Goodbye Butterflies!

My grandmother gave me this butterfly quilt years and years ago…. probably 25 or 26 years past.  It was filled with that old fashioned batting that made the blanket hug you and keep you warmer than the average quilt.  At one time the colors were vibrant and cheery, the sweet soft pinks, turquoises and lavenders of the 40s.  The pea-green backing was less than my favorite color, but hey, it was on the back.  This quilt was well loved! Several times over the years, before it was completely shredded, I thought of re-doing the blanket stitch around each butterfly…. but that task never made it high enough on my daily to-do lists. So the butterflies slowly flew away as did the days of the quilt’s life.

It became my son’s favorite blanket that he used on his bed for years.  It was under a presentable comforter so I didn’t care how ratty it looked.  Then he went on a church camping trip and took it as his only blanket…. making us look worse than homeless people.  I tried to simply talk him down from using it, but NO!  This was the coziest quilt in the galaxy.  I waited to confiscate it until the dark of the night when it had fallen off his bed and he was snoring.  Hidden under my bed is where it remained for several years because I was not sure if I could throw away the quilt my grandmother handmade and gave to me.

Yesterday I was obviously low on nostalgic sensibilities.  The quilt came out from under our bed and I seriously took in each butterfly, analyzing if they were still redeemable.  Some had no wings.  At all.  The ones that did have wings also had holes that could not be repaired.  Rolling up the shabby blanket as I headed for the garbage can I realized that if I didn’t take a picture the memory of the butterfly quilt would fade.  Hence, the photo and the story written for posterity, so my grandchildren will know the tale of the pea-green, vintage quilt that they never got the pleasure to wrap up in.

Goodbye butterflies!  You served us well!

P.S. O.K., after writing this, I went and got it out of the garbage and cut out and saved a few of the butterflies.  I figure I could frame them for the laundry room or for my future sewing room.  I guess I have a bit more nostalgia today than yesterday.  Thankfully it wasn’t garbage pick-up day!

Anne of Avonlea

We name all of the Bags for Zaza after books, and this is one of my favorite bags, so I picked one of my favorite books, Anne of Avonlea.  This chic little purse has an extra long strap to sling over your shoulder.  It is made of vintage scraps of table cloths, quilts, a beadspread and Calvin Klein jeans.  I know there is someone out there that this little shabby gem was made especially for.  It will be up for auction this week with all the proceeds going toward bringing home our little girl from Colombia.  You can see many more pictures (and click for zoomed-in shots) on the BFZ site:  www.BagsForZaza.blogspot.com.  Please share this with your friends and help spread the word!

One-of-a-Kind Handmade Purse!

This bag is called Mia’s Story after a beautifully illustrated tale of a little girl who lives in a South American village.  All of the Bags for Zaza are hand made of  up-cycled fabrics that have been donated for the cause.  What’s the cause?  The adoption of our little South American princess. 

The straps on the bag have bits and pieces of a remnant for a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt that was pieced by my great grandmother and her sisters.

Inside the bag is a little Asian surprise… two little men embroidered for your viewing pleasure.  They were once the front of a little Oriental shirt and the red frog closure is still there too!  There are more photos on the Bags for Zaza page.

To bid on a bag, please go to  www.BagsForZaza.blogspot.com  and help bring an orphan home!  Thanks for looking and for telling others!