In Memory of my Mother

Everything I know about sewing, I learned from my mother.  We had an old Singer sewing machine in the basement, near a ping pong table which was piled high with stuff, and she sat there patiently doing her sewing.  We spent a lot of time there together, especially when I was in junior high school.

I have been trying to think of a theme that would bring me warm memories -- and I came up with this quilt which features birds, seen through a series of latticed windows. 

 Even though it is January,  spring is coming (symbolized by Tu B'shvat) and the days are slowly getting longer.  Every year in the springtime, I remember standing by the dining room window with my Mom, watching for robin redbreasts -- the first sign of spring in the northeast!  We had a casement window, with a screen that had a small box that could slide, so that you could get to the handle of the window which opened outwards.  So, I have a very definite picture of our peeping through little windows, watching for the robins.  Here you can see the birds, framed with a latticed affect, and a peacock fabric (I can just imagine the robins "strutting" around on our front lawn), and bordered by bright yellow sunshine and blue sky!  This quilt measures 40 X 50".