My hummingbird quilt is starting to take shape, well maybe taking shape is too strong a word but I’m making good progress! So far I’ve shown you three different hummingbird designs, all paper pieced, one fairly simple and one more complex which is still my favourite…
Over the weekend I’ve made another big one, this block is 12″ square. It’s designed by Quilt Art Designs and is like the others, available on Craftsy. Although it went together OK I didn’t find the pattern as easy to follow as the more complex one, mainly because the different colours aren’t identified on the pattern, so my stitch ripper did come out a few times. My other gripe is that when I bought the patterns I was particularly pleased that two faced left and two faced right. This one is pictured on Craftsy facing right, but that is the pattern image, the finished bird faces left. He’s a cute bird though…
I made another one in the simple design. The first one I tried looked a bit bright and ‘blocky’, with this one I tried more patterned fabrics, slightly lighter, I think it works much better.
I also made a 6″ version of the dainty hummingbird…
So that’s six birds so far…
I had an idea the other night that rather than just dotting them around it might work to place them in a vague circle, maybe with slightly more colour than the rest of the ‘low volume’ background. I made lots of half square triangles today, I remembered how to make 8 squares easily from 2 bigger squares sewn across the diagonals. I’d not tried it before but it worked brilliantly. I’m thinking of doing a mixture of 6″ pinwheels, 3″ squares, 6″ squares and maybe some flying geese. The bird blocks are all multiples of 3″ so hopefully it will fit together OK. I had a bit of a play on the floor today to see if the general idea will work and I think it will, the middle bit is just plonked by the way! I think I need to make one more bird as seven will look better than six.
I’ve also finally ordered a design wall, I’ve wanted one since I moved into this sewing room, I’ve ordered the Fons & Porter one so I can just hang it up against my big wall. I’m going to need it to arrange this quilt!
thecraftycreek 
More lovely birds. An odd number of things is supposed to be more pleasing to the eye – I guess that applies to hummingbirds too.
I quite fancy a design wall – I usually hang a flanelette sheet up on my bookcase but it’s not big enough and things keep falling off. I might have a look at the one you ordered although I’m not sure I have enough space left in my sewing room now.
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Thanks Tialys, I’ve been wanting one for ages, but this is the first quilt when I felt I really couldn’t do it without one!
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If you ever want to reverse a paper piecing block, print it out again, and trace through all the lines onto the reverse of the paper, but use a different colour, say blue or red, for the tracing line. That way, you’ll know which is the correct side to sew on. I’ve done it a few times and it works a treat if you want a mirror image. You can scale patterns up and down on the printer as well, so long as you remember to adjust the seam allowances afterwards.
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Thanks Kate, I did wonder about that, maybe I’ll try it for the last bird!
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Give it a go! I found the change of colour really helped me remember which side I was supposed to be sewing!
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The idea of a vague circle is a great idea. I do love those birds!
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Thanks Kathy, it does give a little bit of order into the randomness 🙂
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Yes, we both like that!
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I like the idea of lots of negative space to make the birds the focus, but possibly not in the center of the quilt. Also I really love the fractured look that the HSTs etc provide in the background. This is going to be a show stopper.
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I think once my design wall arrives I’ll be having a long play with different combinations!
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It’s such fun to see the progress on this and the new birds!
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Thanks Kerry, I’ve enjoyed trying the different bird patterns.
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This is going to look lovely when it is finished.
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Thank you, I hope it works out as I envisage.
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I love those hummingbirds. Can’t wait to see no. 7!
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It’s very pretty.
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