Butterfly Dance - Revisited

 A quick walk to the river early this morning was about as far as I ventured from home today. Many and varied family responsibilities filled my time, yet I was inspired by magnificent photos of snow capped mountains, brilliant ideas for embroidery, print making and quilting. The designs, fabrics and faces of the Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh passed before my eyes. The internet brings a great wealth of ideas, information and a real sense of being connected with the world, right from my home in our Australian country town.

Coinciding with the huge US Quilt Market each Fall and Spring Amy Ellis hosts an online Blogger's Quilt Festival. Today I'd like to briefly revisit my Butterfly Dance quilt and participate in the Spring festival, sharing from DownUnder where summer pleasantly lingers into Autumn.....

This is a quilt which nearly wasn't. I had decided not to make a quilt for my friend's tenth baby, which was due late December. But when Erin had a beautiful a baby girl just days before Christmas, I could't stop thinking bout this brand new baby with a delightful name.

There is something about news of a new life which melts your heart. Soon I was pulling fabrics from my stash which needed to become a quilt to share in the joy of a baby as well as wrapping love and warmth around her as she grows beyond babyhood.

The last stitches in the binding were completed late on New Year's Eve. I couldn't wait to meet this newborn, and I wanted to have the quilt finished to deliver when we visited.

Eager siblings watch on as baby peacefully feeds while Erin unwraps the quilt. 

There is great joy in making a quilt to give to someone you know, for even though a part of your heart and soul goes along with it, somehow you end up being a little richer for having given it away.


You can see more photos and read the full story in the original post here.

Sharing in Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival: Small Quilts.