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Goodnight Irene by Betsy Chutchian for Moda
For Goodnight Irene, I found inspiration in the colors of my paternal grandmother's garden. Irene Powell Reed, born 1897 in Blooming Grove, Texas, was quite a gardener, with a firecracker personality. She helped me make my first dress on her treadle machine without a pattern. And years after, when I married, she gave me and Angel Wing Begonia that I have treasured and nurtured for nearly 48 years. Memories of hot summer days with Mama Reed were the best, whether we were working on the treadle, picking vegetables, or smelling her roses. At the end of the day, I would hear Papa's softly spoken words, "Goodnight Irene."
