urn cozies and vintage books

Here are a couple of new knit urn cozies, which will be available for sale on my soon-to-be-revised website (details soon!) This lovely wine colored cozy is by Andrea Lesley Crochet. Andrea's an amazing Etsy seller well-known for her adorable tea cozies. So while you may not be in the market for an urn cozy at this time, please check out her tea cozies, they'll make the perfect gift sure to help warm up chilly autumn evenings.

The lovely thing about knit urn cozies is that they're simply created to cover the plastic box that most people receive from the funeral home. Whether you're planning to scatter the ashes at a later date, or simply don't know what you want to do just yet, knit cozies like these offer a nice warm, textured alternative to a stark plastic box.

I personally love the way these cozies look with vintage, well-loved books. The knit cozy below is another nice option by The Hat Pit.

One of my goals with this project is to help people find ways to bring urns into their daily lives - so many people I've spoken with don't know what to do with urns they receive, and all too often they end up (guiltily) in the back of a closet. In their attempts to be respectful, traditional urns can unintentionally take on an ominous presence. For me, these knit cozies are a friendly and unassuming alternative. They don't suck the air out of a room the way formal urns can.

I hope others will agree with me!

warmth

When you think of urns, the words "soft" and "tactile" rarely come to mind. I'm hoping to change that with knit urn cozies. This one is created by Andrea Lesley Crochet, who's well known for her handcrafted tea cozies. Isn't this lovely?

an urn made of summer skies

In memory of someone dear, textile artist Patricia Bown has created this lovely knit urn cozy. With a deep blue base reminiscent of summer skies, crocheted flowers and butterflies skim the top, adding an element of light-heartedness.

Along the side of the cozy Patricia chose the favorite colors of her beloved. These colorful stripes remind me of a layer cake made from spring days.

It's very challenging to bring light and cheer to an urn, and Patricia's piece is a wonderful example of the possibilities. Her work is inspired by nature and the sea, and I'm especially fond of this sea urchin collection:

new urn cozy!

Here's another gorgeous urn cozy by Pondhopper. This is my third one, and there will be four more unique designs on the way. These cozies are designed to cover the plastic boxes that store ashes, and I think they're a lovely alternative to what's out there. If you choose to scatter the ashes, these cozies can be used to store mementoes.

This one is made from antique upholstery. I love the gently worn fabric. And the details are amazing. It has a vintage feel, and for me reflects the beauty of a life well lived, and a memory well cherished.

Here's the first urn cozy that Pondhopper made for me:

In this Modern Mourner project, these urn cozies truly capture the sentiment of how I feel about mourning. Pondhopper's cozies are handmade, and unlike anything out there. The cozy above contains my mother's ashes, and it sits on my shelf in my living room. I feel as if my mother is nearby, and the beauty of this design captures my sentiments - the affection and love I feel when I think of her. I truly hope this idea catches on. I am so thankful for Lorraine at Pondhopper for making these for me, and understanding the significance of honoring those we've loved and lost. They are still part of our lives, and always will be. They deserve something beautiful.

my own memento mori

I like the idea of knowing where I'm going, so I commissioned my own urn cover from Pondhopper. It's based on Victorian mourning dress, with all of the brimming bustle and prim lace. It's made with raw unlined black silk, lined with white lace, with a bustle-like top and vintage black buttons. I love the way it's both billowing over yet buttoned down - it very much suits me. Words cannot describe how much I adore this piece!

I plan to keep my most precious personal possessions in it for now, and when my time comes my ashes can kept sheltered in this most stylish cover. If my ashes are scattered at some point, I hope this wrap can be used to store meaningful mementos.

Everyone should have their own memento mori (Alexander McQueen skull scarves don't count.) We mention in passing that we'd like our ashes scattered, but truly never give it much thought. Contemplating and planning for our own death ultimately makes life more meaningful. Take a moment, and if you are so inclined, order your own urn cover from Pondhopper today. She will make you something beautiful and personal.

beautiful urn cover

I am so amazed at the beauty of this piece by Pondhopper Studio! It's a one-of-a-kind, hand-sewn urn cover, commissioned by me. This is a unique concept, and I hope that Pondhopper's covers will catch on quickly and become another option for keeping a loved one cozy and close to home.

For me, it began when I picked up my mother's ashes at the funeral home, just days after her service. They handed me a plastic box, similar in size to a shoe box. I didn't quite know what to do next nothing felt emotionally right. The urns I had seen did not look like anything I wanted to display. And to be honest, I wasn't ready to take her ashes out of the box. So I displayed the plastic box in the bookshelf for a while. Later I knit an urn cozy to wrap around the box, but my knitting skills are rudimentary at best. While it was the gesture that mattered, I still hoped to find something that perfectly suited my sentimental memories of her.

I came across Lorraine's Pondhopper Studio shop on Etsy last year, and was blown away by the beauty of her repurposed sewn creations - from skirts to spats, dresses to wraps. When I approached her about possibly making an urn cover, she immediately understood the concept. We both believe in repurposing sentimental items, and it was a perfect fit. I cannot believe how lovely this cover is, just look at the amazing detail!

I'm very excited to announce that Pondhopper Studio now has a Modern Mourner section in the Etsy shop, and I'll be featuring a link to Lorraine's work on my upcoming website. I think this is the beginning of an amazing new product. Whether you plan on scattering a loved one's ashes and want something beautiful to carry them in, or if you'd like to keep them close to home, Pondhopper's repurposed urn covers are a simply stunning and original concept. Each cover is lovingly handmade, and can be personalized with your own sentimental remnants.

I've even ordered one for myself, loosely based on Victorian mourning clothing. I see it as a personal memento mori that will lovely to look at. I'll be sure to post pictures when it's complete. In the meantime, check out Pondhopper Studio's blog.