The fabric of time spans generations

This Sunday, May 9th, children will honor their mothers.

The holiday came about because of the persistence of a daughter wanting to honor mothers, including her own, for the sacrifices they make every day of the year.

In the mid-19th century, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia organized sessions called Mother's Day Work Clubs. The purpose was to educate mothers about proper hygiene and nutrition aimed at giving children a better chance of surviving the ongoing typhoid outbreak.

During the Civil War, Jarvis arranged for groups of mothers to visit the wounded Union and Confederate soldiers at area field hospitals. The mothers helped tend the wounded and advised about proper sanitary practices.

Following the war, in 1868, Jarvis hosted Mothers' Friendship Day, during which mothers met with former soldiers to encourage reconciliation.

Jarvis passed away in 1905. Her vision to commemorate mothers helping other mothers was kept alive by her daughter, Anna Jarvis.

Three years after her mother's death, Anna Jarvis organized an event honoring mothers at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. It was a success and soon after a grass root effort was started to make Mother's Day a national holiday. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

As the 107th anniversary of Mother's Day, approaches the Summerland Advocate-Messenger would like to introduce you to a Clearwater mother-daughter duo, Jen and Lenora Kester. Both are vendors in the sidebar and both are fiber artists. Jen's medium is fabric while Lenora works with yarn.

The mother, Jen Kester, is married to Duane Kester and they have five children, James, Spencer, Calissa, Lenora and Luke. All the Kester kids have budding talents, from word skills, wood construction, cosmetic formulation and yarn art to cardboard and duct-tape engineering.

Kester started sewing as a young mother who wanted a creative outlet. One of her first projects was fleece mittens, hats and scarves for the two oldest boys.

She recalled, "I traced their hands and measured their heads while they slept during nap time."

She also fashioned clothing for the girls and their dolls. "They had the best dressed dolls," Kester said with a grin.

Kester's first sewing machine and most of her initial fabric supplies were donations from other seamstresses, including her mother, Betty Kuchar. As Jen gained experience, she purchased materials that reflected her choice of texture and color. Silk-type fabrics are her favorite.

Yet, transforming an old pair of jeans into a zippered pouch or a denim-beaded bracelet are still her most favored projects.

"I like taking a thrift item and repurposing it into something useful again," Kester said.

Tote bags, quilts, baby bibs and sundresses are just a few of the items Kester has supplied to the sidebar. She challenges herself by creating unique original designs.

"No two are ever alike," she said. "Knowing that someone somewhere is happy because of something I made makes me happy."

Lenora, like her mother, is self-taught. After seeing a friend crochet, she began researching and watching YouTube videos to learn the skill. Most of her yarn stash has been gifted to her by other crocheters.

"The soft yarn is my favorite to use, especially the big blanket yarn" said Lenora.

"Stuffed animals are my favorite to crochet," said Lenora with a smile.

Most of them are made without the aid of a pattern. Recently Lenora started crocheting characters from the online game, Among Us. The little crocheted creatures were popular among her classmates.

Lenora hopes to advance to clothing design and pattern writing.

Lenora's Sidebar items include keychains, dish scrubbers and small stuffed animals. She recently consigned a Popple-style, reversible octopus.

Mother and daughter agree that having a hobby gives them a sense of accomplishment.

“It’s a remarkable transformation when a flat piece of fabric or a line of yarn is turned into artistry. Happiness doesn’t have a price tag but when you purchase a handmade gift you can bring joy to the receiver and the crafter,” said the sidebar manager.