Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Hummingbirds and Bluebirds

Welcome! Today is the 3rd day of the "It's For the Birds" Blog Hop and this is my day to present my projects. I would first like to extend many thanks to Madame Samm of Sew We Quilt who comes up with all these great blog hops and works tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure they happen successfully. I would also like to thank Mary Winegar of I Piece 2 for being such a wonderful cheerleader for this hop.

It seems like most of us love birds and I'm no exception! My particular favorites are hummingbirds and bluebirds, although I like almost all of them. (We also own chickens, turkeys and guineas, so I like those kinds of birds too, but none of my projects include them!)

We celebrated my mom's 80th birthday this past weekend. I'd already given her a quilt for her birthday, but she also wanted a triple zip pouch. Mom loves to feed hummingbirds and I figured I could kill 2 birds with one stone (ha! no pun intended--I don't really want to kill ANY birds!) so...

I put a paper-pieced hummingbird on the back! This was a pattern from the book, Backyard Bird Quilts by Jodie Davis. I've been wanting to make some of the projects in that book and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity. This particular pattern is rather unique in that the paper-piecing actually includes curves. You stitch the pieces on as you normally would, but then press creases into them when you turn them. I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

When I was considering projects to work on for this hop, I remembered a class I took back in about 2007 from Susan Brittingham called, "Upside-down Applique." At the time, I was rather intimidated by all the free motion stitching and I thought working from the back was confusing. Now that I've done plenty of free motion quilting and lots of paper piecing, I figured it was time to give this project another try. It really is sort of to applique what paper piecing is to piecing. I had just barely started working on this when I took the class and then set it aside for "someday."

Someday finally came when this blog hop was announced, so I pulled the project out of storage and finished it. There are net overlays on the wings and tail, which is one of the reasons for using this particular technique. You can't really tell from the photo, but I used iridescent threads on the wings and tail too. The fabrics I used were the ones that we were originally given when I took the class. I'm a bit a disappointed with some of the lack of contrast, particularly with the hummingbird's bill, but I guess this is just one of those "learning experiences!"

This was another unfinished project that I finally got done. It was a kit I had bought years ago and just never got around to making. It's such a relief to have it completed! I'm not sure if those birds are supposed to be bluebirds, but they look enough like bluebirds to suit me!

Finally, while I had some momentum going with working on bird projects, I decided it was time to make this paper-pieced bluebird that's a free pattern offered on Craftsy and designed by Liljabs. This was another project that I really wanted to make. I noticed that one of the blogs on Tuesday included this same block. It wasn't difficult to make, except for the feet--those are the tiniest pieces that I think I've ever paper pieced! I ran out of time to make it into a project, but I think I'm going to use it to make a cover for my sewing machine.

It wasn't until preparing for this hop that I realized just how many bird patterns and projects I have! There are so many more I would have liked to make, but I guess they'll just have to wait for another hop!

Thanks for coming and visiting today! I enjoyed sharing my birds with you!

Be sure to visit all the other blogs and their wonderful bird projects today too:


56 comments:

  1. I too have so many bird patterns and projects in the wings.....but I chose to make a quilt based on m inspiration fabric. I have so many ideas flying around in my head and not enough time to get to them all. Happy Hopping!

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  2. Love all your birds! My favorite is your Mom's zippered pouch. Thank you for sharing.

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  3. Love your projects! The hummingbirds are just gorgeous. I'm sure you mom will adore the pouch. It is great!

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  4. Beautiful birds. Thank you for sharing with us.

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  5. What beautiful projects you have made. Thank you for sharing!

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  6. Your bird projects are so wonderful and beautiful. Thanks for being part in this hop and sharing your creativity

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  7. love your bluebird, what are you making of it? Thanks for sharing

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  8. Great these birds. Love all the projects you made. Thanks for sharing.
    Frederika

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  9. Lovely bird projects. Your mom is going to love that pouch!

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  10. Your projects are all wonderful! I really love the appliqued ones.

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  11. Time crunch - that's how we get a lot of projects completed!! Lovely projects. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. You have some awesome bird projects. LOVE that zippered pouch. I have been eyeing them for some time. I need to make me one.

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  13. your projects are very pretty. thank you

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  14. Thank you for sharing your wonderful birds! I especially like the last one!

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  15. Great projects! Your Mom will love the little pouch!

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  16. Beautiful projects!!! Thank you for sharing and inspiring :)

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  17. My mom loves hummingbirds (well all birds too). Those ones are divine.

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  18. Your projects are all just beautiful!! Great job!

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  19. beautiful birds my next new thing to try is paper piecing thanks for sharing today
    great job

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  20. All your birds are beautiful!! I love the humming bird!!

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  21. Great triple zip pouch. What a treasure for you mom. Glad no birds were harmed in the making of this project!!! lol. Upside down applique. That a novel idea!

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  22. Beautiful bird projects! I love the hummingbird with flowers block--so pretty. The triple zipper pouch is really nice, especially with the hummer on the back. Your quilting is beautiful. Great job!

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  23. wow all your birds are so gorgeous, great work!

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  24. Wow. That bluebird is awesome... I'm so tempted (and a little intimidated) to try to make him!

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  25. Hi!!! I love the hummingbird!!! They are all very pretty!!!

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  26. fantastic paper piecing! I love the hummingbird!

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  27. Your upside-down applique hummingbird is lovely. I can understand the uncertainty with new techniques. I have a concern about starting paper piecing.

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  28. Gwen,
    You've inspired me! I think it is time to try to conquer my 'fear' of paper piecing!! These are lovely!

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  29. Your paper pieced hummingbird and bluebird are just beautiful!

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  30. You did get more done, thanks for sharing your beautiful birds with us!

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  31. Great projects!
    Congrats on getting some UFO's done too!

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  32. ohhh Gwen...love your appliqués..your stitching..your colors...well everything..time and time again, you bring out a smile....

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  33. Wowie, Gwen! Once you set your mind to it you really got the bird items completed, including one that your skills needed to catch up to apparently. Then two or was it three, UFOS are done? If I had to pick a favorite I would say the blue bird as I am drawn to the colors as well ast he pattern! THX for sharing today.

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  34. I absolutely love the blue bird! great job on all your projects!

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  35. Love your mother's triple zip pouch and the paper pieced hummingbird that you finally finished is beautiful, it needed a special day to come out and I am so glad it did.

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  36. Oh, your projects are just so great. Love your bird projects. well done!
    thanks for stopping by my blog during the hop.

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  37. Beautiful projects you shared with us today. The bluebird paper pieced one is my favorite. I've not yet done paper piecing, but it's on my list!

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  38. Those hummingbirds are beautiful!!! I like all your birds, but the hummingbird is my favorite.

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  39. I love hummingbirds and your is beautiful! Well done.
    cheers
    maggie

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  40. Love all of your bird projects. Love your paper pieced birds. Thank you for being in the hop.

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  41. Very pretty bird projects. I think the paper pieced patterns are extra nice for making the birds.

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  42. I love your birds And the blue bird is my favorite.

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  43. Love all your bird projects, I especially love the paper pieced bird. Great job!

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  44. love your bird patterns ... your pp bluebird is a great pattern!

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  45. Wonderful hummingbirds. Isn't it nice to move work from the UFO pile ?

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  46. I'm so impressed that you completed a couple of UFO and then made even more. Both of your pp birds are wonderful. You are a pro - it shows!

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  47. Thanks for sharing all your bird projects. I especially like your bluebird. I will have to fly on over to craftsy and get my own pattern!

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  48. Love all of your bird projects, I have never paper pieced but you did such a wonderful job.

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  49. Lots of wonderful birds! I must try the bluebird - it is a great pattern.

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  50. Great birds!! Thanks for sharing them with us!!

    Sincerely,
    Tricia

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