Mommoms Hankie Quilt, 2017
Embroidery Floss & reused fabric on fabric
On quilting and the act of creating objects as a path through bereavement.
I could spend all my days finding ways to bring recycled materials into new creations. After the passing of my husband’s grandmother, I began searching for ways to transform objects from her life into practical items we could use everyday. Along the way, I discovered that there’s a form of quilting that uses the cloth from loved ones’ clothing to create remembrance quilts that can unfold through the bereavement process. In stitching together the clothes or objects someone left behind, we knit together our memories of them.
This quilt of remembrance was created from Mommoms’ handkerchiefs and some simple, hand sewn embroidery patches I stitched. I was so surprised by how playful her hankies were! So colorful and from all around the world, they truly represent who she was. With this quilt, we’re surrounded by Mommoms everyday! I wonder how this quilt will tell her story for years and generations to come.
Felice Salmon 