For the love of Family

This is Jim Manning


Darleen Manning came to me 1 year after her husband (Jim Manning) had passed away from a heart attack.  They where only married one year a second marriage for both of them.  When I went to her home, she brought me into her bedroom and said I haven't touched a thing.  She said,  I didn't know how to start. I said no problem we can do it together.  Before we began she said I need 9 quilts I need one for everyone in the family.  She said Jim has 2 children, I have 2 children, then there is Jims 2 brothers, his sister and a neice who Jim was very close with, she had luekemia at the age of 8 and is now in her thirties.  And of course I want one.  I said no problem.  But before we start I would like to separate the clothing that is important to everyone.  Darleen gave me 4 bags and I labeled them.  One bag for Darleen, one for Jim's daughter, one for Jim's son and one for everyone else.  On the side table was a framed cross stitch, it had a beautiful verse on it.  Darleen noticed me reading and saidJims sister made that for Jim.  I want her to have it back can you do something with it.  I said I could.

Darleen began with Jims shirts, the first one happened to be Jim's off white embossed Tommy Bahama shirt, she said, this was his wedding shirt. 

Which of course went in Darleen's bag.  And then there where
the t shirts with logo's that his daughter gave him and the hat his son gave him.  Along with the Holy Cross sweat shirt.  She said Jim went to Holy cross you know.  And as we went through each drawer and each hanger my mind was full of ideas.   Just as we where closing the closet door.  Darleen said you know I have my wedding gown here, could you use it,   I said I could but please be sure you can part with it, she said yes for I will never wear it again.  And I placed that gown in the bag tagged

Darleen.   Just before I was about to leave, Darleen said wait I have one more thing.  I know it is here somewhere, here it is.   And she gave me a 1" by 1" piece of material that was from the sash of her wedding gown.

  She said Jim carried this in his wallet all the time.  He was trying to match it to something.  I carefully took that piece and place it in my wallet.  For I didn't want to loose it.  I must say my mouth was saying no problem but my mind was saying where am I going to place such a small piece of fabric. 

On my 2 1/2 hour ride home my mind was full of ideas, the second I got home.  I brought all the bags to my studio.  And began sketching.  I knew the first one would be made with the wedding gown and wedding shirt.  I searched the internet and found a beautiful paperpiece heart with a long stem rose

laying in the middle of the heart.   This is what I made from this beautiful fabric.

I named this quilt "PEACE OF MY HEART"   Remember that 1": piece of fabric well it now sits in the middle of the center rosebud.  The tabs are made from the sash of the wedding gown. 

On the back of each quilt is a pocket from the clothing and a letter from me that explains the history of the quilt.

Because Darleen live on the ocean I wanted to make a quilt that represented what lived outside her windows.  I named this quilt "STORMY SEAS WITHSTAND":  The entire front is made from

clothing.

The next one that I made was for Jim's sister - Elaine.  I took the needlepoint piece she had made and

placed it inside a basket.  I named this quilt 'UNCONDITIONAL LOVE'  ,

Darleen asked that her quilt be a lap quilt.  She wanted something to put on her when she sits to read a book.  This quilt top is made entirely of Jims clothing.  Because of the clock on the top of the quilt

I wanted the quilt to look like it was going from morning to night.  There is a lot of emotion in this quilt.  Every block is a memory, the hat Jim gave her on there honeymoon, the wedding gown heart,

the tie that sits in the middle of the quilt.  It is a man sitting in a chair surrounded by people.  The logo of Holy Cross. The tie Jim's son bought Jim, to wear at the son's wedding.  The nighty Jim bought Darleen with the silver coins on it.  The logo's of places the've been as a couple.  The lips from the joke underwear Darleen gave Jim.  I named this quilt 'TIME IN A DAY."

          The next quilt I made was for Elaine Jim's sister.  She had made the needlepoint that was in a frame:       The basket is made from Jims red and white checkered shirt and his forest green shirt.                                                          

                                                                                    

The verse reads: 

       A friend
       Is one to whom one may pour
       all the contens of one's heart
      chaf and grain together
      knowing that the gentlest of hands
      will take it and sift it,
      Keep what is worth keeping
      and with a breath of kindness
      blow the rest away. 

                             ems