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A friend had introduced me to quilting and I had made a few, and continued
with my fashion sewing.
Some years later I lost my eldest son to suicide. Suddenly quilting became
my way of coping with the loss.
Quilting allowed me to engage most of my mind, bringing me peace and
comfort, but most of all, allowed my mind to rest. Quilting taught me
how to put my life back together, stitching one patch to another, one
stitch at a time.
The hardest part of the grieving was the question 'why?'. That question
haunted my every moment, even intruding in dreams, when I finally was
so exhausted I could sleep for a few hours. And in the grieving, quilting
was allowing me to bring beauty to this world that had become, for me,
so dark and cold. I made many quilts in the year following his death,
and, at the one year anniversary, I had a dinner for my family and friends
who had shared the loss with me. I gave away all the quilts I had made
to them. These people, who stood by me with their love and caring, now
have my love wrapped around them.
It's been almost 8 years now, and quilting is a major part of my life.
Quilting brought me a way to grieve, a way to create, a way to live.
Quilting brought to me a wonderful community of fellow quilters. Wherever
I go all I need to do is find a quilt shop and there I will find acceptance
and friendship with other quilters.
So as I quilt, I put prayers into the quilts for whoever may end up with
one of my quilts, that they have love and life and laughter.
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