MCH -- your words moved me. I'm so sorry that you lost your mom but glad that you got to say "good bye".
About those hand done hems -- I can remember my mom making me take it out and redoing until it was done to HER satisfaction. I lost my mom when I was 32 and feel that I lost a lot of knowledge, not only of quilting, but about life in general!
Thanks for the reminder that we should always remember the ones who taught us our special skills!