A Fine Memory of a Cherished Friend

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of receiving an email from Ellen who is hooking a pattern I drew  for her with customized dogs in honor of her Cardigan Welsh Corgis.  Ellen saw my Pembroke Welsh Corgi version of this rug in progress and requested the pattern to include her Cardigans.

Here is Ellen's rug in progress.

Oda Mae (foreground) memory rug in progress, hooked by Ellen Ikerd.  Size is roughly 36 x 26.

In the foreground, the brown / brindle dog is Oda Mae.  The sad story is that Oda Mae died suddenly and unexpectedly before the pattern reached Ellen; she was not ill at the time the pattern was ordered.

Still, this has not stopped Ellen from hooking the rug and doing so has facilitated the natural grief process.  Ellen decided to hook the sky as a sunset instead of sunrise.  The project has given her lots of opportunity to reflect on Oda Mae and experience grief inherent to losing a cherished pet.

Ellen, thank you for sharing your photo; I love the colors you've been using and I can't wait to see the finished rug.  I feel honored that you shared it with me and gave me permission to show it on my blog.  Your work is wonderful.  I love the strong colors.

My hope is that additional time will give you the gift to smile every time you look at the rug rather than experience any sadness at the loss of your treasured Oda Mae.

Please note:  I have opened comments to the blog again as some of you might wish to express your comments about Ellen's rug and I've received several private emails from people wishing to comment on various posts.  Comments had been turned off due to unnecessary cyber bullying and I am hopeful that any bullying type person will kindly restrain themselves from the need to be unkind.