Back story on butterflies....

The ideas of butterflies was actually a late addition to the vest and they were all done by friends.. I wish I would have thought of it sooner.  These are friends whom I consider special blog friends although I have met 4 of them in person... Their butterflies have become such important parts of the vest that I check them all when I wear the vest and think of each and every stitcher with love.

You have all heard of the expression "involved from day one"... well Susan Elliott has been involved with my blog since  day two..  She commented on the second post I did .... 1485 posts ago and has been with me ever since.  She has encouraged me when I didn't even know I needed encouragement   and has been a treasured source of inspiration.  I met her in CT at the big CQ adventure and not only is she insightful, she's a incredible force of energy.  She constantly sends me things she thinks I should read or do or need... I owe her a so much...

The butterflies came about because of a blog friend whom I have never met in person but  when we do meet it will be as old friends.  Lisa Boni wrote and said she would like to contribute in some way to the vest and I suggested a butterfly and I am so grateful that she thought of it... I have followed Lisa's blog for years.  Not only is her work exceptional but she carries the serenity and thoughtfulness found in her needlework to her home, photography, art work, garden and family.  And we both share a love of birds... Some day we shall sit and stitch together...I just know it.

I met Susie Wolfe through CQI and the blog.  She has to be the most extraordinary seam person I know.  She is so meticulous and precise. Every CQ site on Pinterest has examples of her work..  We have stitched together  many times (most recently Houston) and when we are together the ideas just explode... She is just so much fun, fun, fun.. and we spent a lot of time in Houston planning what we are going to do next...  If I broke a leg, had a stroke or needed help, I know I could call Susie and she would be on the next plane.

Marilyn Nepper and I have never met in person but she comments on almost every blog post. For which I am ever so grateful... It is so helpful to know there is actually a person out there reading what I write.  We correspond often as we have so many things in common.  Besides needlework we are both country girls, share problems of eyes and joints and commiserated over the loss of a beloved dog.  We also both love birds.   Her butterfly is so colorful and fanciful that I was delighted to have the perfect fabric in a patch to compliment it.

I found Janet Popish  through CQI and we were in early round robins together..  We met in person at the very first CQI retreat... She is deceptive and easy to underestimate as she is quiet and gentle..  But still waters run deep as she is very perceptive and wickedly funny besides being a marvelous stitcher.  I am set in my ways when on a project but if Janet made a suggestion she is one of the few people I'd listen too.  A couple times she offered excellent advice on the vest and if she comments on a blog post I know I "done good". This incredible butterfly is teeny tiny French knots...hundreds of them.

Last but certainly not least is the butterfly from Laurie Burgesser.  It did not arrive until the day after I left but I knew it was coming and had a spot saved for it.  So it was with me in spirit and is on the vest now...  Years ago Laurie started calling me her NuMom and I think of her as my "rainbow daughter."  I adore everything she does as not only does she have a marvelous sense of color she touches her work with delightful whimsy..  Her romance novel quilt is one of my all time favorites.  When I was gathering my intense colors for this vest, I thought of her often.

So this post is a great big hug and thank you to my "butterfly friends" and I am so happy to have you as part of this project and forever friends as well!!!