Sunday, June 14, 2009

For the Love of Emma

Met Emma Long.

90 years young and a sweetheart.  

I met her at BP&HH, where she would sit and fold fat quarters and work on hand stitching.  It was always a great time with her around.  In fact she had quite a following and people sure missed her being at the shop.  I think some came just to visit with her.  She is now in a care home with five other ladies, has her own room and they (a care giving family, who have two elementary age children) take great care of her.  She can not come to the shop any more due to her health needs and not being able to walk very well anymore.

On Tuesday, I made up a couple of Tea Towel embroidery patterns for her and went to spend the afternoon with her. I hoped that my pattern choices were not too complicated for her and that she would find them pleasing and inviting to embroider.  We had things spread out on the end of her bed where she was sitting in her chair, when she picked up my embroidery right off and started to work on it.  I was delighted for her that she not only wanted to embroider but still had an enjoyment of stitching.  She still makes a fine stitch.  I am thrilled to have her stitches mixed in with mine.  

We kibitzed, laughed and embroidered together.   


  Ain't she sweet!

I will treasure her stitches in my redwork.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I picked up a pattern when Paulette and I were in Concord on Monday.  It is a little booklet called "All Creatures Great & Small" by Natalie Bird (The Birdhouse.)  It has 16 animal stitchings to amuse and delight, plus four patterns to make up with the designs.   The two designs I selected are pictured below.  I enjoyed making them.   The frog is already on a pillow, and up in BP&HH as a shop sample, and the monkeys is going on a drawstring bag, for a shop sample.  (My friend Pat volunteered to make the pillow and the drawstring bag.  Thank you Pat!!!)  I will take a picture of the finished projects next week.  You will love the fabric I choose for the items.  




I hope your weekend end has a nap on the schedule and some time for - embroidery - or what your heart desires.

4 comments:

Orcsmom said...

Hey Gran,
Emma looks wonderful! I need to stop by this week to visit her. I saw the pillow it was adorable, but the monkeys, OMG, they are even cuter! I love the new "embrodiery" are at BP&HH! I think we will outgrow it very quickly, however from the looks of it on Saturday, it was extremely popular with eveyone, and a couple on on the waiting list for a class!!!! Have a wonderful Sunday, and I am will see ya soon! Love ya!

Pam

quiltmom anna said...

Gran,
What a lovely story about Emma- You are one kind friend_ I am sure that Emma loved having you visit. My gran is gone now but she loved having her family and friends around her- She was able to stay in her home on the farm right to the end of her life at age of nearly 87. I loved her dearly and I continue to miss her loving hands and words 5 years later. We all need elders that share their stories and their gifts- our lives are richer for it.
You make lovely embroidered things _ I haven't embroidered for a long time- too many other things on my plate.
Have a great week.
Hugs,
Anna

Anonymous said...

Nicely done Emma! WOW.

Bev

Anonymous said...

Hi Gran,
I really enjoyed seeing and hearing about Emma...and I am happy to know that when you get 90+ you can still enjoy handwork like Emma. My mom is 82.5 and she just finished hand quilting me a kingsize quilt. I have it shown on my blog...cathyscrapcreation.blogspot.com. I was taught to quilt at the age of 8 by a woman named Mrs. Oliver in a nursing home. I want to blog about her soon.
Well..God bless you and I enjoy your needle work!