A Little Sunshine!

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting,

small but approachable, Butterflies lead you to the

sunny side of life. 
And everyone deserves a little sunshine."

                                                                                  Jeffrey Glassberg

I pieced this sweet little butterfly quilt approximately 8 years ago ...

... it has been patiently waiting to be transformed from a top to a quilt!  I have been busting through some UFOs and it was time to sandwich this top with batting and backing.

Spring is emerging quite late here in my remote corner of the planet ... we've been in need of a little self-made sunshine!  That mission began with "stitch in the ditch" quilting around the butterfly shapes and sashing!

Next step was machine appliquéing the bodies.  Fortunately I had already completed the hand embroidered antenna, so it was just a quick blanket stitch around each one!

Initially, that was all the quilting I had intended to do, but the butterflies needed a bit of something to bring them to life!  Sew ... on went the free motion foot ... out came the freezer paper ... templates were drawn ... and before long the butterflies took flight!

It is a simple fact ... I hoard gingham.  And when I can find woven gingham, it is treasure saved only to be used for special circumstances.  The black butterfly bodies were a bit overpowering and I needed to dim their impact on the eye!  I wanted each the butterflies to shine ... so more black was needed, but it had to be subtle!

Small, eighth inch black gingham to the rescue!  On the bias ... as that was a dillydally necessity!

Final step to completion ... into the wash!

I love quilts best after they have been laundered!    A gentle wash brought my butterflies to life!

Here they hang on my living room wall ... spreading a little sunshine everyday!

Do what you love!  Create sunshine!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally