This Butterfly Quilt, circa 1930s-40s. is in a fragile condition, so was certainly much loved, used and enjoyed. The appliquéd butterfly is a simple stylised design.

The quilt is a medallion style and has narrow borders around the grouped butterflies. The hand quilting design consists of more butterflies, scattered throughout the plain areas. It is finished with a pretty scalloped edged, which was a popular binding from this era. Some of the fabrics used, which may have been feed sacks, are completely faded away, others have frayed and some have remained in quite good condition with only some loss of their bright colours. This would be a lovely quilt to reproduce, but I think I will just enjoy it for a few more years to come.  It looks very pretty folded on an old cane armchair.   Enjoy the butterflies, Janette 

I made this quilt in memory of Bonnie Leman, the founder of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine. The original quilt was in Bonnie’s private collection and the pattern was published in Quiltmaker Magazine.

I hand pieced the quilt using mostly reproduction fabrics. It is hand quilted in one of my favourite quilting designs – Baptist Fans. I mark the design freehand as I go and work around the outside of the quilt into the centre.
The quilting works up fairly quickly. Once the quilting is finished it’s into the wash. The cotton batting used turns nice and scrunchy, giving the timeless look of old quilts.

There are many appliqué designs featuring birds in quilts but not so many pieced birds. However, there are lots of pieced blocks with bird or birds names- Doves at the Window, Bluebirds, and Swallow’s Nest, Swallows Flight and many more. All of these would make beautiful quilts.

Thank you for visiting from Janette – A Plain Needlewoman