I Don’t Know Why You Say Good bye, I say Hello

Do you think on the person for whom you are sewing as you stitch away the hours? Then when the quilt takes shape and is finished, do you enjoy its presence because you know its days in your home are numbered? These two quilts have been hanging on hangers in my guest bedroom closet for quite awhile, but their hour has finally come. Today’s the day. I made them for my daughter who is reaching a certain age where birthdays need to be acknowledged in a big way. I needed to give my sweet girl a real labor of love. So I will part with these self-created connections to my dearly loved one when she comes over later today.

My first Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt experience was 2017’s On Ringo Lake. Still a novice, I messed up early on – I think it was the second clue. I flipped the colors on the flying geese. So my version is probably not even recognizable when compared to the original. I also added more blocks to grow it to a queen size. But I know my daughter will love it.

The Elizabeth Hartman little bitty Fancy Fox quilt is for Audrey, her inseparable sidekick.

I started quilting mostly because of my mom. She’s still of sound body, but not of mind. Her memories are wiped clean, and she doesn’t recognize me. Although I’ve still got her physical presence with me, the good bye has already happened. I miss her very much. I admire her in so many ways. She had spunk and initiative, and was always ready for some fun. I followed in her footsteps with my career, my parenting, and my hobbies. She jumped into quilting in a big way when she retired from teaching, and so did I. She made my daughters, her much-loved granddaughters, quilts when they graduated from high school. I am carrying on her tradition by commemorating benchmark birthdays with quilts for my children. It would make my mom happy to know this. It makes me happy to feel close to her, in this small way.

I had two aunts, sisters, who lived states apart and only got to see each other two or three times a year. They were two peas in a pod, so very close, and ending those visits was just too hard. So they came up with a way to ease their sorrow. Instead of saying “Good bye”, they would part with the words, “Hello”, as in, there will be a next time.

So I say “Hello” to my mom, because there will be a next time. And I also say “Hello” to my daughter. True, she’s leaving a decade behind her, but she’s greeting the new one ahead. I made sure she’s got a big new quilt to help her embrace her big new future.

P.S. Quilts received. They like them!