I really do. Vintage notions, vintage furniture, vintage buttons, vintage fabric... I could go on and on.

Vintage quilts are what inspired me to ask my bees to make butterfly blocks, I have been thinking a lot about the tradition of quilting and wanting to try applique. Making a butterfly quilt for my middle daughter is a chance for me to try something new while keeping a vintage aesthetic. 

Lovely bee blocks have already flown in to play with mine - thank you Bee A Brit Stingy ladies!


One of the options for the bees was a paper pieced version by Leila, the 'Alice Brooks Butterfly'.
Since asking for these blocks I have been a bit obsessed with trying to google information about that butterfly block. Firstly one of the comments on Leila's post was from Q is for Quilter, who has redrafted the block and has a scan of the vintage pattern. After searching for the pattern I believe that it was a mail order quilt pattern, I guess that was popular with quilters before magazines! Alice Brooks was the name these patterns were published under and the design is by Laura Wheeler.

Interestingly I then came across an award winning EPP quilt using those blocks by Frances of Fabadashery. She has written about her inspiration and research on the quilt, as well as further posts about making it and showing it. I really recommend reading her blog and taking a look at her quilt!
She also mentioned that the pattern is available in this book:




And if you're into vintage (and in the UK or Ireland) you might like to know that Mary is having another vintage sheet swap. I took part last time and it was brilliant, she's very organised and I've got a lovely bundle of FQs from the first round. Check it out!


Live A Colorful Life