This little butterfly quilt is made of my grandmother's quilt scraps, I finished it 2 weeks before she passed away. It has fabric from the very first quilt I made, which her and I made together, and ended up being my oldest daughters baby blanky. I started the applique butterflies last year when I first purchased my embroidery machine, I was inspired to do so because my favorite quilt my grandmother made was appliqued butterflies.
One Tuesday afternoon I finally decided how I wanted to finish the quilt, by that Friday I had it finished. Yes, I was working fast, little too fast, it has lots of "character"... That Saturday, 2 weeks before she passes, my husband and daughters and I took a trip to see her.
When we arrived she was asleep so I visited with my grandpa and showed him the little quilt I had just finished. I could see his eyes get a little misty and he smiled. He then told me how he used to always take her to the fabric store and how she would get 3 yards of this, and 3 yards of that...
After she woke I gave her the little quilt, and she loved it! My grandpa asked her what she wanted to do with it, and she told him she wanted to hang it on the wall at home. Over the next week or so they showed it to everyone who came to visit. The day I took it to her I was looking over it with 3 of my aunts, and they were picking out the different fabric and what she had done with them.
After she passed away my grandfather had the quilt placed on her during the visitation. Her hands rested above the center quilt block that says...
"May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun And find your shoulder to light on,
to bring you luck, happiness, and riches,
today tomorrow and beyond. -Irish blessing"
Last week when we went to visit for the holiday my grandpa had the quilt spread over the back of the couch in his living room. He said he is planning on hanging it on the wall in the foyer inside the front door. That's what his sweet heart of 67 years wanted. 📷❤
Rest in Peace, Nan. I love you and I will forever be grateful for you sparking my interest in sewing and quilting at such a young age.
Originally posted to SCS facebook page - November 28, 2017