Autumn Song/Heart Song

One of my favorite pieces of needlework is Autumn Song by Blackbird Designs.  Autumn Song is one of the Loose Feather Patterns #27 released in 2007.  There are so many elements in this design I love--the colors--very fall.  It is a sewing box, there is a lovely alphabet band stitched and sewn around the band of the sewing box.

Normally I do not document the dates I begin and end stitching a piece of needlework.  Autumn Song is the one and only piece of needlework I have which I know the exact dates I began stitching the piece and the exact date which I completed.  I began stitching Autumn Song January 4, 2008, my Mother was in the hospital.  Two weeks later, she would have a massive heart attack.  I completed stitching Autumn Song March 24, 2010, two weeks after AppleJack had a heart attack.  I hope the Blackbird Girls will allow me to take some liberties with their design in altering the name.

Heart Disease!  Yes, if you want to take shelter, I am about to get on my soap box.  Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke equal to 2,200 deaths per day.  With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes a year, and 800,000 deaths, just about all of us have been touched by someone who has heart disease, heart attack or a stroke.  February is American Heart month, and unfortunately, most of know someone who has had heart disease or stroke.

Grandfathers, Uncles, Father-in-law, Mother, Brothers, cousins, and nephews have all either had a heart attack or died from heart disease.  I have learned much about heart disease over the years.  One of the things I have learned is the warped sense of humor cardiologist have.  Don't get me wrong, most people who know me say my sense of humor is slightly off center, but cardiologist have developed a new vocabulary.  For example, when my Mother had her heart attack, the doctor introduced me to the term widowmaker.  Widowmaker is the term a cardiologist uses to describe a heart attack in a patient who has had a heart attack in the main artery of their heart.  Why do they call it the widow maker?  Let your imagination take you there.  It is because most people who have a heart attack in the main artery of their heart seldom survive, leaving behind a widow.

Another term I learned is tombstones.  When AppleJack had his heart attack and I became part of a living scene out of the pages of ER or Grays Anatomy or any other popular hospital television show.  When things had calmed and AppleJack was out of danger, I asked the cardiologist to explain to me what he had seen on the EKG to immediately put everyone in the ER into emergency mode.  The cardiologist looked at the EKG and says "tombstones."  Well, dear friends, "tombstones" is not a term you want to hear when your doctor/cardologist is talking about the love of your life!  When I asked for clarification, the doctor says, "see here, when you see an EKG which looks like tombstones, you know the patient is in serious double."

Needless to say, I am very grateful both Mother and AppleJack survived their heart attacks.  Many people in my family have not.  Our very loved nephew, David, has now added his name to heart disease.  AppleJack and I are once again very grateful, he is alive to share his story.  I have told Sister C:  "I am going to type the warning signs of a heart attack or stroke on a piece of paper, laminate it, attach a chain and hang it around the neck of every member of this family."

I encourage everyone to know the warning signs, to eat heart healthy (it ain't all that bad), make exercise a part of your daily routine.  It is amazing how much better you will feel!

This is my Autumn Song/Heart Song.  Love the fall colors and trim on the edge of the sewing box.

This is the inside of the box, again, fall colors.

2008, is the year I started stitching Autumn Song/Heart Song (January 4, 2008 to be exact).  Those two birds would be AppleJack and me.

Notice how the seam of the band is joined at one of the hearts?  At first I was troubled by this, but then it seemed appropriate to represent the hearts which have been broken by heart disease.  I made additions to the band which goes around the box.  I added the two hearts--one for Mother, the other for AppleJack.

I am a huge fan of Blackbird Designs.  This is Pumpkin Blossom needle book.  No sewing box would be complete without a needle book!

The inside of the needle book, complete with Kelmscott scissors and Blackbird needle minder!

Add a few Kelmscott Blackbird thread winders.

An acorn fob from Hobby Lobby and the inside of the sewing box is looking more complete.

Stitching the needle keep is one my 2012 stitching goals.

Autumn Song/Heart Song will always be one of my favorite needlework pieces.