When this you see

After being inspired by 19th century memorial needlework, I asked Jessica Marquez of Miniature Rhino to create a special needlepoint. I already have a couple of her needlework constellations, which I adore.

And here's what she did! Don't you agree that the vintage-inspired stitching is absolutely gorgeous? Look at the detail of the flowers:

This piece is so sweet and versatile, with enough space for a special memento between the phrases Remember me/When this you see. Jessica included some thread for sewing on small tokens. Here's the needlepoint with a lock of my grandmother's hair:

And here it is with the Order of the Eastern Star pendant that belonged to my great-grandmother:

And finally, a sprig of lavender that my mother gave to me:

This sentimental needlepoint is handmade, and can be passed on between generations, giving us a lovely opportunity to remember those we love every time we see it. It also would make an awesome gift. Thanks Jessica!

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flea market find

I was very excited to find these modest remembrance cross stitch samplers at the Alameda Flea Market last week. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places, but finding remembrance or mourning items in California is rare. Did we leave our mourning skills behind when we migrated west? I was also thrilled that they cost only $10 each. What a deal!

My first impulse was to change the frames, but on closer look I realized the framing itself is fairly old - a Ben Franklin Crafts store purchase from the 50's or 60's. I imagine someone inherited these samplers several years ago, and lovingly framed them as part of their personal history. Even though the framing's not my taste, I have to respect they are part of the heritage and leave them be.

Speaking of personal history, I also spent the weekend in our loft going through old photo albums, looking for pictures of my dad for his upcoming memoir, "Confessions of a Horseshoer", to be published by a university press. I'm so proud of him! He's led an amazing life and continues to inspire me everyday. My favorite cat Gentle Henry kept me company, and by the looks of it got a little bored with the process.

Forget Me Not

Sometimes the best way to remember someone is through an object that's veiled, less literal. It's sort of like "undercover mourning." Having an item that's specifically made to help remember someone, while also being very pretty to look at, can help us avoid feeling like we are living in a shrine.

Miniature Rhino's precious needlework falls into this category. I love her work, in fact I bought a few of her constellation pieces last year. This unbleached muslim needlepoint, called Book of Hours, was part of an exhibit called Forget Me Not at Gallery Hanahou in New York City. Here's the description of the piece:

Inspired by the idea of a forget me not, a physical object that recalls a person, I made this detailed piece about remembrance. The imagery: diamond, bee, honeycomb, and knotted bow, directly relate to a quote from the book Metaphors of Memory: A history of ideas about the mind by D. Draaism. The quote below is typed on a crème paper and adhered to the reverse of the piece with photo corners....


"In books of hours miniaturists drew jewels, coins, flowers and beehives. Valuables collected like nectar from flowers to be stored in the honeycombs of our memory."
-D. Draaisma

Remember Me

What do you do with a photo of a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a person from another era who's part of your history yet you hardly knew, if you knew them at all? Somehow, frames don't seem to be adequate. Something else is required to bridge the distance between times.

I came across this Remember Me Sampler by Miniature Rhino at Etsy, and it seems to me the perfect solution. The intimate, handmade quality of needlepoint framing a vintage tintype photo, along with the words "Remember Me, When This You See" feels both contemporary and timeless. It's framed by a wooden embroidery hoop, with archival fabric glue holding the embroidery linen in place.


This piece is a perfect way to think outside the frame, a thoughtfully-crafted reminder to remember those forgotten.