Book excerpt: In Quilting to Soothe the Soul, you'll learn how quilters through the ages have turned to quilting and sewing to memorialize the significant moments of our lives: the births, marriages, anniversaries, and deaths of our friends and loved ones. Author Linda Carlson shows you how quilting helps relieve the stress of our everyday lives, while it also serves as a means to record the historic events that shape our world. Besides a breathtaking gallery of gorgeous quilts, including pieces designed as a result of September 11, 2001, and the momentous stories behind them, you can choose from over 15 different quilting projects, so you can sew your own memories. When there is stress in your life, turn to your needle and let the labor of your hands work through the grief in your heart. When there is joy in your life, let your celebration sing in the fabric, threads, and colors of a commemorative quilt sewn with strands of love. Whether you stitch a quilt to be commemorative, mourning, or memorial, the simple act of sewing and quilting will bring you peace.