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Question:

They will be sleeping on my fabric and trying to climb into my lap when I’m stitching. And you’ll have Motley getting in the way of your needle. How could it possibly be heaven without them??

My sympathy to Victoria also. Coming from a long line of cat and textile lovers, I understand your feelings. But Carol’s comments raise one of those intriguing aspects of cat’s behaviour. They definitely seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to textiles. Many a time, I have eagerly gone to start a new needlepoint kit, so neatly packed in brown paper bags, to find it weighed down by Zin Zin – a silver Tabby (named after a wonderful character in a Japanese Kabuki (sp) version of Red Riding Hood called Small Crimson Parasol. The wolf is replaced by a Tiger called Zin Zin). It is quite obvious really that the wool has been packaged in the brown paper bag purely for the cat’s pleasure. What other reason could there be? Anyway, the curious thing is, cat’s seem to smell out your intentions to sit down and sew from miles away, and appear from nowhere to convince you there are more important things in life (like scratching under kitty’s chin). When you feel better, Victoria, I suggest that you have a look at a wonderful book I got for my mother last Christmas called "Why Cats Paint". Its a wonderfully clever and witty satire of modern art through the eyes of feline "artists". It will help you appreciate the contribution your moggie made to the history of textile design. Best wishes, Kerin

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I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your pets. Pets are lifelong friends and it is always tragic when they have to leave us. It is most probably the reason you are having difficulty concentrating on the more difficult bands of your stitching. Perhaps you may want to stop a bit and work on something small and not too demanding for a bit. I find that I enjoy the combination of stitching and doing something that I can result in fairly quickly when I’m down. My thoughts are with you.

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Victoria Yturralde writes: On Monday morning my best, most comforting friend was killed–Motley, my tortoise cat. I had no idea it would hurt so much, and when I took up my stitching and saw bits of her hair worked in (remembering how I had cursed her for shedding into my project)–I just started bawling. For me, this project will always be special because of that dumb fur…and I won’t pull one hair out. If only, if only…one more time, she’d get in the way of my needle…..

Victoria I am sorry I do not have your e-mail address, I have only seen the follow up posts. I know just how you feel – I had my beloved dog put down at the end of May – I wish and wish he was still here; every little thing, a puppy tooth, hair from his brush, his collar, hairs in my needlework are cherished as much as he was! It must be so much worse to lose Motley by an un-natural death – you cannot prepare for that and say a proper goodbye. I had so many messages from people on the group who wrote to comfort me, I hope they do the same for you too – it does help a little if others understand and share your grief. It also helps to cry and cry like you did – it somehow washes a little of the hurt away. These pets – they creep in and steal our hearts away don’t they? I think their love and devotion is the most wonderful thing, almost more special than the trusting unconditional love of a small child, because it is a cross-species thing with a pet; why do they choose to love us so much when we don’t always deserve it? I was also told a lovely story of the rainbow bridge where your pet waits for you until your time comes to die, and then you are re-united and cross the bridge together. So Motley will be there waiting for you – remember that when you feel really bad. I will look the story up in my mail at work and post it to you. With all my love and sympathy, Rosemary

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Victoria, I’m so sorry! When my dear best-cat had to be put to sleep at the ripe old age of 22 years, there were bits and pieces of her fur everywhere, most of all in every piece I’ve stitched. She was dear and gentle and a loving companion to my three children, as well. I think that cat fur and cross-stitch are part of the Master Plan. My thoughts are with you and your Motley…… Kay Foley

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Victoria I’m so sorry to hear about your Motley. Just yesterday I was scolding my cat Mookie for laying on a banner I was sewing. I just gave him a big hug for being such a love. My condolences are with you. Cynde —

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Victoria I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. I lost my best friend in March. She was almost 17 years old….it was time for her to go, but I still miss her as much now as if it just happened. Erica I’ve noticed a few people in the last while have lost companions (whether they be dogs or cats or any other furred or feathered friend). When I lost my cat, many friends sent me this poem. I hope it will be as much of a solace to others as it was to me. I know that this is not entirely appropriate for this group, and I apologise to those who feel this is a waste of bandwidth. THE RAINBOW BRIDGE There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge, there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass. When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place. There is always food and water, and warm Spring weather. Those old and frail animals are young again. Those who have been maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other. But there is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth. So, each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up. The nose twitches, the ears are up, the eyes are staring, and this one suddenly runs from the group. You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again and again and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated. — * Erica Nielsen Killins | To err is human, but if the * * Home of the Jays & the Leafs | pencil, you’re overdoing it. *

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Okay, okay! I KNOW it’s Wednesday and thus the first day of Valley Forge. But surely SOME of us had to work this week and are still around, stitching at home, and heading to VF over the weekend? NO?? (It’s been aaawfully quiet here lately) I have to interject one personal non-Needlework note here – you may recall a while ago I posted that our elderly dog, Pretzel, had died. She was fourteen. Well, last weekend (Saturday) I had to have my fifteen-year-old cat put to sleep. Let me tell you, folks, not only had Cendrillon put up with my stitching her fur into my pieces, but she had gone through a great many life changes with me. I miss her dreadfully, though friends, net-friends and our one remaining cat are helping me cope. I don’t know whether it’s the emotional climate or just the design, but I am (still) working on Birthday Roses. NOW I am on the last band – it is a series of wreaths. And I am having the WORST time counting. There are three stitches here, three there, and so on. Does this mean I am TW-and-Glorafilia-impaired, if I am nearly unable to get this thing stitched? These wreaths are more frustrating than any of the specialty stitches thus far in the piece! I will hope it is my grief that is creating this difficulty. See some of you up in PA on Saturday. (Yes, my dear Cendrillon had the grace to leave us on a day when I was able to say goodbye properly, a day we were at home. I am melancholically glad that she did not need to suffer while I would be at a festival; but departed giving me some time to come to grips before I travelled.) Linda

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Linda, my thoughts are with you. I too have experienced the loss of dear, long-time pet-friends and know the feelings of loss and grief. If you need to take time off stitching to work through the hardest period of grief, by all means do so. Your stitching is therapeutic though, so perhaps just hold back a bit and not do as much as you usually would. My prayers are with you and your pet-friends. Take care of yourself. Love, — Amy Logsdon Warner University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing My opinions are my own and I’m pretty sure they aren’t those of this institution.

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On Monday morning my best, most comforting friend was killed–Motley, my tortoise cat. I had no idea it would hurt so much, and when I took up my stitching and saw bits of her hair worked in (remembering how I had cursed her for shedding into my project)–I just started bawling. For me, this project will always be special because of that dumb fur…and I won’t pull one hair out. If only, if only…one more time, she’d get in the way of my needle….. Victoria

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: On Monday morning my best, most comforting friend was killed–Motley, my : tortoise cat. I had no idea it would hurt so much, and when I took up my : stitching and saw bits of her hair worked in (remembering how I had : cursed her for shedding into my project)–I just started bawling. For me, : this project will always be special because of that dumb fur…and I : won’t pull one hair out. If only, if only…one more time, she’d get in : the way of my needle….. Victoria, I’m so sorry about Motley. I have nine cats and two dogs at home and I know how special they are to me. I hope stitching helps. You might want to see if you can find a xstitch pattern of a cat that you like and put Motley’s name on it. When my elderly Abbyssinian died, we turned one of our bookshelves into a "cat shrine." We put his picture there (and later the urn with his ashes). Since then it’s acquired various cat figurines, a cat candle holder, and an incense burner….and also Brigand’s ashes (he died a year after Cinnabar). We often put flower arrangements there, and sometimes burn candles or incense (especially when we’re missing them). You might try something like this for Motley if you find the thought comforting. I have been trying to design a cross-stitch piece for the shrine. I want to use Paul Gallico’s poem "Honorable Cat" — but so far I haven’t been able to come up with one. Sending comforting thoughts your way– — Lori R. Coulson Zone 5 * Darkness stirs, and wakes imagination… *

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Victoria, I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of Motley. I, too, have a cat who LOVES to help me with my stitching and there are bits of him in every project I’ve done in the past 3 years. I know there’s nothing I can say that will help, but I wanted you to know my heart goes out to you. I will be giving Q a big hug tonight when I get home. Wendy

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Victoria, I read your post and cried with you…tonight while I’m stitching, I’ll appreciate the bits of fur left by Chloe, Pekoe, and Moka. I can’t imagine life without them. My condolences. — |- Staff Assistant/City Council -|- -| |- Omaha Douglas Civic Center -|- VOICE: (402) 444-5519 -|

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Victoria, My heart goes out to you. I too stitch bits of dog and cat into all my work and long ago stopped complaining about it (occasionally bits of long-haired husband as well!) because I know which I’d rather have. I would be shattered if I lost any one of them (four Birman cats and a border collie dog) or even the long-haired husband. Thinking of you in your sadness, Jennie. —

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I have a LOT of wonderful free patterns from many famous designers (don’t we all collect these?) and just recieved many more in a trade. (Thanks, Carol!) I also own a scanner. Now – how do you get these things on an ftp site for everyone to see? I have a BBS set up, so everyone could freq them, but for the Internet, that defeats the purpose. And I know about the CFDN – I was helping with it for the longest time, but it no longer has a hatch site. So back to my original question – how can I get these glorious patterns out for everyone to look at???

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Victoria…. I’m so sorry about your loss. I hope that the pain will ease soon….I’ve been spending a good amount of time pulling cat hairs out of my round robin stitching, and I know when Katie dies I will miss her horribly. My symphathy is with you and I hope that as you continue to stitch this project, with every stitch will come happy memories of your good friend. dee

Response:

This is to Victoria Yturralde and anyone else who has lost a dear friend: On Monday morning my best, most comforting friend was killed–Motley, my tortoise cat. I had no idea it would hurt so much, and when I took up my stitching and saw bits of her hair worked in (remembering how I had cursed her for shedding into my project)–I just started bawling. For me, this project will always be special because of that dumb fur…and I won’t pull one hair out. If only, if only…one more time, she’d get in the way of my needle…..

My dear Victoria – My heart goes out to you for your loss. I too have a tortoise cat, a long hair named Ginger, and I try not to think about the fact that I will no doubt outlive her. I have lost two cats, and I know the pain you are feeling. I know it sounds corny, but as time goes by it won’t hurt so bad (although it never really goes away). Someday, you’ll remember and funny things Motley did and be able to laugh about them, and then you’ll know your grief has started to heal. I don’t care what the theologians say — I know it in my heart to be true that I will see my beloved Cat and Sam again. They will be sleeping on my fabric and trying to climb into my lap when I’m stitching. And you’ll have Motley getting in the way of your needle. How could it possibly be heaven without them?? Carol Smith 06/25/95 9:27PM

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