License to grieve

This summer I learned that my former mother in law was ill. After losing my father in law so suddenly just weeks before, I felt such an urge to tell her how much she had meant to me, and how much I had appreciated our relationship. I wanted to make a prayer flag and I wanted to send it to her. And this is where my inner voice started to question whether this was an appropriate thing to do. You see, there is no such thing as a guide to being a former in law, and still, my grief was just as real as if the formal ties had still been there.

After discussing my dilemma with friends and family, I made this little quilt, “Hope”.

Inspired by a tiny cross in a cartoon, I drew it out on dress maker’s pattern paper and paper pieced the different parts. 

I cut the outline with scissors, and appliquéd in onto a white background.

I slipped a piece of ribbon under the binding before stitching it to the back, and added a bamboo skewer so that it would hang flat. 

Made from scraps, Hope is light and bright and happy. She loved it.

This week she passed away. Never let the chance to tell someone that they matter pass. I am so glad I did, and that I still have a license to grieve.