Individual Member St. Louis Park, Minnesota, United States
English paper pieced using the Nighttime Butterflies block. My design intent was to cause disruption and chaos by blurring the distinction between black and white, background and foreground, and by using visibly contrasting stitches throughout the piecing. I started making this as my mother was entering into her 3rd clinical trial for diffuse large B cell lymphoma. I visited her daily during her 44-day hospitalization. I showed the blocks to her early on; she asked me not to bring the quilt to the hospital, saying she didn't want it to be associated with her illness. I honored her wishes but poured my sadness into it nightly as her condition worsened until and after her death. I added hospital gown scraps to the backing as a reminder of this time together. I want to remember it was the privilege of my life to be able to support her at her end.
