I like the four blocks together but I would point the butterflies outward instead of inward then I would use a 30's era fabric probably a solid or two color (not a multi-color fabric) for a sashing.

If you want the quilt bigger I would still put the four blocks together to make a big block and alternate with a large solid block of 30's fabric then use a multi-color 30's print for the sashing. In the big solid blocks I would have my quilter sew a beautiful butterfly design.

Can wait to see what you decide to do with your friend's blocks!

Angie

Not to mention that this is an heirloom quilt to be and many blacks will fade, some more than others. Just saying, black fabrics often don't age gracefully.

If it was me I would set the butterflies on point and use 30's reproduction fabrics as the sashing. There are some absolutely
beautiful reproduction fabric out there. It would be keeping with the time period of the blocks.

I think I would like it with a black/white floral for the sashing, and a solid black binding. That would set off the colors in the butterflies.

Oh how funny, after my Grandmother passed my Mom found 16 of the same butterflies in her things. She gave them to me as I am the only quilter in the family. They are not sewen onto blocks yet but I am putting them on musslin and using 1930's repro. fabric for the sashing. Good luck with your project.

First I might ask the question of how large you want it and how many blocks you have. I think many of the ideas are good but would stay away from black to honor the era of the quilt. I think the solids and some 30's repo's would be good. I have made sashing that introduces a blending of colors diagonally across the quilt and I think that would be a good way to have both the yellow and aqua. I would experiment with a double sashing (not cornerstones) with both the solids and the reproduction calico prints. You would get a slight log cabin feel and a secondary pattern that would be subtle enough to blend not overwhelm the butterflies. Good luck and enjoy!!

Kona has some 30's solid colors.

Personaly I think a nutural soft color would be best. Never know what colors any one would be using with it. I have a problem with pink as I use lots of red. Don't like blue but so many don't like green. Beauty is in the eye..... so I'd use something that isn't a real definate color that would clash a room decore.
She did such a great job on these little butterflies that it needs to be a joy for whom ever gets it. Other wise find out who she plans to give it to and what colors they like.

Try Keepsake Quilting for the '30's fabric reproductions. They have quite a selection of prints and solids that would work well with what you have.

Pick a couple of the colors that are used in the quilt, and use one for sashings and the other for cornerstones. I did one with 30s repros and used a simple yellow print for sashings and a lighter solid green for the cornerstones.

If you could get a bunch of repro print fat qtrs you could make a pieced border. There"s one pictured in this link. Otherwise I think the blue or turqoise are pretty.

You could take any of the solid colors to make a lattice around each block with a small print square at each corner to match. The small print could also be the border or some other print/solid.

I'd take several of the blocks to my LQS and see what looks good in the 30's reproduction section of fabrics.

love the way you finished those sunbonnets.

I think I would go with the pastels, but that I would use several different ones for sashing so as to match each butterfly. Then choose one color, probably the black, for cornerstones and the outer border and the binding.

How often does one get to use reproduction fabric? This would be my choice because it would be beautiful. There are so many choices online and in many quilt shops. Perhaps you could use black cornerstones but I really think using it for sashing would make the quilt a little gloomy. I would keep the quilt light and airy just like a butterfly.

If you look at some quilt shops, you can find retro fabrics. I just got about 40 Sunbonnet Sues from a friend and need to do the same thing.

Hi, I did a similar quilt with a lot of diferent applique and embroidered blocks. I used 30's reproduction quilt fabrics and it turned out beautiful. the lady I did it for the block were done by her aunt, and she gave them to her daughter-in-law. the daughter-in-law had me combine them into a quilt and gave it back to her (mother-in-law) to enjoy. I really enjoyed completing this project. Quilt was later appraised at $600.

Good luck with your choice.

Aunt Judy in California

Hi, I did a similar quilt with a lot of diferent applique and embroidered blocks. I used 30's reproduction quilt fabrics and it turned out beautiful. the lady I did it for the block were done by her aunt, and she gave them to her daughter-in-law. the daughter-in-law had me combine them into a quilt and gave it back to her (mother-in-law) to enjoy. I really enjoyed completing this project. Quilt was later appraised at $600.

Good luck with your choice.

Aunt Judy in California

I would try to find a reproduction fabric that was close to a tone on tone, if there was such a thing back then (I'm certainly not an expert on repro fabric), however, a pastel green or lavender, or a bubble gum pink should work well. Those butterflies are awesome and have amazingly tiny stitches. The quiltmaker obviously had very good eyesight.

Go to the quilt store and there are a lot of that error fabrics that would lend well for the sashing. They are great and the nice thing about that time frame the fabric isn't so loud that it's hard to match.

if the blocks are old, the muslin might be closer to white and just have that aged look.

I'd very carefully soak the blocks in Oxy-Clean, rinse carefully then dry carefully. You may be surprised by the real colors.

I am throwing my 2 cents in to the bunch. I would use a floral 30's repro fabric for the sashing and inner border. Then a solid to match one of the colors in the butterflies for the outer boarder with another repro print for the binding. But then I like lighter flavored things.

I'm inspired by all these wonderful suggestions. I like the Sunbonnet Sues with the strip pieced 30's print jelly rolls, and I really appreciate the background experience shared by jpthequilter. I can hardly wait for my next trip to my LQS. Stay tuned.......I will post when complete. Thanks to all!!!

I too would use black sashing, no border and bind in black. There is black in every butterfly so that would unify the whole quilt.

OOOOH, that would be beautiful

Thirties fabrics are saturated pastels. Several colors are indicative of the Tirties--that NILE GREEN, APRICOT, and DENIM BLUE in your butterflies. I think I would use a small Thirties repro print.

Thousands of Bolts has some very pretty Thirties prints, many pretty blues, for $4.25 a yard, quilt shop quality.

http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/inde...=45&hidesbfq=0

i think i'd use a tone on tone black for the sashing and a border all around same size as sashing.....and i would use a small border in a 30s print outside of that & bind in the black.. should be big enough for a good size lap quilt that way she sure did beautiful work!

hello, you are blessed, and so is the friend, i would not use anything except something that looks very old, floral something, very small print.....with the cream background you can use another patterned fabric....good luck.....i wouldn't use a solid fabric, i would use a very small print....

What if you made a 9 patch of 30's prints and alternated with the butterflies? It would depend on how large you want the quilt. By the way they are beautiful and what a lovely act of kindness you are doing!!!

Just adding my 2 cents .... I would use a solid sunny yellow for sashing. Using a solid color would be true to the time period that the blocks were made in. I think adding more retro fabrics would be too many retro fabrics. Please let us know what you decide. :)

I had some like that on really thin muslin. used the lightest weight interfacing you can buy (and it is light!)
gives them some stability & you hardly know it is there.
30's prints would be great. you don't have to stick to solids. could do log-cabin style blocks around each flutterby. and use lots of different prints. will be so pretty when finished !

[I agree with using a pastel solid for the sashing, in keeping with the period.

now that repro vintage fabric is available I would look into using that. I would sash those butterflies (2") in one of the "olde" pastel solids and use a reproduction vintage in the cornerstones of the sashing, then another repro fabric in the final border and bind in the same solid as the sashing...Just what I would do....

The brown that you were contemplating or black would really give the quilt the zing. If you don't want to sash what about alternating pastel block, maybe aqua. If you do a border a 30's print that would compliment

Update! First, let me say that I really appreciate all the suggestions and input from you ladies. After weeks…ok, months….. of thought and planning, I searched and found some great 30s reproduction fabric with EVERY color in it to correspond with the butterflies. (BTW, I only photographed 4 blocks for the initial post when actually there were 30 blocks (blue, green, pink, yellow, brown, orange, and red).) My plan was to sash with black since the butterflies had black bodies and the wings were embroidered in black. When I got close to cutting the border, I felt the 30s print was just too distracting…. I didn’t want to go with a solid (too boring). I had a one yard cut of Moda Wildflowers II and it just looked right. I know….it’s not keeping with the period; but my friend is not a “purist” ….and after 78 years of the blocks being in storage, my goal was to get the project finished, so she can enjoy it. So, I went to my LQS and Lo & Behold, they had the Wildflowers fabric! I bought 2 yards to keep the ‘landscape’ directional. I used a 200 psi threadcount sheet in a muted, mint green color as backing. I finished the project tonight at 6:30PM, adding a label to identify all parties; and delivered the quilt to my friend at 7:30PM. She was so happy, and we were both bawling in a matter of minutes. This was my Christmas Blessing! Thanks again for your input. Merry Christmas!!!

You did a beautiful job.

That is just gorgeous! What a perfect choice for the border, and I can see that both you and your friend are thrilled with the results. A wonderful thing you have done....