Dragonflies are such graceful, iridescent creatures. I love seeing them dart around my flower garden and dance above a pond. My grandmother used to say they could sew your eyes shut. I never believed that. Instead, I thought they were made by the fairies.
Apparently, I am not the only person fascinated by them. Images of dragonflies can be found everywhere. Maybe that is because dragonflies can be found everywhere but Antarctica! Hundreds of species exist and they predate the dinosaurs. That is pretty incredible.
More amazing is their ability to see and fly. They have over 28,000 lenses in those quickly huge eyes of theirs and can see 360-degrees. That may help their flight capabilities. They are like mini helicopters, which are able to fly over 30 miles per hour and then hover in one place. Each of their four wings moves independently giving them that ability to turn quickly.
One of the best things about dragonflies is that they eat pesky mosquitoes and other annoying bugs! Since they live in wetlands, require clean water, and interact with many other species, they are considered an indicator of environmental health. This also means that many are currently endangered.
This link to environmental health is one of the reasons that they are revered in so many societies. They are considered good luck and signs of transformation. Some believe they are symbols of peace, harmony, and purity. It is no wonder their images are found so many places.
My love of dragonflies and the beautiful McKenna Ryan’s Jewel Basin collection by Hoffman inspired me to create Dragonfly Whimsy (catalog page 43). It is a typical whimsical quilt design, made with a central wheel, checkerboard borders and colorful appliques. These appliques can be added in your favorite method. Personally, I fuse them and spend my time on embellishing them! Dragonfly Whimsy is 48-inches square, the perfect size for a wall hanging.
The Dragonfly Whimsy pattern is available now in our shop for wholesale and retail. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Happy Quilting!
Laureen
