When I’m actively involved in the grieving process of saying goodbye, I can process the grief more peacefully. Expressing this artistically has a healing effect. Increasingly, people are choosing to make their final journey wrapped in a felted cloth.
I regularly make such a cloth together with people and their family and friends. When death isn’t yet imminent, or if it’s still a while off, we can make a life blanket. This becomes a wrap when the moment of the final journey arrives. Making such a blanket together has a connecting, comforting, and strengthening effect. It makes the coming grief more bearable. Everyone contributes, making us part of the whole. When you can use the blanket during life, you become familiar with it; you can shelter and cry in it, alone or with others. It is a source of warmth and security.

Taking this source of warmth with you on your final journey is a warm, loving thought for all involved.

It is also possible that the work is created for and in consultation with the person concerned, as well as after someone’s death.

We always have 1 wrap cloth in stock in white, which can be supplied in a colour of your choice.

There are more options, such as a cloth or cocoon for a child, an urn, an ash jewelry, memory cloth, basket or coffin cloth/decoration, made from wool to felt, always in close consultation with those involved.

From Life Blanket to Swaddling Cloth

VILT number 64

Translation:

From Life Blanket to Swaddling Cloth
One day, our lives will end. That’s a fact we have to deal with. When it concerns someone very close to us, it’s sad and not always easy to accept. Because even though we know that person will always remain in our hearts, they will no longer be with us, and that hurts.
Increasingly, people are choosing to make their final journey wrapped in a felted cloth. I regularly make such a cloth together with people and their family and friends. Sometimes people ask me to do it for them. We often work in my workshop, and sometimes at someone’s home if circumstances make it impossible to work in my workshop. Sometimes someone has already passed away when we make the cloth. Sometimes there’s no sign of impending death at all. And sometimes someone knows their life will be short. I find it most rewarding to make such a cloth when there’s no sign of an impending farewell, or when that farewell might still be a while away. Then we create a life blanket.
Making such a blanket together creates a bond. It makes the coming grief more bearable. Making a wrap together in this way is comforting and strengthening. Together, we ensure it is beautiful, and everyone can contribute to it, making us part of a whole and making us stronger together. It’s a feeling of sharing the grief. It’s special and healing. It’s an honor for me to be able to do this with or for others.
It’s wonderful to be able to use a blanket throughout life. As the colder days approach, felt is the perfect material to wrap yourself in. You can take the blanket to bed, to the couch, on the floor, or anywhere else. You can hide and cry in it, alone or with others. It’s a source of warmth and security. Taking this source of warmth with you on your final journey is a warm, loving thought for all involved.

Message from the person for whom the blanket of life belongs, to everyone who helped:

Dear all,
We remember with so much love and warmth the day Annemie made the life blanket with us. It was a beautiful, wonderful, and special day.
Yesterday, Annemie delivered the finished blanket; it is incredibly beautiful.
Together, we accomplished something wonderful. Thank you so much for being a part of it. We especially appreciated how you all created this atmosphere together—a warm, loving atmosphere where everyone felt comfortable. This beautiful, heartfelt connection is reflected in the blanket.
When the time comes, the blanket will lovingly support me. We hope this continues for a long time and that I myself can enjoy the blanket for many years to come. The blanket was made with Annemie’s expertise, and she was by our side throughout the entire process, providing us with wonderful and loving support.

Cocon Lifepath

This cocoon is made of natural wool and felted entirely from one piece.
The basic motif is called “dog’s tail” in Kyrgyzstan and means “connection between heaven and earth.”
This cocoon can also serve as a warm covering during life.
At a farewell, the shroud can be placed on a wooden or willow bier.
Working hours: 100

Shroud Wild Flowers

When death is a long way off and such a beautiful blanket is used as a blanket in life, it is best to make a shroud.

Small shrouds for premature babies

For a warm farewell to a child who dies before birth.

Sleep gently

When a (newborn) child passes away, a soft, warm bed is a comforting thought. Commissioned by www.troostkist.nl, I created the “Sleep Tight” cribs. Both the “Simplicity” crib and the “Wing” crib are available in lengths of 40 and 50 cm.

Photos: Rob Nijpels

Shroud Poppies

In the autumn of 2013 I received a special assignment, to make a shroud entirely to wish for a human being who, together with friends around her, was preparing her journey back to her origin.
In our first conversation most important to me was to get the image in her head as clear as possible for myself.
In consultation we decide to create, not the poppies, but the shroud itself, in the colours of the chakras and let the poppies be red.
In the weeks of consultation and realization, this process is constantly in my thoughts. To our mutual satisfaction the shroud was finished. I consider this a special honour to be able to do this.

Thank you.