Dragonflies

Shortly after I started quilting I decided to have a small dragonfly quilted into every project. The dragonfly has a symbolic meaning to me. And, I think it is a fun thing to add. Although my first quilts do not have the dragonfly quilted in the pattern, I found quilt labels with dragonflies on them and will be adding them to these quilts.




I fell in love with the above Oriental-themed pattern while visiting a quilt store in Colorado last September and bought the pattern and material while I was there. The dragonflies are hand appliqued using the blanket stitch - the method I feel most comfortable with at this point - to the beautiful background fabric. I am thrilled with the way it turned out!


It was professionally quilted by Meandering Mary, who added a tiny dragonfly to the upper left corner, even though there are 3 dragonflies on it.


When I give quilts away to family and friends I tell them, "Look for the dragonfly!" It can be a challenge to find them, but I think it adds to the giving of the quilt. Recently I picked up 3 quilts from Meandering Mary - this one, a primitive wall hanging (which I will post when I finishing binding it) and a queen-sized Friendship Star quilt. Mary forgot exactly where the dragonfly is on the Friendship Star quilt. I tried finding it, but didn't have a whole lot of time to look. Maybe when I am hand stitching the binding on I will find it.


When I was at Ye Olde Schoolhouse quilt store last week to pick up these projects Jeannie brought back from Mary, I ran into my quilting instructor, Diane. She wanted to see what I have been doing so we looked at my projects and she and complimented me! I was so happy that my first quilting instructor admired what I have been doing. We talked about incorporating the little dragonfly into each quilt. She said, "Just think, Julie Ann, a hundred years from now someone will be talking about how this quilter from southeastern Wisconsin always had a dragonfly quilted into her quilts and now they are considered highly collectible!" That comment blew me away!


It is fun to have this little something extra in my quilts. It is like a little added blessing to the quilt.