Ruth Shaw, artist
Oldest Daughter, 2020
Broadcloth, taffeta ribbon, muslin, polyester thread

I started this blanket two years ago, before my youngest grandson Charles was roached at Grayhorse E.Lonshka. But, I put it aside for a while and then pulled it back out to finish it when my daughter came down with COVID-19.

When my daughter came down with COVID-19 I was horrified that she was going to get really ill. I thought that I needed to get it finished so I could give it to her and make her feel better. The blanket is called “Oldest Daughter.” She’s my only daughter, but it has to do with also making sure she had a blanket because that’s what Osages do for their oldest, we make sure that they have everything.

That’s the way I was taught – because of my love and respect for my older sister Susan Shannon.

It was heartbreaking to finally finish it, through the whole process. The anxiety, the panic, my daughter being ill, her being really sick, fear of the unknown, feeling like I needed to get it finished because of my love for my daughter.

The colors for the blanket, the ribbons, were gifts. The purple and dark pink were gifts from my good friend Luke Wassom. I already had the green, and the blue was a gift from my good friend Moira RedCorn. The orange and bottom layer belonged to my late sister Carolyn Shannon. I had already decided to use these colors before my daughter got sick. But, since these ribbons all had memories for me, it meant that much more as I put the ribbonwork together.