Passage Quilting Aids in the Grieving Process

Memorial and Bereavement Quilts Made from the Clothes of the Deceased

Since 2002, Sherri Lynn Wood has been creating artful quilts from what she calls the “materials of everyday life”. Through collaboration and consultation with clients, Wood crafts the quilts from clothing and other common materials to create lasting memories in a comforting and beautiful piece of art.

Wood’s work has, over the years, transformed into a hands-on grieving and healing process that she calls “passage quilting”. As a quilter, she hosts workshops where she guides clients through the process of creating these “improvised” quilts, as well as through the emotional processes of grief, loss, and bereavement. Through these workshops, Wood addresses grief by reminding clients: “they are simply, always making a quilt.” The process allows them an outlet for their grief, a way to address it without becoming overwhelmed by it.

Along with the workshops, Wood also makes quilts commissioned by clients, like the one below, made from the colorful and bold signature clothes of the late Walter F. Kenney, Jr. The quilt was commissioned by Kenney’s daughter, Lauren, as a gift to her mother.

Wood has been making quilts (personally) since 1988. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from Bard College and a Masters of Theological Studies from Emory University, and works from San Francisco and Durham, NC, as an artist, activist, and healer. Her expertise combine to create a fulfilling and healing process for clients, as well as a creative and artists experience.

Follow Wood’s blog for information about current workshops, her exhibitions, and other events.

Photo source.

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