My Sister's Scarves

When my sister, Nancy, first lost her hair from chemo in 2005, I started sewing scarves...

and I didn't stop for five years.

I thought I was making the scarves to help Nancy but I realize now that I was doing it to help myself  too.

.

The sicker Nancy got, the more I sewed...

Nancy had a scarf for every occasion...

for her favorite cat...

 her favorite team...

and for every holiday.

Her 3rd grade students loved the fact that "Mrs. Tufts" always had the perfect scarf for every classroom party!

She kept them pinned to a little clothesline in her bedroom.

 I made so many scarves that Nancy couldn't possibly wear them all...

 so we began to make scarves to donate to other women going through chemo.

Monday night, Nancy's husband, Aaron, stopped by...

to bring me Nancy's scarves.

Holding them flooded me with memories...I held my nose to them to try to smell Nancy...to feel her with me again.

A few days have passed. I think I'm ready to let go of Nancy's scarves. Tomorrow I'll wash and iron them to donate to the Maine Womens' Cancer Center.

And while I'm at it, maybe I'll finish all the rest of them that are cut out and ready to be sewn up...so that other women can wear them.

I think Nancy would like that.

In loving memory of my sister, Nancy Tufts

1952 - 2010