Butterfly Strings

Oh, the finishes are coming fast now. Strange how that happens. I'm excited to share this one: my second finish from my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks from 2019. If you want to see the blocks as I made them, you can click on the RSC19 or Butterfly Quilt labels on the right sidebar or at the bottom of this post. 

This quilt was just so much fun. It's the third quilt I've made from the Dancing Butterflies Mini Pattern by Ellis and Higgs. The quilt in the pattern is just four butterflies and is 15 1/2 inches square. I've made the equivalent of 40 mini quilts (plus one butterfly) or 161 butterflies. So far. Because I wouldn't be surprised if I make another butterfly quilt someday. Or more. If you want to see my other butterfly quilts from this pattern, click on that Butterfly Quilt label. I've made slight variations in each. For this quilt, I made the wing parts with strings from my scraps, the upper wings from lighter scraps and the lower wings from darker. I made the brown bodies when brown came up as the color of the month. I know I messed around with the color of the month a bit throughout the year. I skipped red. When you take a closer look, you will see that the background has little yellow-green dots. The layout only took a few minutes. I knew that I wanted a rainbow progression diagonally across the quilt. 

We were under stay-at-home orders when it was time to pick out a background fabric. I often piece my background from what I have on-hand, but I didn't have enough big chunks to make that practical or fun, so I went online and found a fabulous Splotch Dropcloth (by Whistler Studios) wide back at Backside Fabrics. Their service was wonderful at a time when mail was usually turtle-slow. My only regret was that I didn't buy a whole lot more of this. I love it. I do have a little left, so it will sneak into another quilt someday.

Isn't it interesting how wholecloth pieces take on a different pattern when viewed from far away? Here's a close-up:

I love how it picks up almost all of the colors of the butterflies on the other side--and it's like a butterfly's view of a flower garden.

Let's go back to the front. Close up.

Yes, that's my signature "Piedmont" quilting--wavy lines across the quilt diagonally, and then perpendicular to that section across the rest of the quilt. It goes so fast, is easy on my shoulder, and makes such a luscious texture. For this quilt, I spaced the lines about 3/4 inch apart, extending my guide on my walking foot with a taped-on paper clip to try to keep the spacing even, but there are wobbles, and I don't care. Butterflies can fly however they want to.

Here's the edge. I used excess fabric from the backing for the binding. This narrow, it's kind of delicate looking, but I like it. It lets the butterflies take all the attention. 

This photo is after washing, so the light is different.

And it doesn't really show at all on the back.

While I was sewing the binding on, I looked up and noticed in the mirror behind my machine (I quilt in front of a dresser that holds my quilt) that my top matched the quilt, so of course I had to stop for a photo. Good quilting tip, right? For extreme happiness, match your outfit to your quilt.

Here's a view of my initials and the date before washing. I love using a washable marker that I can trace. So much easier than the tracing paper I used to sew through. 

After washing, I'll be the only one, probably, to know they are there. But it does serve as documentation of a sort, and a way to identify the quilt should it (perish the thought) get lost along the way. Sometimes my thread contrasts a little more, but I don't mind if the initials don't show.

Here's an indoor view:

Here are the stats:

Pattern: Dancing Butterfly Mini by Ellis and Higgs times 14. I trimmed my blocks to 8 inches for a 7 1/2 inch finished block. There's ample leeway in this pattern to adjust size.
Fabrics:  Scraps from my supply going back more than 40 years. I don't know who makes the dotted background fabric. The backing as noted above is Splotch Dropcloth from Whistler Studios. 

Batting: Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 

Thread: Superior-- Masterpiece in Granite for piecing; King Tut in Temple for quilting;Treasure in Old Lace for handstitching on binding. 

Binding: 2 1/2 inches cut, double layer, machine sewn to front and hand stitched on back.cut 
Finished Size: 53 inches by 60 1/2 inches pieced; 52 1/4 by 59 3/4 inches after quilting; 49 1/4 by 56 after washing. 

Machines: Singer Featherweight for piecing; Singer Treadle 115 for walking foot quilting.

And now, my favorite photos in the evening light after washing.

My link-ups this week:

Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

Angela at So Scrappy for Scraphappy Saturday

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun than Housework for Oh Scrap

I hope quilting is a bright spot in your week, and if you have RSC or scrap blocks lying around, I hope they are becoming quilts.

Let's close with one more photo, because you know, butterfly. This is from our bike ride this week--a brand new monarch strengthening its wings:

Take care and stay safe.

(Just a reminder: I'm not affiliated with any company, so when I mention products, services, or stores I'm just documenting what I used or liked.)