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Saturday, April 4, 2015

New traditions

This weekend being Easter, I have been reflecting on tradition, religion, family and celebration.  Even though I was raised as a Catholic, I haven't been a practicing Catholic for a long time---and neither was my mother, for that matter.  Even still, we would always celebrate together.  This was our celebration last year at her house.  As this holiday rolls around again, without my mom, I feel even less cultural connection to it and yet...I yearn to mark it in some way.  

It occurred to me today as we finished up these hand-mades for my soon-to-be niece, that my mom is with us.  She---generous, festive, maker, lover of babies, do-er for others---would be happy and proud that we are marking our holiday by making for Dazzle.  I just wish she was here to see the results.

I recently brought home some scraps of this fabric line, "Rumble" by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics from the office.  The samples were just kicking around and I thought I could make a quilt "Charm Box" quilt for an upcoming school auction.


My seven year old quickly jumped in and decided he wanted to sew a quilt for his new cousin, arriving at the end of this month.  Once this boy gets something in his head there is no stopping him, so off he went.


By the end of the weekend we were pinning.


Quilting.


Binding and labeling.  


Since I can't pick up the phone and tell my mom...I will tell you.  My favorite part of this experience was when he got a big smile on his face and looked up at me and said, "Mom! Now we have something in common---because I love sewing too!!"


All this one-on-one mom time (and a MACHINE) made his siblings want to join in the fun.  This Ahoy Matey fabric (also Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics) was perfect for my ten year old to stitch up into baby washcloths backed with terrycloth.


Any my five year old had just enough patience to make a pillow top (with some help from mom of course---basically he just wanted to step on the foot pedal of the machine).

 



Doing their grandmother proud, by the end of two weekends they ended up with a sweet pile of hand-mades for their new cousin.



Wishing you and yours a Happy Easter filled with love, traditions---old and new---and the hope for new beginnings.

xoxo Nell



3 comments:

  1. The priceless gifts you made for each other will outshine Dazzle's gifts for years to come.
    Love, Sally

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  2. That just brings tears to my eyes, it is so SWEET! What an awesome job they all did!! Not many mom's have the patience to allow their kids to do stuff like that. These are memories to be cherished forever, and that baby cousin will really appreciate that someday. Thanks so much for giving me something really meaningful to think about on this special holiday.

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  3. Your kids are so sweet, and that they love to sew with mommy is awesome! They did a great job =)

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