my heart is so heavy - those twins were stillborn the same day my mom died. So now I grieve for these little ones, their parents, and their grandmother. All I continue to do is hand quilt, as if each stitch will help heal the family. And of course I know it won't. Their grief is immeasurable.
Although this is a shift from the cosmic to the mundane, I am also saying goodbye to an old friend this week. One of my nieces whom I taught to quilt years ago is crafty and clever.
Leslie, a hair and makeup artist, borrows her mom's machine when she wants to sew. Well, no longer. My Husqvarna 500 is one that I bought in the 1980's - I chose it for the needle up/needle down feature as well as the cool sound it makes when it's turned on. It has been my workhorse and go-to machine until 6 years ago, when I upgraded to Husqvarnas with bigger harp spaces. And my old faithful 500 has been my traveling machine for retreats and workshops - now I will be traveling with my only mechanical machine, which is fabulous for purse straps and boy scout badges. All these machines have interchangeable feet and accessories. I spent time yesterday making sure that Leslie's machine has a set of all the necessary feet - standard, 1/4", zipper, teflon. I am also including a walking foot and the guides. I'm sad to see this machine go, but I am thrilled that Leslie has maintained her interest in sewing and cannot wait to see what she does. (This Husqvarna comes with tech support, too, through my Facebook page and cell number!) My mom let me take her sewing machine to college with me. And she gifted me with that Singer Featherweight, one of her wedding presents in 1948, when I had my first apartment. I'm proud to carry on this tradition with Leslie.
