your story brought to mind one of my most treasured memories. when my son was 7 our favorite aunt was in the hospital dieing from throat cancer. she couldn't talk. my son sat down at my viking and hemmed the edges of a red fabric square. the pattern was multi-colored hearts. he spelled out in letters,"dear aunt b, i love you! danny".
he felt that she could hold the fabric in her hand and could feel the stitched letters and know that his love was with her. after she passed the square was returned to danny. i keep it for him, in a drawer, with other treasures. that was just the beginning of his sewing.