I saw a butterfly, there can be more to life

80 x 68 inches

made by Judy Martin in 1988

mended by her in 2022

I saw a butterfly, there can be more to life.

This text was embroidered with black embroidery floss onto the quilt in 1988, and most of it remains.  (see the top photo)

It is a quote from the book by Trina Paulus  Hope for the Flowers - first published in 1973

The book has been reprinted in 2023 for its 50th anniversary.

"In this book, two caterpillars get caught up in the fallacy of competition and struggle to reach the top of a caterpillar pile. By journey's end, however, they learn that their true nature is not one of winning and being at the top, but of going within and emerging as beautiful butterflies who were born to soar."
--Deepak Chopra

New batting and a new cotton back were laid over the existing worn out quilt, and quilted with red embroidery floss.

The butterflies were painted with a batik method in 1988 when the artist used them as teaching samples for her Painting Fabric for Quilting class during the Northern Arts Council Conference in Kenora.  She met Ontario Arts Council officer, Walter Sunahara at that conference, which was a lucky break because he supported her and asked her to be a juror for the Ontario Arts Council in Toronto in 1989. 

1988

number 8   (edited Feb 2023)

Old photos that show the original colours of quilt are below: