Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Nedra's Treasure - Rylma






To hold or keep precious - what an apt description of my inspiration for this theme.  When I was 3 1/2 years old, my sister died of leukemia at 13.  This was a tragic event in our family that I sensed despite not fully comprehending all of the implications.  Her death was rarely discussed by anyone in the family.  If it was brought up, my mother would start to cry and the subject was quickly changed.  I quickly learned I shouldn't ask questions.  As a result, I knew very little about her or her life. Some of her belongings were kept in a small jewelry box and only one picture of her was ever displayed.  Oddly, this seemed "normal" to me and I remember feeling that I wasn't really affected because I barely knew or remembered her.  

About 15 years ago, certain events in my life made me realize how wrong I was.  I was starved for information about her, her personality, and the relationship she had with me.   Despite my mother's aging and lingering fragile emotional state about her, I gently started asking questions although her memory was starting to fade.  Things I thought I remembered about her and the situation she said had not happened.  I queried my sister's to try to fill in the blanks, with some success.   Though eventually I came to accept that I would never really learn all I wanted to know.   After my mother's death, I searched through family pictures and saved every one of her I could find.  To my delight, I found this picture of the two of us.  I believe it was taken in the last months of her life.   There I was with my doll sitting in the bed with her!!!  She has a big smile on her face and I want to believe I was the reason for it.  Forever will I treasure this tiny glimpse into our lives.

This picture, her baptismal certificate and several report cards are printed and fused to the seashell fabric.  Several of my seashell treasures are attached.    Gold Angelina fibers add to the look of precious metals.  It is minimally quilted.



8 comments:

  1. What a wonderful way to honor your sister. I know how hard it is to loose a sibling. We treasure our memories.

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  2. What an amazing quilt, and an equally amazing life journey for you. I'm so happy that you were (and still are !) persistent, in a gentle way, about discovering more about your sister, and your relationship with her and with your family. Thank you for sharing your story with all of us. Peace & blessings, Kathy

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  3. Dear Nedra, I've been trying and trying to comment, but Blogger suddenly doesn't seem to realize that I exist, so I am forced to comment Anonymously. I wouldn't mind this, except that I am forced to solve those annoying puzzles, sometimes 10 or 15 of them before I get them right, before they'll publish my comments. But anyway, I want to say that this story is one of the most touching family stories I've heard in a long time. I am thankful that you have been able to learn more about this sister of yours, and that you haven't given up in your quest do learn more. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, and your quilt is absolutely beautiful and wonderfully appropriate for the theme and for your personal story.

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  4. The above was from Alice, incidentally!

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  5. Remarkable all the way around. What you made, the story behind it!! Very special

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  6. Such a beautiful tribute to your sister. Your quilt itself is a treasure and heirloom and the photo of you and Rylma is precious in so many ways.

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  7. Nedra, this is so priceless. You have honored your sister and enlarged your understanding of her. What a special story and wonderful depiction of the love the two of you shared. Blessings to you!

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