Twirl on, you and your satin blue.
Be water birds, be air birds.
Be these purple tumblers you are.
(from Purple Martins by Carl Sandberg)
This pattern has been languishing in my pile for ages, however, the background fabric was selected for it. It waited, and it waited, and it waited. When the Show Your Wings Hop was announced, I knew what I would do….a small bird wall hanging from Backyard Birds* by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins of Piece O’ Cake Designs. I also said that I would do it for one of my quarterly goals here
I got out my trusty appliqué tools:
-a sandboard*
–sewline pencils* – white and grey are usually all I need
–sewline glue* – NEWS FLASH – I basted with this!!!
–clover needle threader*
–thread heaven*
–clover applique needles*
–mettler embroidery weight thread*(60wt)
Sandboards come and go with availability, but the popularity of EPP seems to have brought them back in stock. There are a few out there and if you do handwork, I highly recommend them.
This paper was recommended by Becky and Linda so I tried it. I liked that it stabilized the paper. The procedure was to photocopy the pattern pieces, then layer this paper on top. After that, you cut our your pieces. It gives them a nice firmness and they can certainly be reused. They worked perfectly, and I think it would be best for something you planned on making a number of times.
This is the way that I make a guideline for my appliqué. I use vinyl and a sharpie and copy the pattern. I fold my background in half in the center and finger press just a bit. I transfer that cross onto the center of my appliqué vinyl pattern to use as a registration mark.
I loved making this little piece. It came out to be 14” x 14”. I couldn’t resist pulling in the purple in the border, to really draw yours eyes to the color. In person, it helps bring out the depth of the greens, too. All the applique pieces are Island Batiks – and they are gorgeous.
The baby birds in the nest really make me smile. I just love it. Thank you to Carol for hosting another great hop!
Please visit the rest of today’s bloggers for the Show your Wings Hop:
February 19
Patchouli Moon Studio
Vroomans Quilts
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Songbird Designs
Quilts Fabric and Thread Tales
Sew Many Yarns
Kathleen McMusing <—–that’s me
Life in the Scrapatch
DesertSky Quilting
Clever Chameleon Quilting
Yesterday, I was featured in the Dust Off A Quilt Book Blog Hop and it continues through Friday. Here are the other folks blogging today, please visit them too, if you have a chance.
Tuesday Feb 19th
Cindy Stitchin at home
Jennifer at curlicuecreations
Stephanie at stephjacobsondesigns
Kathy at Kathysquilts
Shasta at high road quilter
Theresa at bumbleberrystitches
I am off to QuiltCon early Wednesday. I will have a blog post Wednesday for the hops for the rest of the week. I may post while there, but it may be more on my @kathleenmcmusing on Instagram or Facebook. I am beginning to use these accounts more for my quilting content.
Update 3/4/19
WINNERS!!!THANK YOU to all who commented during my giveaways. My giveaways were sent on Friday, Karen T, Bernie K, and Kathy L won and should be getting there FQs and a few little things soon. I haven’t decided on the next, but it is coming.
GIVEAWAY TIME:
The giveaway continues! It will be open until Sunday, 2/24 at 11:59 pm. I don’t know what it will be..maybe swag from Quilt Con, maybe Island Batiks or maybe something else. Let’s see what develops this week. You get one entry for a comment on each of my blog entries this week (not sure how many there will be after Wednesday but there are three planned right now).
Appliqué Products*
Linking up:
The Crafty Quilter: UFO WIP Challenge
Dizzy Quilts: 1st Quarter 2019 Finish Along
That purple Martin is beautiful! Great work.
Thank you, Gin.
I love your purple martin. Nice!
Thanks, Christi.
Love your purple martins. And how you made the background fabric seem like a totally integral part of the picture. Lovely.
It was a fun project! Why I decided to do a hand one with all my deadlines, I’ll never know. I did enjoy it though.
Thanks, Dione. This was a fun one for me….why I decided with so many deadlines to do it by hand was beyond me, but I enjoyed it.
So beautiful, and the background fabric is absolutely perfect !
Thanks, Lisa! I love that background, too.
this is a wonderful piece. That background fabric is amazing. Love the little ones in the nest.
I do love that background. I have one more piece – maybe a cardinal next time.
Gorgeous! The batiks work wonderfully with the pattern.
Thank you!
Love you r purple martins! Thanks for the tips on applique. I don’t do a lot of it and often forget these little things!
Have fun at Quilt Con!
I love it and find it fun once I get back to it. Hand appliqué is really my favorite.
I love your purple martins! Love the fabrics you used!
Thank you so much.
So pretty! I love applique and your Purple Martins are lovely. Have a super day!
Thank you, hope your day is fab!
Your Purple Martin piece is so pretty in those batiks and all the details are amazing! Such a fun “wing” piece for inspiration. Have fun at Quilt Con and thank you for hopping along with us!
Hope it does inspire you to make one – and I am sure I’ll love QuiltCon. Always fun to hop with you!
I too like to stiffen my little applique patterns up, although I use the lamination sheets. They work fabulously!
It really was a fun to try something different – and relatively easy for making the templates.
Oh, it’s beautiful. I love all the little details. Great work
Thanks so much!
The purple martin is beautiful, especially in batik! I like Piece O’ Cake designs too. I used to do hand applique, but now I prefer fusible wit blanket stitching. Off to see the other blog hop you were in.
It really is fun to have something just for me! I love how cozy it is and remember my grandmother making covers for blankets from flannel sheets – the only thing close to quilting she did. They were so warm as is this quilt.
Great Purple Martins quilt inspiration and cute baby birds in the nest.
Thank you, I just think their little heads are so sweet.
Such a sweet wall hanging. Thanks for taking us through the process and for the chance to win.
You are so welcome.
Absolutely beautiful, I am speachless.
Oh, Denise, you are too kind.
Hi again Kathleen! WOWEE! That purple is just fabulous. All of the fabrics are nice, but the purple looks so deep and rich. And the background fabric – could it be more perfect?!! It looks just like momma bird is flying in to feed or check on her baby chicks. ~smile~ Roseanne
The Momma is swooping in. The pattern had a yellow bird but purple called my name!
Your project is so beautiful Kathleen! I love the fabrics. Thank you for sharing.
You are so welcome, Joyce.
Amazing project. Super cool. Enjoy your day! 🙂 🙂 angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom
Pretty purple martin.
Aw, thanks.
I took a class with Becky Goldsmith and she inspired me to try applique again. Lovely birds.
How wonderful! I love when I get to take class from the experts.
The purple is perfect!
I haven’t tried applique yet – it is scary to me!
You can do it! It is not so hard.
Clever idea for using that beautiful deep purple IB fabric! Have a blast at QuiltCon! I’m looking forward to seeing some IG posts!
It is a gorgeous purple. I promise to post!
Beautiful Purple Martin piece. I love the fabrics you used. Thank you for showing photos of the details and of the process you used to make this … 🙂 Pat
You are welcome – I enjoy sharing the details.
The fabrics are just right for this project. It’s lovely
What a great use of that batik fabric!! You did a beautiful job on your backyard bird. Nice choice for including in the Show Your Wings Blog Hop!!
What a beautiful project! I remember getting dive-bombed by purple martins when I was a kid. Haven’t seen any in years (until yours today!).
I have been dived (sound wrong but its too late) by catbirds, not purple martins. Gotta start looking for them!
This is so sweet. Thanks for sharing
You are welcome, Lori.
The purple martins are beautiful. Thanks for sharing your work with us. I have a couple of sand boards – I think they are exactly alike. I forget about them and yes they are very useful. They make holding fabric for tracing much accurate even if it’s for primitive quilts. Sometimes we want that exact look for a reason regardless the look. Some people are more exacting than others, too, I’m thinking about doing some applique and hadn’t even thought about my sand board. Thanks for the reminder and most of all – thanks for sharing your project.
You are so welcome. I love my sandboard and whenever I mark for hand work, I use it. Glad I was able to jog the memory!
I love this! That purple Island Batik is just perfect! I haven’t used a sandboard before but I’m thinking I might try one.
You will love it once you do. It really grips the fabric just right when marking your fabric.
Those purple Martins are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
I really enjoyed reading about your process and love your sweet mini. Very pretty and it definitely makes me smile.
A very nice applique project. The process was interesting.
Glad you enjoyed hearing about the process.
Beautiful work! It reminds me of my grandparents. They had a Martin house in their backyard.
We have some on the Island, I will be looking harder for them this spring. I love the flashy birds so much!
What a great project!
Thank you!
Purple Martins bring great memories of my aunt. Thank you for sharing your applique tips.
You are welcome!
My bother made a huge purple martin house when we were in 4-H years ago! I love my sand board for english paper piecing too!
Great use of the sandboard! Lots of memories of martin houses are popping up. My neighbors in Maine have one!
Great appliqué project and pattern – this is something I haven’t tried but it looks like fun. So many things I want to try!! This pattern really appeals to me. I love the birds and the simplicity of the design.
Thank you! Just relaxing in the hotel in Nashville. Already have a story or two to tell. Enjoy the rest of your time in VT.
Such a beautiful work of art. It is stunning.
Thanks, Sherry.
Thank you for sharing your quilt and tips. Your quilt is lovely and your background fabric was perfect for it. I have not seen the sand board before and I am going to check it out.
You will like it if you try it!
You’ve really earned your wings with this sweet quilt. I’ve been so busy this winter that I wasn’t able to join in on any blog hops but this one did sound fun.
I absolutely love this piece. Piece O Cake designs are so cute and your colors sing! Have a great time at Quilt Con. You know those who can’t go are very jealous here! LOL!!!
Looking forward to more time tomorrow to do it all again; quilts, vendors and class!
I love this pattern and it’s so pretty in batiks.
I think it worked really well, too.
Beautiful! I love the fabrics you used.
Thank you.
Love your bird and the fabric choices you used in the block. Very striking!
Thank you.
How wonderful that you get to go to QuiltCon! I was able to go when it was in Pasadena. Wish I could be there this time around.
There is so much to see and do. Right now I wish the exhibit hall was open in the evening!
I love your bird, so sweet.
Thank you.
This is a very sweet mini. wonderful work.
Thank you
I love the applique work on this. This is my first time hearing of a sandboard. I have used sandpaper on a clipboard for a similar purpose in the past.
That works just as well, but as you know, it is always nice to have the right tool at the ready!
This is a lovely use of batiks. Where I lived previously lots of folks had purple martin houses, and everyone enjoyed the benefits. I will be taking both hand and a machine applique classes soon. I am looking forward to adding applique to my projects.
Good luck, I am sure you will find at least one way of appliqué that works for you!
adorable quilt and love the pusheen button!
Thanks, Bea!
Great applique love the purple martins. Thanks for sharing your process.
I love how your version is so different from the version in the book. Each artist’s vision is her own. Thanks so much for sharing.
I really love your Purple Martins!! Applique is a lot of work but when you get results like this…totally worth it!!
Wonderful little quilt. I love birds in quilt designs, I just bought a few patterns to give some a try. This is a fun hop.
What pretty birds! It looks like you were able to use this project for both the hops at the same time.
Oh I love your mini quilt Kathleen! Thanks for showing how you made it! It is just gorgeous! Is it going in your Maine home? Those IB batiks really are spectacular, aren’t they. 🙂
I keep coming back to look at this. Thanks for sharing your technique. I haven’t done much hand work or applique and this is all new to me. Love the background fabric and how your worked it into your design.
Hi there, visiting the Favorite Finsh linky party and saw this post. I never saw it when you originally posted it nor do I remember the book and I used to be a fan of Piece of Cake, still have their original fabric in my stash. I love Purple Martin, I know I would smile everytime I saw it hanging on my wall. Good appliqué tips, I even have the laminated sheets and I do have the cards of Piece of Cake patterns.
It happens to all of us! This was more of a pamphlet – only about 16 pages. I feel like it was one of their last but probably not. I really enjoyed it and glue basting is the bomb! So fast.
Beautiful quilt and thank you for sharing your technique!