A Lifetime's Worth of Maternal Love...

Hello my lovelies...

Despite it being the thick of winter and I should be looking out on snow, 

I am surrounded by a beautiful sunny day.

Not that I'm complaining you understand, but it certainly plays tricks with your mind!

It is still a little chilly so at least something is quite normal I guess.

On days like today I do love snuggling up on the sofa with a cuppa or two and reading.

How about you?

Sunday reading...

I am busy doing a little research at the moment for some future exhibits later this year.

Whilst delving into to the depths of the big void of online material I came across an article

that I wanted to share with you all...

As I have already mentioned in a previous post, I have always been fascinated with our connection with fabric throughout time and stitching.

We all relate to cloth in various ways that often hold treasured memories...

Women's voices were often never heard or taken seriously and yet throughout history

I believe women have always been the strong silent thread running through every story... especially when it comes to stitching and threads.

This story totally touched my heart ...

The image above is of an everyday sack made from feedsack cloth. 

Something used all the time to house provisions at one time.

 Rose, held in slavery by a slave owner had a daughter, Ashley, aged 9.

Her daughter was being sold by the slave owner in South Carolina, USA and Rose wanted to let her know how much she was loved.

No-one knows how long she had to get things ready before she was sold but her simple actions turned this every day piece of cloth into an heirloom.

Rose wanted to let her daughter know her sack was her most prized possession even though

it was filled with very little and yet SO much...

an extra dress, three handfuls of pecan nuts, and some braids for her hair

and...

a lifetime's worth of maternal love.

Something no slave owner could ever take away from her...

Many years later in 1921, Ashley's granddaughter Rose was so touched by the power of her story. She embroidered the words on the sack for future generations to treasure.

You can read more details about the story HERE

The fact that a simple sack probably used for storing flour has managed to survive with such a powerful story is amazing don't you think?

We often save the expensive gifts or items of worth as heirlooms for our future generations but for me, a simple piece of cloth often with very little value will always win the day.

Cloth will always cradle our memories and save them for a day when we want to share them with others.

So many of us work with cloth every day of our lives, making items for our families but how often do you consider your cloth as a living and breathing piece of fabric?

Something that holds your secrets, your thoughts, your daydreams...

Tilly

x x x