A very special quilt

Recently we embarked on a rather special project.

One of our customers asked us to help her create a graduation gift for her son. It was to be a special gift, both sentimental and useful in his new life that he is about to embark on.

Hedda asked us if we could help her to make a patch work bed spread, but not an ordinary one, this bedspread needed to include pictures of Theo’s  life: his friends, his favourite places, and even his cat! so the first task was to sit down with Isabelle who helped her to select some 20 photos from the myriad of images that make up his memorie, and the colours of the fabric that they were to be printed into.

Then, with Nga and the girls we worked together to place the photos onto the patchwork for assembly.

The base of the patchwork is also rather special. it includes batik from Indonesia where Theo was born, strips were cut off his lion king duvet cover that was given to him as a Christening present and kept him covered  and warm  in his bed in Germany where he lived for 6 years, Blue silk represents Vietnam where he currently lives with his parents and his Teakwando belt was sewn on to represent his second favourite sport (his badmington racket would not have fit into the washing machine).

Theo is heading to Germany to study now and Hedda and Ernst are embarking on their own adventure in a caravan built for two… I  hope they keep in touch, look forward to hearing their stories of their travels and one day, perhaps we could make them another bed spread with what they collect during their journey.

We in our workshp  discovered the joys of printing on fabric some examples of which will be in the shop soon…. and that little boys become bigger boys all to quickly but leaving the nest might be that much easier if they can take bedding too.

For special teachers everywhere…

….. It  was his last day of kindergarden in a little primary school called St Merri who’s play ground was the famous fountain at the George Pompidou  Centre in very heart of Paris. We were to embark on our new life in Vietnam. Busy packing making plans and feeling somewhat unsure of our new life ahead.Thomas came home from school and  held up a well loved brown velveteen rabbit with red striped pants and a paisly shirt.
 ”My teacher give it to me mummy”  he proudly proclaimed in his best two year old’s english.
“Are you sure darling?” I said, ” it looks like a bunny that is very loved and may be there is a little boy or girl in your class who will not be able to sleep tonight if it is not in their bed?”
“no mummy” he said, ” my teacher really give it to me”The next day I held him by the hand as i gave the bunny back to the teacher.
” I am sorry my son brought this home by mistake yesterday. Which little girl or boy does it belong to?”
“It was mine!” she said, It used to comfort me when I was a child and I wanted Thomas to have it when he moved to Vietnam to remind him of me and our little school.”I went home humbled that day, and a little ashamed of myself. Teachers are very special people and little boys don’t necessarily lie.

We have reproduced this bunny in all our favourite soft velvet colours because we know how special his soft ears feel next to little boys cheeks in a warm cosy beds.

We are in search of this teacher, it was in 1995 or 1996. That’s why we traduce this anecdote in French.

 

A ces instituteurs si particuliers partout dans le monde… 

…..C’etait son dernier jour de classe a la maternelle de l’ecole Saint Merri, a cette epoque, la cour de recreation etait la celebre fontaine du Centre George Pompidou , situee au coeur de Paris. Nous allions nous embarquer pour une nouvelle vie au Vietnam. Occupes a preparer les cartons et faire des projets, ressentant un certain doute concernant notre vie a venir… 

Thomas revint de l’ecole serrant un Lapinou marron, en velours habille d’un pantalon raye rouge et d’une blouse imprimee.“Mon institutrice me l’a donne Maman”   proclama-t-il fierement du haut de ses 2 ans dans un anglais parfait.

“Tu es sur Cheri? lui demandais-je.”Ca ressemble a un  Doudou qui a recu beaucoup d’amour et peut etre il y a un petit garcon ou une petite fille de ta classe qui n’arrivera pas a s’endormir ce soir s’il ne l’a pas dans son lit?” 

“Non Maman” me repondit-il. ”  Ma maitresse me l’a vraiment donne.”

 Le lendemain, je lui prit la main pendant que je rendais le Lapinou a l’institrice.“je suis desolee, mon fils l’a rapporte a la maison par erreur hier.A quelle petite fille ou petit garcon appartient-il ?”

“C’etait le mien!” me repondit-elle, il avait l’habitude de me reconforter quand j’etais enfant et je voulais que Thomas le prenne avec lui quand il demenagerait au Vietnam pour se rapeler de moi et de son ecole maternelle.” 

Je rentrais a la maison pleine d’humilite, et un peu honteuse de moi. Les instituteurs sont vraiement des personnes particulieres, et les petits garcons ne mentent pas toujours… 

Nous avons reproduit ce Lapinou dans toutes nos couleurs preferees de velours parce que nous savons combien c’est precieux ce lien magique qui unit les petits Lapinous aux oreilles douces et les petits garcons aux joues roses, la nuit dans leurs lits chauds et doulillets.  

Nous sommes a la recherche de cette institutrice.

Alors nous postons un avis de recherche!