Tuesday, December 13, 2016

The House that Holly Stitched

This is a story about a wall hanging one of my sewing girls, Holly, stitched with oodles of love, for her mum. This story has a most moving significance which neither Holly nor I could  ever have foreseen when we first talked about this project...........but we will come to that later on.

Let us start at the beginning, shall we.

The wall hanging was started earlier this year with the intention of Holly giving it to her mum for Mother's Day. But for one reason or another, "The Kim Sharman School of Stitching Excellence" has only been open intermittently throughout the year.

I was visiting Holly's mum (a very dear friend of mine) in late January of this year and I noticed the advent wall hanging that Holly made a couple of years ago still taking pride of place on the wall. Yes indeedy, Holly's mum is one who seems to have evidence of yuletide still hanging well into the year. Deary, deary me!! How could this be?? Now, I am one of those gals whom when the 1st of January hoopla, moseys along blowing party whistles and chorusing in celebration......HAPPY  NEW  YEAR........the Christmas decorations come down and stay hidden until the following December.

This rather woebegone situation had to be remedied, so Holly and I came up with a brilliant idea (well we thought it was) of replacing the advent calendar with a wall hanging of  monumental significance. We decided how cool it would be to stitch a house, with memories of her family mingled throughout. Holly's mum has one serious photo collection capturing the everyday moments of growing children, those important milestones and family celebrations over the years. Yes indeedy, she is a bit of a shutterbug!!

With the hunting and gathering of  a selection of fabrics the designing of the 'House that Holly stitched' began. We decided to transfer photos of the family to fabric, using photo transfer paper.

Holly's house wall hanging is a house filled with delightful and whimsical details. From the shuttered windows that when opened to let the sunshine filter in, reveal special photos of members of her family. There are wild flowers growing in the garden which gently brush Holly and her brother James as they amble along the front path leading to the welcoming front door; which upon opening reveals her mum and dad on their wedding day.


Oh how happy and in love Holly's mum and dad look. They are beaming aren't they.

There are window boxes where pretty flowers cascade every which way and climbing roses escaping from pretty pots, trailing in wild abandon up the wall. You see this is a house where not only the blossoms bloom but it is a house where love grows.


Each window  is filled with special memories of family celebrations.......of family love.


Holly's dad and mum, when she and her brother James were teeny babies.


There is a cute, lace trimmed, attic window and the prettiest of roof tiles. There has to, just has to be a li'l lace peeking from a house......somewhere, don't you think??



There are clothes lines where the washing sways in the gentle breeze, kissed by the sunshine.



There is Old Man Sun with his gentle smile of love and radiance, beaming rays of warm sunhine upon this house of love and an ancient tree where the little birdies rest awhile.


There is Holly's dad and her brother James driving the big, red truck when he was a little fellow. I love this photo; such a precious memory!


Even Holly's furry friend, Lottie loves to sit on the front porch amongst the roses. You see, Lottie, with that feline sixth sense of hers, knows this house is a house filled with love!


Each family member's name has been quilted in a doodling fashion on the wall hanging.





For many months Holly slowly and carefully stitched her house,stitch by stitch until finally last week, her beautiful, house wall hanging was finished.








What is the moving significance of Holly's house wall hanging?? You see, Holly is the daughter of my friend who passed away several weeks ago. When we talked about and designed this wall hanging, we could not have thought of the beautiful and poignant memories Holly's amazing wall hanging would evoke today.



Holly's beautiful wall hanging hangs with pride of place in her home. It is rather akin to a beautiful and touching benediction of the love this family has for each other. Holly has done the most splendid job in fashioning this lovely work of art. Indeed, "the house that Holly stitched" is one filled with a lifetime of treasured memories. It is a wall hanging which when gazed upon each day will bring to mind many, many lovely remembrances of special times spent with each member of the family. When gazed upon it will bring to mind the most beautiful memories of a most wonderful husband, dad and grandad.....for he was their world and they his.

May I say a lovely thank you to all you ladies who are thinking of and praying for my dear friend and her family. I know she is comforted by the thought that lovely ladies, such as you, from all over the globe have taken the time to think of her and her family at this time.

Until the next time..................




33 comments:

  1. Oh my Oh my.....this is the most wonderful quilt. the memories, the creativity behind it will be cherished forever. Please on to Holly my applause and triple thumbs up for a project so wonderfully made!!

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  2. Wow! That is one amazing project and the beauty goes on and on. Look at the memories that such a quilt holds, awesome.

    Bless you~~

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  3. Oh Kim, bought a great big lump to my throat & tears to my eyes reading this today. Bless Holly & her wonderful wallhanging & her family x x x

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  4. What an amazing accomplishment the wall hanging is and what a blessing to the family. Holly has done such a wonderful job and made a treasured family heirloom.

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  5. Oh, poor, darling little girl, I'm so sad for her loss ... the work of art she stiched is even much more meaningful for her than for any other who could be able and do something like that, I'm sure that your presence by her side is so very important and of deep solace, precious friend of mine, thanks most sincerely for sharing such a touching and moving post !

    Hope your having the best of weeks,
    I'm sending my dearest love to you

    Xx Dany

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  6. Beautiful idea and gorgeous result !!!!
    Have a lovely day !
    Anna

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  7. I am so moved by this post and by the connection to the post about your friend passing! Holly is just a young girl and look at the beautiful work she has done. Oh my, I am overwhelmed with sadness and proud of this girl's accomplishments. Prayers to their lovely family.

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  8. so very sad to read of Holly's Mom passing. She made a beautiful quilt full of memories. I am sure her Mom would have been very proud of her. Nancy

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  9. Oh my this just brought tears to my eyes, how special to have been able to help her with such memories for the family to cherish in this loving way, such beautiful work went into this, love how everyone is represented, such a special treasure it is!!

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  10. She did an outstanding job! Wonderful and congratulations!

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  11. Please tell Holly how wonderful this quilted house is. Love the stories, but the stitching is fantastic.

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  12. Be still my heart. How precious. Oh my, I feel so bad for the family. She did an amazing job under your guidance. The little people are stitched so perfectly. Well done darling!

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  13. Very touching story Kim, and such a wonderful quilt.
    Hugs.

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  14. And so now that I've read the rest of the story, it makes this post even more beautiful. What a wondrous and tenderly crafted way to always me reminded of the love this family share. I love everything about it. God is good even in the midst of tragedy. Thank you for sharing this special story, Kim. ♥

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  15. What a wonderful story, Kim, and how beautifully Holly stitched up that precious house with such lovely and touching memories. Holly is just beaming with her darling creation. Thank you for sharing with us! xx

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  16. Oh yes, I have tears. Not only is what Holly made beyond special, but the story behind it is so moving. To make something so detailed and so full of memories is an huge accomplishment for an adult, much less a young girl. Yes, well done!

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  17. What a heartbreaking and at the same time heart-warming story! Holly made an exquisite wall hanging, a true little masterpiece and a heirloom! So much love, happiness and positive energy, in every single stitch!

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  18. wow, what a story - i am tearing up just a little. such a precious gift - a true treasure forever!!!

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  19. That is the most perfect of wall hangings and it's wonderful that it's finished now, though so, so sad. I will be thinking even moreso about dear Holly and her family now I have seen more of them in Holly's beautiful work. x

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  20. I am unable to convey my feelings into words. I am so sorry, Kim. Such a heartbreaking story. I just finished reading your other beautiful post about your lovely garden. I have always admired your garden and I am glad that you can find peace there. I hate that Holly and her family is suffering. She put so much love and care into making such a precious piece. I hope it bring her some comfort however little it may be.

    -Soma xx

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  21. I am at a loss for words...sending my sympathies and condolences...what a lovely thing to make, Kim...smiles

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  22. The love and care put into that hanging will continue to give back to the generations. What a precious gift, no matter to whom.

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  23. This is an amazing and emotional post, Kim. And the quilt! There are no words. I'm sending a hug to you both.
    Amalia
    xo

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  24. What a wonderful wallhanging and such a poignant story behind it. Thank you for sharing this with us. Many blessings to the family. And yes, I teared up too. 💕💕

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  25. My goodness, what a wonderful gift Holly has made for her dear family. The timing of its completion couldn't have been better planned. Memories of her happy family stitched lovingly for so many days and weeks. Such sweet reminders of her dad ... love the truck picture.

    Holly, you have done a truly amazing job with this wall hanging. You have attended to the details so beautifully, like the billowing dress on the line :) and all your family names stitched into the fabric. You are a talented young lady and have made such a touching memory for your family.

    Life is precious and sometimes it seems over too soon for some. Sending a prayer for Holly and her family during this very tough time. I hope you can take her down to your pond and feel comfort there among the flowers and heavenly blue skies just like you do Kim. Hugs to you, you have been a great mentor to this sweet girl.
    Wendy xox

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  26. Just beautiful, Kim. What a lovely friend you are; it's like Holly's wall hanging has captured all the love and happy memories of her family to be cherished forever.

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  27. What a simply moving and beautiful way to remember a loved one, Holly has made an amazing job of her special house, thank you to both of you for sharing ....kind of puts life into perspective x

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  28. Every stitch made with love. A beautiful keepsake to remember her Dad by. hugs ValeryAnne.

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  29. Oh my goodness Kim, this post has my heart in tears! I have been praying for your dear friend's family, and have thought and prayed for them often, as I can only imagine the grief and loss that they are feeling, now especially with the holidays upon us. What an incredible gift of love that Holly made, without even knowing the bittersweet joy that it would bring. So sad that her father never got to see it. The incredible detail in this wall hanging, the loving thoughts behind it all, just amazing! You are an amazing person Kim, and I know that your friendship means so very much to this precious family. I will continue praying with you for them! Hugs to you today dear friend!

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  30. Such a lovely piece of work to be treasured, clever young lady.

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  31. What a lovely, though sad, story - and what luck that Holly has such a friend as you. This lovely project will be all the more special through the years as the pain of this time passes and comfort follows. You are a wonderful person to take such time to teach and inspire Holly - she has a very special friend in you.

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  32. Kim,
    What a deeply touching story! How very thoughtful of you to guide her in this project which must bring her so much comfort. I love this idea for a wall hanging and I am sure she will always treasure not only the quilt but also the time you took to help her. You are so kind.
    Linda

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