Saturday 1 August 2020

Love Is Like a Butterfly

Greetings! This is my first post as a member of your group. Thank you for allowing me to join in the fun. I love a good challenge! My quilt was inspired by the Dolly Parton song, "Love Is Like a Butterfly," and given to me by Catherine.


With everything going on in the world right now, and particularly in the USA, my own country, I was taken back to a song by Jackie DeShannon, popular during the 1960's, entitled, "What the World Needs Now." The lyrics continue, "what the world needs now is love sweet love," and so I my quilt was inspired by the lyrics from both songs. I used a stained glass technique to create the butterfly.


The butterfly sits upon a flower that is a stylized peace symbol, another throwback to the 60's era.


The flower stem has heart-shaped leaves. 


The lyrics from the song are free-motion quilted in my own handwriting.



The applique top-stitching serves as quilting. Here's how it looks from the back.


And here are the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song.


I hope you like this quilt...my first submission. I'm looking forward to seeing all of yours.

18 comments:

  1. Wow, Barbara! You sure did capture that groovy 60s vibe with the rounded edges on that stained glass butterfly and peace flower, and the fabric reminiscent of tie-dying. Remember the slogan Flower Power? And the song about chasing "the bright, elusive butterfly of love?" Well, you found it! Welcome to the Endeavourers! Peace.

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    1. Thank you for that warm welcome, Maureen. I’d forgotten about the “elusive butterfly of love.” How funny. I was just a teenager back there. Seems like such an innocent time, despite everything that was going on even then.

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  2. Hooray, and well done for your first submission! I love your quilt and all its details - the peace symbol flower and heart shaped leaves against the background that reminds me of summer sunsets. It is a happy quilt!

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    1. Thank you, Catherine. Great inspiration theme too. It was fun making it.

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  3. Groovy baby! So much to love about this quilt Barbara, I really like the heart positive/negative peace flower.

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    1. Oh yeah...groovy. You guys are reminding me of my 60’s roots. Thanks, Fiona.

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  4. This is such fun to see. You did so well with this challenge! All the little touches - the peace sign, the heart leaves, the hearts in the butterfly wings. And stitching the words in your own hand. Very cool, indeed!

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    1. Thank you, Wendy. Glad you like it. Fun challenge.

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  5. I love it. While I don't remember Dolly Parton's song, I do remember "What the World Needs Now". The peace symbol is so appropriate for the 60's. Glad you are in the group and welcome.

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    1. Thank you! I wasn't familiar with Dolly Parton's song either, but I listened to it on YouTube. It's a good one to get stuck in your head. Thanks for that warm welcome.

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  6. It is beautiful and so inspirational during these times. I love the message. Your text quilting is absolutely superb.

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    1. Thank you, Martha. The message was easy once I heard the theme. Strange times we're living in.

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  7. That's so lovely and fitting to the inspirational song. I must admit I'd not heard it before but had heard Jackie de Shannon's. Both are very soft and hopeful and you have captured that in your piece for sure.

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  8. So pretty, and I am in awe of your lovely consistent stitching so close to the edges of the shapes!

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    1. Aw, thank you. I do a lot of applique, and so I've had a lot of practice.

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  9. This is wonderful! The image is beautiful and I love all the details. You've captured and era and made something perfect for our time as well :)

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  10. Hi Barbara, I used to be part of The Endeavourers but now I’m a visitor!
    Your stitching is beautiful, Barbara!
    Loved the stitched handwriting and the butterfly, and your stylised flower also put me in mind of Woodstock by Matthew’s Southern Comfort with the line “I dreamt I saw the bombers riding shotgun in the skies turning into butterflies”!
    A great first piece!
    Barbara
    (Of The Flashing Scissors blog)

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