Several years ago I saw this fabulous embroidered butterfly quilt top on ebay. I can’t remember what it sold for, but it was a lot more than I was willing to pay. I did, however, save the photos because I loved it so much and thought someday I would make a similar quilt. I am guessing these butterflies were the quilter’s original designs (and not a from a pattern) because they are so unique. It’s not clear exactly how many butterflies were on the quilt, but there are quite a few detailed photos. I think I could probably make up some of my own designs, but I would also copy some of these patterns.
Because I was so inspired by the originality of this quilt, I thought there might be others out there who would feel the same.
Wow! There are so many beautiful butterflies! I wonder if this could have been a ‘friendship quilt’. There are so many wing shapes and motifs, I was thinking that perhaps more than one person worked on it. My first favorite is the one under the quilt photo, but the pink one below that is a close second! Thanks for sharing these photos!
I actually wonder if they sold that quilt as “vintage” and if it is or not. It looks to me like it might be a mass produced version? (Although on this one I am not exactly able to pinpoint why I feel that way.)
Hi Jan and Sarah —
Even though the butterflies are all different, I believe they were stitched by the same person because they share several characteristics — the whimsical style, the colors (both butterfly appliques & floss), and the stitching itself (especially the unusual way the butterflies were applied to the quilt).
As to whether or not the quilt is vintage, this is difficult to determine from just looking at photographs and when there are no printed fabrics involved. I actually don’t remember if the seller described it as vintage — I was drawn to the originality of the design.
Lastly, the quilt itself was certainly not mass produced since it is all hand stitched and is only a top and not a completed quilt. Of course, it’s possible a pattern and instructions were published somewhere, but I have never seen anything like it.
That is a neat quilt. I like the shapes of the butterflies and the embroidery is really fun to look at! It would be a sweet quilt for a girl’s room.