This quilt was all due to a seductive fabric line called “The Birds and Berries of Maine”; it was for the 2020 Maine Shop hop. We love feeding the birds and have seen many of them in the backyard, they are my backyard beauties! The fabric was stashed for a long time. A napkin set, placemats, and many other things came to mind, but it never felt right. Finally, a pattern from Villa Rosa caught my eye. I paired the birds & berries with some Island Batik fat quarters, and loved the result.
Almost all the birds in the fabric show up to our feeders. The other day this beauty was in our neighbor’s yard. What you can’t see are the bird feeders he/she is looking at. The cooper’s hawk flew off to another bush and we could no longer see it. You never know what you will see here!
This beauty appeared the other night as we were preparing dinner. It loved the sunflower seeds below the bird feeder but then proceeded to eat my flowers. We expressed our displeasure, but the young one was not impressed.
My gardener (I am a quilter not a gardener) recently planted this beauty. Unfortunately, the bugs love the leaves. We are treating it with some organic solution, but I love seeing it. Now, before you think you are in the wrong place, we will go back to our regularly scheduled quilting content.
The Process
When I went looking for information on this fabric, I found that I had forgotten this was for the Maine Shop Hop in 2020. I know I didn’t do a shop hop, but I knew the fabric kept calling my name until it came home with me. Funny, I don’t know when I bought it, I just know I couldn’t resist it. I held on to, fondled it and finally came up with a plan. I really didn’t want to cut it up too much, so this pattern worked really well.
The pattern is a great one from Villa Rosa Designs, Maid Marian by Pat Fryer (she designs all the ones with roses). It calls for 10 fat quarters; it was a match made in heaven.
I worked on it on retreat. Here it is laid out on a bed while the design wall was in use. I always bring a vinyl tablecloth in case I need to lay out a quilt or roll it up and take it home. I am sure most of you know this trick but it is a good one.
Aren’t these chickadees pretty?
This is a really fast quilt to make, and fun to have such great space to feature the fabric. Honestly, there was enough from the set of fat quarters to make another or make it larger. I did neither, and passed the remnants off to a friend on retreat. She was teaching a young woman to quilt and thought it would be a perfect project. I was glad not to be faced with making another quilt.
Quilting the Quilt
This quilted up nicely. I used a pattern called Trillium Leaves by Darlene Epp that is in the Prostitcher library. And, we do have trillium in Maine, so it was faithful to the theme. This particular pattern is a little large for my frame, but it shrank down nicely with the computerized system so it would fit perfectly on the quilt. Really, it was the perfect edge to edge and worked well on this quilt and I was glad it reduced nicely.
I used a lot of my favorites for quilting – a cotton batting, So Fine Barely Purple, #501 for quilting, and the Glide navy in the bottom. I always piece with the Aurifil Dove, it is my favorite.
The front is just vibrant. I worried a bit about the vibrancy of the batiks, but in person, they pick up the vibrant bird colors.
The backing was a navy grunge wide back. I split it in two so I could use for two quilts that are about this size – works like a charm.
Quilt Stats
Backyard Beauties 45″ x 60″ (after washing 43-1/2″ x 58″)
Pattern: Maid Marian, Villa Rosa Designs
Quilting Pattern: Trillium Leaf, Darlene Epp in Prostitcher library
Threads: Piecing: Aurifil Dove
Quilting: Superior So Fine Barely Purple and Glide Navy
Batting: 100% Cotton (not sure of the brand – bad me)
Coming up on my Blog
I took August easy, seems a lot of us did. There was a project, in the hands of the one who needed it, that you won’t see for awhile. But, there is fun news. I am participating in two new opportunities, so watch for more on my blog. The first one is the Flower Pot Blog Hop and Instagram Loop, with Jennifer Fulton’s, The Inquiring Quilter, fabric line from Island Batik. I designed an easy quilt, so keep an eye out for it – I plan on having it made before we go to Quebec (small anniversary celebration), and on the frame next weekend. The second is a project with the Fat Quarter Shop. For this one, there will be some previews in October and a reveal at the end of November. Now, you never mind all these other projects listed, I will be working on them too!
Ice Cream Quart Holder and Zip
Quilt Yoga 2, Beer Table Runner
Tips and Tutorials on the 22
TGIFF 9/26
Flower Pot Blog Hop 9/28
Linking Up With
Monday Musings
Wait Loss Wednesdays
Fabric Destash
Fabric Purchased September: 0 yards
Fabric Used September: 7 yards
YTD Fabric Purchased: 29 yards
YTD Fabric Use: 9.2 yards
Grand total : -63 yards
Kathleen, what a beautiful quilt! That pattern is perfect for showcasing those pretty colors and fabrics. Will you keep it so you can continue to fondle the fabrics? ;) Love the deer photo. Is that a hibiscus you planted, with that pretty bloom?
Great pattern for this fabric. I love that it leaves big pieces to see and enjoy. Love the chickadees!
Great choice of pattern for those fabrics! We enjoy birdwatching as well, although our feeder is empty at the moment, so we need to remedy that today. the bugs ate my hibiscus the first year, too, but be patient. This year, the plant is going gangbusters, and no bugs! Yours is such a pretty shade of pink!
Good morning. What a sweet quilt. I’ve been hoarding some feathered friends fabric pieces for ages now, but am still not sure what direction will be taken when the cutting egins. Thanks for sharing this one.
Fun quilt, Kathleen!!! Great photo from the back of your home–what a cute home!!! Trillium was the perfect panto! I’ve used that before, also, and must get it back in use!
Gotta love those Villa Rosa patterns for their simplicity and letting fabrics shine! Great choice on pantos, trillium! I’ve used that one before, also. This is my second time to comment, Kathleen, so if 2 comments show up from me, you’ll know what’s up!
This is a lovely quilt! And yes, these patterns are really good! The idea tp lay out on a bigger piece of fabric (bed below, if no design board on hand) is my favorite, because I have no space. And when somebody (mostly my hubby, lol) wants to go to bed, I roll my design board and stopp my work at this point. For good, no needle left in the bed so far… ! Kathleen .. love the animal fotos, flowers and wow what a nice house! Thanks for seeing a blog from you! Happy fall!
Well I too just love your home! Great quilt and great photo of it. I may have to pick up that VRD pattern as I have some ancient fabric that I’ve never used because it needs to be left in big chunks. We absolutely love our back yard: feed the birds, tend our flowers and soak in the peace.
We are bird watchers, too! One year, we had a hawk hanging around the bird feeder…not a good thing! We’ve also had a bear take off with the feeder one year. Ha, ha! Love the quilt! Great way to showcase the fabrics! :)
What a great pattern for that “I can’t cut this fabric” collection, Kathleen. Congratulations on your latest quilt finish!
That fabric would have called to me too, as I just love bird watching! You found the perfect pattern to feature your fabric, and the perfect quilting motif too! Lovely. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.
PS I can’t wait to see the quilt you’re making for my Flower Pot blog hop!
That bird fabric is gorgeous and especially paired with the batiks! Don’t you just love looking at wildlife that run through our woods and yard. Yesterday while leaving our subdivision I saw a mama and baby deer crossing one of the side streets! Great quilt, Kathleen! Thanks for sharing with us at Monday Musings. Have a great week!