My Little Brown Bird Project
 

I received the pattern book for the Little Brown Bird quilt yesterday and couldn't wait to get started. I will have to buy new fabric for the background and backing because I don't 8 yards of anything in my stash, but most of the other fabrics will come out of my cabinets. I had to google a couple of the techniques that are mentioned in the book so I will have to do a few practice squares before starting on the blocks with things like Broderie Perse (sounds like a French wine to me) or Scherenschnitte (which sounds like it would be good cooked in an oven). The two together would make a pretty good meal, lol. Anyway, I hope to finish at least one block a week so this quilt is going to take a while. I hope to post progress pictures on this thread for anyone that wants to follow along on this journey. Here I'll post Margaret Docherty's vision of each block, then my fabric choices and finally my finished blocks as they are completed. Please feel free to offer advice on color selections or any other area that you feel might help to bring this project to completion. Heaven knows I need all the advice I can get.

I had to look up those terms (to see how long it should be in the oven).

Persian Embroidery & German Scissor Cutting - with blocks like these you will have a whole new repertoire of skills by the end.

It will be a lovely finished item but also a fun journey. I can't really comment on color choices - I find it difficult to work with batiks - I end up with a muddy mix of mid-range material (say it 3 times quickly). : )

I look forward to seeing the blocks you post. Thanks for sharing.

This will be one beautiful quilt! It looks like it will take a bit of time to complete. It also looks like it will test the skills of a good quilter. I look forward to following your journey.

Quilt will be beautiful. Good luck with it.

It will be wonderful. I will love watching your progress on the board.💕

This quilt, when done, will be a gorgeous masterpiece! Please do post pictures as you make this journey. What type of applique will you be using? Needle turn, machine, etc? We had a member doing this quilt top and posted as she went along. Beautiful blocks and so much work. Haven't heard from her in a good while. I needle turn applique but not to this degree. I will be waiting for a picture of each block as you complete them. Very proud for you. Maureen

I've heard of those techniques but can't remember how to do them.
That's a beautiful piece! Can't wait to see it.

Looking forward to seeing your progress on this! It's a project in my bucket list, but need to find a book first.

That is going to be absolutely gorgeous & a heirloom quilt when finished. I can't imagine making something like that in a million years. I really like applique but can only do simple applique. I'm looking forward to following along with you as you post blocks that you make.

I finished block 1 today. It didn't take me long to figure out that I really am no good at appliqueing anything as small as 1/4" so I did a little modification on the 2 little birds. I don't think it detracts from the overall block to much. The 1st picture is my finished block, the 2nd picture is from the pattern for one of the birds. As you can see the pieces are insanely small and I just couldn't get the tail turned enough that I thought it would hold up. So I changed birds and the 3rd picture is the one I used. Now I'm off to find fabric for Block 2.

You will be just fine the way I look at your fabric collections, I can"t wait to see the finished product! thanks for sharing your thought!

It's very exciting to see someone starting the LBB. Congrats. I have 5 more blocks to go and I'll be done with mine. I have the corners and sides done and am working on the borders. I've been working on this quilt for years. I'm going to post a couple of my finished blocks in a bit.

I look forward to seeing how your blocks are coming along. And, I'm impressed if you can do these in one week. I'm much slower.

How gorgeous and wonderful, my hand skills are bad and my vision is getting worse and so I don't see that changing. I'm in awe of your project and heartily commend you for figuring out how to make it work for you!

Nanna-up-north your previous posts showing your blocks (which are all awesome I might add) is what got me to thinking I might could do this amazing quilt. I am now working on block 2. This block has stuffed flowers, which I have never done before. How did you stuff your flowers and what material did you use to stuff them with. I've looked at a couple of youtube videos and found a method that I think might work for me, but I haven't tried it yet. Any advice on technique would be greatly appreaciated.

That's very sweet of you to say my blocks have inspired you. Thank you. One thing for sure, you learn making this quilt. I can see my progress as I continue to make blocks. I think I've improved as I've tried new things.

The stuffed flowers were done by cutting a piece of batting the size of the flower petals and then stuffing each petal. I didn't try to stuff the entire flower. I don't think I could have figured out how to do that. But, I stitched the petal on and then before closing up the last side, I'd use my toothpick to move the batting into place. Hope this helps.

Nanna-up-north you are so right about learning, I'm only on my 2nd block and I'm already learning new things. I'll do a test flower or two and try your technique. I have tried the poly-fill and that didn't work at all. I know this will be a long, hard but .. process. Can't wait to see your last few blocks and hope I can show my last few before I'm 100 yrs old, lol.

Your block is beautiful! Love the birds.

You did a beautiful job and I'm sure the remaining blocks will be as beautiful. I can't even image working with applique pieces that small.

LBB Block 2
 

I have finished block 2. After reading the book I thought there will be something new to learn on each block and on this one it was stuffed flower pedals. Not easy but not as hard as I thought it was going to be. First picture is Margaret Docherty's block and the 2nd picture is my block. I made several mistakes. First I traced my freezer paper straight from the book instead of making a trace paper copy and then marking the freezer paper from the back side of the copy. I found out I'm not a multi-tasker. I got side tracked while on the phone with my DD and placed my yellow/orange flower to low on the flower pot which left a big blank space in the pattern. I ended up repositioning the blue flowers and adding a butterfly to fill up the void.

Question - do you think I need to add more fill in the middle of the block?

Answer- absolutely not! Your butterfly is a wonderful addition and makes your block unique. I don't think any of my blocks look exactly like the ones in the book but I like them. I second guess myself all the time about it but I've decided this is my quilt and I'll make it like I want it to be.

Your stitches are looking very uniform and hidden. It's coming along so well.

You didn't ask but I'm going to give you a suggestion just the same. It's very hard to know where to place those pieces once the lines you drew become covered up. For that reason, I have made plastic overlays for some blocks to help me keep everything lined up the way it should be lined up. I just use a large ziploc bag and trace the block with a fine sharpie permanent marker. If I pin the plastic over the backing fabric and line up the tracing I can slip the little applique piece under the plastic to position it and then fold the plastic back out of the way to stitch the piece onto my block. Sometimes I trace the applique pieces and sometimes I trace the lines on the backing. But, I don't trace on both. You can never line up both lines perfectly. Okay, I'm done.

Gorgeous block. Can't wait to see the next.

Thanks N-u-N, I did struggle with the flower pedals because it said to make sure the stitches were really close. It seems like the closer I get the stitches the more obvious they became. For the stuffing I tried the method you mentioned and couldn't seem to get the applique piece to go back into the right place when closing up the last side. I found a video for using a modified trapunto stuffing which I found worked pretty good for me. Thanks for the tip on pattern markings, I had the silly pattern marked but got so consumed with my DD's very amusing stories about her family life that I just didn't pay close enough attention (no more talking to DD and sewing at the same time is now my motto, lol). Here's a link to the stuffing. You will notice I didn't stuff mine nearly as much as this lady does because Margaret said I should be looking for a plateau and not a mole hill. I think block 3 will be easier, hope...hope...hope, lol.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DHDRSC3

You did an amazing job, it is beautiful! Can't wait to see more!

I too started LBB but only did twenty blocks! I love how you chose your colors. Super workmanship Sewing Senior! I wish you a pleasant journey on this new work!

Sewing Senior, I like how you add your own interpretations! It gives you so much ownership!

Oh my! twenty blocks done? You are half way done. I think you need to pick up your needle and thread and continue making these beautiful blocks. We would all love to see your blocks that are finished and encourage you do continue your journey on this masterpiece quilt.

Love those batiks. I am collecting fat quarters for a quilt, still need a few more plus more yardage.

Mojo 11. I will probably post some is the near future. Nannaupnorth has excellent blocks and taught me the tricks of the trade! My hands started tingling so I set it aside. Maybe I’ll pick it up. Thanks for the encouragement! MaryLeeR

I agree with Mojo11 and I would love to see the blocks MaryLeeR has made as well as new ones.

MaryLeeR has some wonderful blocks. I've seen them and was so sad when she started having issues with her hands. She did need to take a rest and let the tingling subside. I hope you're doing better, Mary. Whether you choose to stop LBB at this point or to perhaps pick it up again, it's all about what's best for you. 20 blocks will make a gorgeous lap quilt or wall hanging. With a little creativity, you could have a gorgeous full sized quilt as well. It's all about keeping your hands healthy.

I'm almost finished with block #36. I'll post later today or tomorrow. I'll be down to 4 blocks left. I'm so excited. I can't tell you how happy I'll be to be at the stage of putting them together to finish the top. I still have some flowers to finish on the borders and the corner birds. But, that seems trivial compared to the 40 blocks in this quilt.

Nannaupnorth I think I’ll try again? I needed a break for my tingling hands and wanted to sew some machine quilts. I’ve been taking blocks to quilting and doing embroidery on them. I have one that needs a leaf and finishing touches. I became frustrated also because I need to go back and take some stuffing out of a few flowers. Pulls and rumbles the fabric too much.
Any how now is a good time to start!

Gorgeous fabrics and colors! Looking forward to seeing your work.

Hi, Mary. It sounds like you're still working on your blocks and that's just fine. You haven't been working on them nearly as long as I have. And I took a 2 year break, too. I have decided that this is a lifetime quilt. If it gets done this year or next year, it's still okay. Of course at my age I have to think about who would finish this thing if something happened to me. But, I want to enjoy the process. I don't like pain so if I ever get that I'll slow down or stop.

Do post some pictures of your blocks. They are lovely and deserve some cheers to you. This quilt is not an easy one. Every block deserves some praise.

Nannaupnorth Thank you for the encouragement. I’ll have to dig some blocks out. Just came back from a refreshing walk. Time to look and see. Not very good at posting pictures. Any clues would be helpful. MaryLeeR

, so funny you should mention this because my DD and I were just talking about this very thing last weekend. She promised me that if I don't finish the LBB quilt before I expire she would make sure that one of her "Granddaughters" would finish it, LOL. She does enjoy sewing put can't see herself making (or finishing) a quilt and her son isn't a good candidate either. Not sure how she is going to get her unborn Granddaughters to take up the hobby but then she is pretty persuasive. LOL.

LBB Block 3
 

Block 3 is finished. As usual the 1st picture is from the book and the 2nd picture is my block.

nicely done

I'll come visit you in whatever ward you end up when you get done. This is insane. But aren't all us quilters at some time or another. You're off to a wonderful start. It will certainly sharpen any skills you may have. Oh, the bird looks good resized. Can't wait to see it thru to the finish.

BSKTLOFR-QUILTER, this is what is keeping me out of the padded rooms. Quilting is my escape, my sewing room is my sanctuary without them I would be a blubbering idiot. Even with them I stutter a little now and then, LOL.

Haha! This quilt is a major challenge and I'm also a crazy lady to tackle it. But, I'm down to the last 4 blocks and only some flowers on the borders.

Your block #3 is gorgeous Sewing Senior. You are moving along very quickly and doing such a great job. Keep going!

Your block is beautiful. Keep up the good work. We all enjoy watching your progress.