Loss and Finding Meaning

You are not accidental. The world needs you. Without you, something will be missing in existence and nobody can replace it. -Osho

The world has lost another talented quiltmaker--Sue Garman. I met Sue 23 years ago when I moved to Houston. Whenever I move (which was quite before moving to Illinois nearly nearly 20 years ago), I would find a local quilt shop and sign up for the first available class that even moderately interested me. That way I find out about guilds and other quilt shops. I found my way to Quaker Town Quilts in Friendswood. It was a mostly traditional shop so I signed up for Sue Garman's Halloween vest since it was just one afternoon. It involved cute applique. The women in the class were a lot of fun and I got lots of information on guilds, teachers, classes, and other quilt shops.

Sue was patient and kind. I only wore the vest once at the show and share at a guild. She was a member. If you don't know Sue's work, you should check it out. She learned to quilt from her grandmother and I don't think I ever saw her not working on a quilt. I found her amazing. She was the assistant director of NASA, a mother of two, a wife, and a pattern designer. She personal quilts were amazing. For me, she was one of the kindest people I ever met. In October, she shared that she would be having a test to see if she had a year or two to live. Unfortunately, she only had months. She will be missed. 

I had been struggling to come up with a piece to enter into "Red" at ARC Gallery in Chicago. Nothing seemed to be working until I picked up Carolyn's dress. Carolyn was my husband's only sister and my in-laws first child.  She only lived a few days but her life impacted a family deeply and not always in a positive way. I was touched and a little shocked when my mother-in-law gave me all of Carolyn's handmade dresses. It took her many years to get over her son marrying me. My children will have no interest in the dresses so I am happy to give them a new life and even more pleased the "Not Even a Memory" will be a part of the exhibit (February 2 - 25). My husband says that he thinks his mother would not approve, but I am not so sure. I think she would be pleased that others will know that Carolyn once was among us.