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Mary Elizabeth Butterfly Quilt

I am totally smitten over my newest quilt. Everything about it makes me smile. The fabrics I used in it are all designed by Christopher Thompson aka The Tattooed Quilter. This is his third line created for Riley Blake Designs called Mary Elizabeth. Its fresh spring feel has inspired some spring cleaning in my sewing room as well as this light and playful quilt. As soon as I saw the line at Market, I fell in love with the petals design because of its playfulness. When my package of fabric arrived, it was the main fabric that drew me in. However, right now, I am crushing on the bunny print. So basically I love them all. These soft pastel colors have me dreaming of other makes to be made with my scraps from this Butterfly Quilt.

I have been following Christopher’s career ever since I heard him on the Modern Sewciety Podcast with Stephanie. It has been so much fun to watch him grow into such a great designer and maker.  I am so happy for him! That is why this project has been so much fun for me. I love all of his lines and will be using his first line Blue Carolina in the Mod City Center Quilt Sew Along starting — well as soon as I finish the top. I have the pattern all ready for you guys and I can’t wait to get started.

Full quilt top of the Butterfly quilt

The Butterfly Quilt

My favorite thing about this butterfly quilt is how easy it is to make. I love sewing on lines. It is so helpful when you have a guide. The butterfly block has ten seams in it that have these guides. That is because you draw a diagonal line down the center of your 1 3/4 ” squares, 3″ squares, and 4 3/8″ squares. After you line the square up with the edges of correct colored fabric, you sew directly on your line. I use a mechanical pencil to make a light line. (FYI – If you sew a second seam 1/2″ away from your original seam but closer to the edge of your fabric, you can get a half square triangle as a scrap.) Then you trim off the fabric giving a 1/4″ seam.

My second favorite thing about the quilt is the quilting. Quilting lines is one of the easier things for me to quilt so I thought quilting lines in each block would be fun. I altered the direction of the lines to enhance the moment of the butterflies. I left the butterflies unquilted so they would pop out. Then to complement the lines, I used pebbles on the border. Lastly, I love how I turned the block into a 12 1/2″ block. It makes the block larger and more versatile. The block would be the perfect add on to a block of the month quilt.

The Butterfly Block

The pattern is a free Riley Blake Designs pattern called Hearts Aflutter. I am the worst when following patterns, I just can’t do it. Things that I change can be the process of creating the block or adding things to the quilt, taking things out of the quilt. With this quilt, I decided to change the layout of the quilt. The Butterfly Quilt Block is the same as the pattern. Actually, I have linked to it so you can follow the pattern when making the butterfly blocks. I just added more butterflies because I love them and I added two strips to each block making it into a 12.5″ unfinished block and offsetting the butterfly. This created movement in the quilt because they are no longer in straight rows. Let’s dive into making this quilt.

The Fabrics Used in the Butterfly Quilt

Cutting the fabrics for the Butterfly Quilt Tutorial

For the butterflies, I used 1/3 yard of the following eight fabrics: Petals Pink, Roses Pink, Petals Mint, Bunnies Mint, Leaves Green, Daisies Green, Leaves Gray, Main Gray
For four of these fabrics:
cut four – 5 1/4″ x 6 3/4″
cut four – 5 1/4″ x 4 1/4″

For four of these fabrics:
cut six – 5 1/4″ x 6 3/4″
cut six – 5 1/4″ x 4 1/4″

For the middle of the butterflies I used 1/4 yard of X’s Navy
20 – 4 1/8” x 1″

For the contrast fabric I used 3 yards of  Blossom On White Gray
For the butterflies, cut the following:
80 – 3” x 3”
40 – 4 3/8” x 4 3/8″
80 – 1 3/4” x 1 3/4″
20 – 1” x 3”
20 – 1” x 4 3/8”

For the strips that offset the butterflies, cut the following
20 – 10.5″ x 2.5″
20 – 12.5″ x 2.5″

For the Inner Border cut
6 – 2″ strips

For the Outer Border I used 1 3/8 yards  of  Main Mint cut into
6 – 7.5″ strips

I used 4 yards of Shimmer Gray for backing

You will need download and print the free pattern to make the Butterfly Quilt Block. Click here to get your copy of the Hearts Aflutter pattern and follow those steps to make 10 Butterfly Blocks. The following are my progress pictures to help you visualize the steps.

Lay your butterflies out. Decide on where you want your butterflies to be. Once you have decided on a layout, take a photo of it with your phone. In each row, you will need to alter the placement of the top and bottom strip. Each row will have the strip on the same side or the block, right or left. Refer to the line art below. Use painter’s tape to mark the sides you will add your 2.5″ strips to. Make sure you place the tape an inch away from the edges of the block so you don’t sew over the tape.

  • Pin and sew a 2.5″ x 10.5″ strip to the top of the butterfly block. Iron flat. Repeat for a total of 10 blocks.
  • Pin and sew a 2.5″x 10.5″ strip to the bottom of the butterfly block. Iron flat. Repeat for a total of 10 blocks.
  • Pin and sew a 2.5″x 12.5″ strip to the right edge of the butterfly block. Iron flat. Repeat for a total of 12 blocks. 6 blocks will have a 2.5″ on the top of the block and 6 blocks will have a 2.5″ on the bottom of the block.
  • Pin and sew a 2.5″x 12.5″ strip to the right edge of the butterfly block. Iron flat. Repeat for a total of 8 blocks. 4 blocks will have a 2.5″ on the top of the block and 4 blocks will have a 2.5″ on the bottom of the block.

  • Lay out your block. Pin and sew four blocks together. Repeat for a total of five rows.
  • Lay out your rows. Mark each row with painter’s tape showing what direction you will iron your seams. Alternating arrows. Making them nest. 
  • With your seams nested, pin and sew your rows together.

  • Sew six 2″ strips strips together making one long inner border. Measure the quilt length. Cut two inner border strips to that size. Pin and sew one to the right edge of the quilt. Pin and sew the other one to the left edge of the quilt. Iron seams flat.
  • Measure the width of the quilt. Cut two inner border strips to that size. Pin and sew one to the top edge of the quilt. Pin and sew the other one to the bottom edge of the quilt. Iron seams flat.
  • Sew six 7.5″ strips strips together making one long outer border. Measure the quilt length. Cut two outer border strips to that size. Pin and sew one to the right edge of the quilt. Pin and sew the other one to the left edge of the quilt. Iron seams flat.
  • Measure the width of quilt. Cut two outer border strips to that size. Pin and sew one to the top edge of the quilt. Pin and sew the other one to the bottom edge of the quilt. Iron seams flat.

The Finished Butterfly Quilt Size is 65″ x 77″

Mary Elizabeth is such a sweet line. I can’t wait to use my scraps for a heart block and maybe some earrings. EEEKK!! If you make your own butterfly quilt, I would love to see it, so send me pics or tag me in them on Instagram. If you create your own special something with Mary Elizabeth fabric use #MaryElizabethFabric on Instagram because it is so much fun to sew what others make with the same fabric.

I hope you have a wonderful week and check back soon for my announcement for the Mod City Center Pattern and Quilt Along. Happy Sewing!

quilting of the Butterfly Quilt

To see more quilts I have made click here.

the bound edge of the Butterfly Quilt
Butterfly Quilt

Leave a Comment

The Comments

  • Nancy Miller
    May 3, 2019

    Beautiful and thank you for just clear instructions- a keeper for sure hopefully to made this !

  • Nancy Miller
    May 3, 2019

    Beautiful and thank you for just clear instructions- a keeper for sure hopefully to made this !

  • Nicky
    May 5, 2019

    Could you do this as a quilt as you go? Your lines are so accurate I don’t think I could be that accurate on a large quilt!

    • Elisabeth DeMoo
      > Nicky
      May 6, 2019

      I bet you could!! I have not done that technique yet but really want too… this would make a good blog post. (Thanks for the idea!) I have found that if I keep sewing the lines up and down I can do them pretty straight. Then I use a part on my foot as a spacer. In this case it was the outside of the circle on quilting foot. If I try to quilt the lines sideways I run into trouble so I avoid that. Thank so much for your comment.

    • Elisabeth DeMoo
      > Nicky
      May 6, 2019

      I bet you could!! I have not done this technique yet but I really want to. (Great post ideas so thanks for that!!) I sew lines up and down which is so much easier then sideways. When spacing the lines I find something that I can keep in line with, in this case it was the outside of my quilting foot. Thank you so much for your comment!!

    • Judy
      > Nicky
      June 8, 2019

      My Husband recently passed away in Palliative Care and their theme is butterflies. I am making this beautiful quilt to donate to them to raffle to raise money for the Pall Care Unit. They are the most amazing caring people I have ever met. Can’t wait to get started on this project!!!

      • Elisabeth DeMoo
        > Judy
        June 10, 2019

        I am so sorry for your loss. This is such a beautiful thing for you to do for the Pall Care Unit!! I am so glad that you found this project at this time in your life. You are amazing and strong! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

  • Nicky
    May 5, 2019

    Could you do this as a quilt as you go? Your lines are so accurate I don’t think I could be that accurate on a large quilt!

    • Elisabeth DeMoo
      > Nicky
      May 6, 2019

      I bet you could!! I have not done this technique yet but I really want to. (Great post ideas so thanks for that!!) I sew lines up and down which is so much easier then sideways. When spacing the lines I find something that I can keep in line with, in this case it was the outside of my quilting foot. Thank you so much for your comment!!

    • Judy
      > Nicky
      June 8, 2019

      My Husband recently passed away in Palliative Care and their theme is butterflies. I am making this beautiful quilt to donate to them to raffle to raise money for the Pall Care Unit. They are the most amazing caring people I have ever met. Can’t wait to get started on this project!!!

      • Elisabeth DeMoo
        > Judy
        June 10, 2019

        I am so sorry for your loss. This is such a beautiful thing for you to do for the Pall Care Unit!! I am so glad that you found this project at this time in your life. You are amazing and strong! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

  • Rebecca
    August 10, 2019

    I love your version of this quilt! And the fabrics…..! Beautiful.

  • Rebecca
    August 10, 2019

    I love your version of this quilt! And the fabrics…..! Beautiful.

  • Elwyn
    May 1, 2020

    Beautiful! Delicious fabrics.

  • Elwyn
    May 1, 2020

    Beautiful! Delicious fabrics.

  • CHARLENE CHING
    January 12, 2021

    Beautiful pattern and well written, I was just doing some math in my head though and there does not need to be that much fabric for each of the butterfly fabrics. If you were cutting what you said here there would be enough for 24 butterflies (4 more than what is used I believe).

    • Elisabeth DeMoo
      > CHARLENE CHING
      January 12, 2021

      You are right!! I just adjusted the cutting instructions. Great eyes! Thanks for letting me know.

  • CHARLENE CHING
    January 12, 2021

    Beautiful pattern and well written, I was just doing some math in my head though and there does not need to be that much fabric for each of the butterfly fabrics. If you were cutting what you said here there would be enough for 24 butterflies (4 more than what is used I believe).

    • Elisabeth DeMoo
      > CHARLENE CHING
      January 12, 2021

      You are right!! I just adjusted the cutting instructions. Great eyes! Thanks for letting me know.

  • Amanda Auker
    January 23, 2023

    Could you provide instructions for how you added the quilting lines /pebbles on the border? I LOVE how this looks!

    • Elisabeth DeMoo
      > Amanda Auker
      January 23, 2023

      That is a great question and I would love to create a blog post about this so I can show the quilting up close. Thank you for the idea. Here is a short explanation: When quilting each butterfly block I used the quilt block seam as my sewing guide. Then I free motion quilted the lines on the background color of the block. For extra texture I changed the direction of the lines in the different blocks. I have done one video on quilting, it shows how I have quilted free motion lines. Here is a link to that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olqGwVZzuJc . For the border I created the pebbles by making circles. You can quilt eights and then add a circle in the middle. I definitely need to add images and video so it makes sense. I have an old block of the month that might be the perfect way to show this. Thanks for the idea. Happy Monday!!

  • cindy boasekline
    March 16, 2024

    i would love to have this pattern. please, may i purchase this pattern.