Razzle Dazzle | NW Quilted Cat

Happy Friday, everyone!

Today, I want to reveal this beautiful butterfly mini quilt that I made for an Instagram-based quilt swap.

I used Cotton & Steel prints and Kona solids to create this stunning, paper-pieced butterfly. The pattern is called Take Wing by Lillyella Stitchery. It finishes at 24-inches wide by 15-inches high, but you could increase the size by adding borders.

I did free-motion quilting using my HQ16 and white Aurifil 50 weight thread. I think the wavy quilting adds to the fluid, fluttering nature of this pretty butterfly. For the antennae, I hand-quilted using purple Razzle Dazzle thread by Superior.

Here’s my completed butterfly:

Beautiful Butterfly!!

Beautiful Butterfly, Side Angle

Butterfly on a Lavender Bush

Beautiful Butterfly!

Here’s a look at the wings prior to assembling with the body. The Cotton & Steel fabrics work so wonderfully with the Kona solids!

Beautiful Butterfly wings with pins before attaching to body!!

I loaded it onto my HQ16 for the quilting (late at night, but a gal has got quilt when she can!!):

Quilting the Beautiful Butterfly!

I really enjoy paper-piecing and the process of making this beautiful mini quilt. In June, it will be winging its way to a new owner, and I hope she enjoys it as much as I do!

Please hop on over to Amy’s Creative Side and the 2015 Spring Blogger’s Quilt Festival and check out all the entries. I’d love your vote in the mini quilt category!

Enjoy!
~Jennifer

My sister recently invited me to make 6 blocks for an exchange with her quilt guild. There are 3 basic rules:

must be 12.5 x 12.5 inches unfinished

must use bright primary colors

must have a bird on the block

I made up a test block using both piecing and applique techniques. This is block #555 (So Tweet) by Paula Stoddard from the Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks collector’s edition, volume 6.

I went with some birchy/aspen type fabric for the tree trunk. Instead of using green leaves, I keep with the primary color theme and used yellow tone leaves to suggest an aspen tree in the fall. While I do like the tree fabric, I think I may jazz it up on the next block and use a bolder fabric.

I machine-appliqued the bird and leaves to the pieced background and then added some fun thread accents by using Ricky Tims’ Razzle Dazzle thread #266 with a bobbin technique. I think it adds a nice touch of color and sparkle to the stitching.

The bird’s eye is a button which I did not sew down in case the block goes on a long-arm. I’ll probably include the buttons separately with the blocks so they can be added after quilting is completed.

Here’s a look at the block: