I too am so sorry for your loss. My mom has been gone 11 years 7/30th, seems so much like yesterday at times. Your darling quilt reminds so much of my mom's bird houses and birdbath we put outside Mom and Dad's dining room window. They would sit for hours and watch the birds. They even named some of the birds because they came so regularly. That brought them many hours of delight when they were no longer able to do much.
Thanks for the memories. Hopefully, your completed quilt will be healing for you. Your memories will also be healing. After 11 years, I sometimes think about calling Mom to check on something.
God Bless.