After the death of my father, I found myself involved in repetitive textile work, and knew it was my way of mourning. This labour-intensive work seems to be a common way of coping with grief and loss, as cloth has strong associations with protection and healing. Mourning is not easily manifested in contemporary society where there is little place for ritual during times of sorrow. But the slow process of textile work can provide a space for continuing conversation with the dead, creating bonds between the past and the present.