Mom has been gone a year and eight months now and, as I have mentioned on here before, I inherited her stash as none of my three sisters have an interest in sewing.

Up to now I have had my containers of fabric and Mom's containers of fabric. Two things have emerged in the past few days that have cemented the fact that it's time to merge.

One is my New Year's resolution to organize my fabric and get it into ONE place, and the other is that I am starting Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt and I have no idea what I really have in fabric to use.

So.....last night I filled a container with both mine and Mom's fabric in it. It made me tear up and miss her all the more, but I guess it's all a part of the process. :cry: :cry: :cry:

My mom has been gone two years now and I still miss her every day although now I remember the times we spend together with happier thoughts. Believe it or not it does get easier with time.

Won't it be nice to have a quilt that has fabrics from both stashes. I inherited both my mom's and my sister's--think of them every time I use one of their fabrics.

I am so sorry....It will never be easy thinking about...but it could be therapuetic to peice with her fabric and think about her during the process..as it is something you shared.

My mother passed away almost nine years ago and I still miss her. My mother taught me to sew and it was a bond that only she and I shared. I'm from a big family and I was the only one with an interest in sewing. The healing will come and you will have wonderful memories, yet there will always be moments when the tears flow.

My Mom has been gone 3 years & though I don't have any of her fabric, I do have her sewing machine & some threads & notions. I'm using them, but realize that I am still keeping them separate. Who know when, if ever, I will combine them. Or that I have to I guess?

I miss my Mom, too. Made a quilt top with long scraps from her stash. It turned out nice. Some day I'll get it quilted, but for now, it's a pleasant reminder of her.

My sister got the majority of Mom's stash. My 6 year old grand-nephew and I used some rectangular scraps. He designed a 4 patch. Didn't tell him that it's been done before, because it wasn't done before by him! He made (4) 4 patches, and then told me it was going to be a 'butt warmer' for his bird, Sparky, would I mind if Sparky pooped on it?

So my Mom's fabric led to a little more love and a laugh. Who could ask for more?

I've done the same, and Yes, it was hard to do, but the times you can use some of those pieces for someone special, you know you've added a little of her in the process. Not just the skill and craft but a little piece of her personality, not long ago made one for Mom's twin brother for his 70th birthday. For the granddaughter she never met.... OK now I'm weepy!!
Truely Great to put it to good use :)

My mom passed away in 1989 at the age of 57. She loved to buy fabric for me - she didn't sew much - and I still have some of the awful polyester fabric she purchased. I know I will probably never use it, but just having it to touch occasionally is soothing somehow.

I inherited 1/3 of mom's massive stash in 2003 (two of my sisters also quilt) and last summer while making stockings for the troops through Project Santa, was actually able to donate some her fabric to that cause. That was also very healing. I knew it was something that Mom would have done and would have wanted me to do. Yes, everytime I pull out one of Mom's fabrics it makes me miss her and we "talk" a while, but it also floods me with such warmth and fond memories. The 'tearing up' probably won't change even after you combine the stashes but you're right, it's part of the process. Your mother probably loved her stash as much as we do so just think of it as her love still being with you. Each time you use a piece of it you'll be passing some of your mother's love to whomever you give the quilt to and her love will live on.