Monday, June 17, 2013

I LOVE these quilts: put a bird on it!

I grew up in a bird-watching family. When I was quite young, I could identify birds by their calls, their flight profiles, their habits. My parents had feeders up year round & watched them like television. The bird book & the binoculars were always close at hand. So bird-y things make me think of home & family & make me happy.
I haven't done an "I LOVE these quilts" in a while, so I thought I would do a "put a bird on it" edition. I have VERY MANY quilts with birds favorited on Flickr. Embroidered, appliqued, pieced, paper pieced, or just made with bird-printed fabric; realistic, abstract, whimsical, there are many many ways to make quilts that celebrate birds. Here are just a few that I LOVE!

This quilt, an heirloom belonging to Pearlzenith, was one of my earliest Flickr favorites. Her great-grandmother, a woman who preferred science & drawing to needlework, made the quilt. She may not have loved it, but she was clearly quite skilled with her needle. Her whimsical little birds are so adorable & well-made; she must have loved someone -- child? grandchild? -- very much to have made this sweet little quilt. What a treasure!

Bird Quilt

Another of my early Flickr favorites was made by run amok. Flying Birds made of 1 square & 2 HSTs -- so simple & so effective! I cannot imagine anyone looking at this quilt & not thinking of a swirling flock of birds. Her sky is a mix of blue & neutral solids, she used special vintage kimono fabrics for her birds. I would really love to make my own version of this quilt someday -- imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?!?!

Flying Birds Quilt, finished

Made by kellymeanix (she blogs at Pinkadot Quilts), this quilt is a charmer. A contemporary appliqued bird block surrounded by what look to be vintage fabrics in a cheery palette of blues & aquas, pinks & reds. And if it weren't bird-y enough, there are little birds & nests ink-stamped onto the white areas. It's little, but makes a big statement & what a great way to use some cherished fabrics!

 Bluebird in Winter

PinkPlease! made this quilt for the MQG Kona Charm Challenge. Cute, chubby little bird shapes were cut from the solid charm squares -- the square without the bird was raw-edge appliqued to one side & the bird without the square was raw-edge appliqued to the other side. Very clever, very modern!

Flock in the box!

I admit to loving very nearly everything RachaelDaisy (she blogs at Blue Mountain Daisy) makes, but I do have especial favorites. "Oi Emu" is an especial favorite. This quilt was made for Corduroy Appreciation Day (11-11-11) & made wagga-style! Some corduroy trousers, some Aussie screen-printed fabrics, curtain scraps, an emu, a dash of rust & mustard & RachaelDaisy has made another awesome quilt!

Oi Emu!!

7 comments:

beth said...

Love ALL the quilts...especially the first. Thanks for the fun quilt show!

Oona said...

Thank you so much for including my quilt, they're all so great!!

Oona said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
O'Quilts said...

Oh, Beth...another post and a wonderful one too. We love bird watching..had a great time when we lived in Miami in the Everglades watching them. As for Rachel, I love everything she makes too...and everything you make.

Rachaeldaisy said...

What an awesome post!!! I love all of these quilts and when it got to mine it was a surprise because I thought you were using another of my quilts with birds. You made me look at my own quilt with fresh eyes even though it hangs on my lounge room wall, thank you! Such a great collection of bird quilts of all types. I LOVE your ' I LOVE these quilts' posts.

amy and the bad cats said...

that vintage bird quilt is amazing!

~ Val @ PinkPlease! ~ said...

I love these quilts! I'm honored to have my quilt featured among these others!