The Twilight Angel
The first thing I really remember embroidering for my grandmother is a cross-stitch scene of a sparrow sitting on a branch surrounded by pink flowers. I’m sure she came to be in possession of one of my childhood attempts that consisted of a mishmash of straight stitches in various lengths and colors on a tiny wooden hoop, but this was the first real work that I made just for her. I chose the pattern at the needlework store because it was cute, nature-themed and -most importantly- small and only required the relatively easy cross stitch. I worked on it periodically, during homework breaks or while I was half- paying attention to something on TV. When it was done I proudly framed it and mailed it to her house on the prairies, 1700 miles away. In a few weeks I received a letter thanking me in her perfect cursive hand, telling me what a sweet surprise it was and how pleased she was that I had picked up the hobby again.