Stitching Stories: Quilting as Life Review with Louise Silk

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli sits down with Louise Silk, a celebrated quiltmaker and fiber artist, to explore how quilting serves as a tool for life review, memory, grief, and legacy. Louise shares how she began her quilting journey after reading an article in Ms. Magazine, how she has used quilting to process personal loss, and why the Witness Quilt—a collection of over 1,000 embroidered wisdoms—was dismantled and given away. 

Together, they discuss: 

• How quilting serves as a metaphor for life review 
• The role of storytelling and memory in fabric art 
• The Witness Quilt: its evolution, meaning, and dismantling 
• Ritual, impermanence, and the lessons quilting teaches about grief and letting go 
• Passing wisdom and legacy through art 

This episode is a beautiful reminder that reflection isn’t just about looking back—it’s about honoring our stories, embracing change, and finding meaning in creative expression. 

Links & Resources: 

• Guest: Louise Silk - https://www.silkquilt.com; https://bubbewisdom.com; https://www.instagram.com/silkquilt/
• Host: Traci Arieli’s Website - https://www.comfortingclosure.com
• The Witness Quilt Exhibit - https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/whats-on/history-center/exhibits/louise-silk-a-patchwork-life/
• Louise’s Books: https://bubbewisdom.com/2025/03/08/in-my-own-words/
• Louise's ETSY shops- https://www.etsy.com/shop/SilkDenim; https://www.etsy.com/shop/Silkquilt

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