The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs

"The journey to college is a rite of passage we mark as a joyous occasion, one we celebrate by buying luggage and books on how to build a fulfilling life. But really, if you ask any mother, she’ll tell you that deep down, we want to mark it as a loss, a funeral of sorts"

Title: The Goodbye Quilt 

Author: Susan Wiggs

This story is not really about quilting or a quilt as such, but more about what it represents to the two women in the story; Linda, the mother, and Molly, her daughter. We follow Linda and Molly as they are travelling across the United States to deliver Molly at college.

We learn about Linda's worry of letting Molly fly the nest, but also her understanding that she must let Molly go and experience life on her own. Linda is also worried as she's doesn't yet know what she's supposed to be now, when she's no longer Molly's mum. 

During the journey mother and daughter are bonding and realising a few truths about each other (and themselves!). Linda is busy trying to finish off a quilt for Molly, with pieces of fabrics from her eighteen years; baby clothes, school clothes, first piano recital, prom, etc before they arrive at Molly's student dorm. Seeing and touching the fabrics in the quilt, Linda relives the various events from when the various fabrics come from.

Quilt pattern

There is a quilt pattern included at the back of the book if you'd like to make your own version of the memory quilt Linda is making throughout the story.