Change of plan!!!
For the last few weeks I’ve shown you my progress (or not!) on my Christmas table runner. I have to admit it is sitting next to me, neatly rolled up, looking very reproachfully at me, as it’s been there for most of the last three weeks! However…
I’ve got re-enthused with my Coming Home quilt, this is the Sarah Fielke BOM I started last January, it’s a 12 month BOM so I have the whole pattern now. I’m working on month 10, last time I showed you the quilt I’d just finished all the houses and what seemed like dozens of windows….
I’m ashamed to say that photo was taken at the end of October!! The next section to work on is the corners, all hand appliqued, it involves an awful lot of leaves, like eighty of them!! This was a bit of a mental block!! The size of the mental block wasn’t helped by the fact that I knew I wanted to do a different final border, but I was undecided how to finish it…
Anyway, I’ve worked out how to finish it…I think! The next border on the pattern is another deep border which is quite heavily pieced, I didn’t want my quilt to be quite so big and it also felt a bit busy for my peaceful quilt. I’ve decided to do flying geese blocks so it’s like little triangular hills going round each side, with my tree fabric as the background. At the corners I will adapt Sarah’s pattern of three little houses round the curve.
In the meantime I need to applique the corners. I started cutting out the leaves, I had no problem choosing these colours, though I haven’t decided which fabric I’m going to use for the bias binding vine down the middle of them.
My main issue has been deciding on the colour of the bird!
I tried blue…
Not bad but he wing is wrong!
I tried peach…
Body looked wrong with the other parts!
I also tried purple, but I think that one was photo shy as I can’t find it! I then started mixing the colours a bit, blue with purple…
Blue with peach…
Blue with a different purple…
At the moment I think this is my favourite one, though I’m open to suggestions. I’ll probably change the centre leaf too as the peach looks a bit wishy-washy!
All I’ve got to do now is stitch them all on!
Hand Quilt Along Links
This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another. If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.
Kathy, Margaret, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Bella, Daisy and Connie
I’ll also be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday. Please follow the link for lots more hand-stitching.
thecraftycreek 
You’ve got four corners and 5 birds. Why not use all 4 of the most successful ones? My personal preference is to eliminate the all-blue one as I don’t think it has enough contrast. I’m glad you’ve come back to this one, I’d really love to see it completed!
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Thanks Kate for your ideas, having cut out a few more, I think I’m going with four different birds 🙂
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I actually really liked the first one….
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I’m with Cathy, I actually like the all blue bird most ^^ (that helps a lot, doesn’t it!)
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Thanks Claire, having played around with all the corners, I think I’m going for four different birds – I think!!!
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Here’s another vote for the blue one 🙂 with the grey wing as in the first picture. It looks softer. I actually like the peach one as well ~ maybe 2 of each? oh boy! I am glad you came back to this too. One of my favorites.
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Thanks Sharon, it is a gorgeous design, just got to get it finished!
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I like the blue bird best, but I would go for a different blue wing. The last photo is the best of what you have tried though. So glad that you are working on finishing this pretty quilt.
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I’ve tried a darker wing and it does look better, thanks 🙂
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It is lovely, whatever you decide on the birds will be beautiful.
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Thanks Carole 🙂
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Blue Bird looks absolutely perfect and blends in so well with the rest of the quilt fabrics! Hugs
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I like the blue and the peach bird. If you have four then I would do the two colors, matching blue and the matching peach, or four that are all different.
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Ooh, decisions!!
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I agree with Kathy…a blue and a peach in opposite corners. Whatever you decide, Margaret…I know that it will look right! 🙂
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I like the blue and peach in opposite corners. Glad you came back to this one!
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Sometimes a quilt demands it’s own border additions and we have to listen to it and figure out the logistics, while it waits patiently in the UFO closet! All the birds are lovely.. you can’t go wrong with any of them!
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You’re right, quilts do talk to us, we just have to learn to listen 🙂
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I am afraid that I am no help as to what bird I prefer, though I rather like the first one. You could have different birds in each corner…….sorry. =) But…..if I had to choose I rather like the first one. This is a lovely quilt and whatever you decide upon, it will be perfect.
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Thanks Kim, I think I’m heading towards lots of different birds 🙂
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I would have trouble too. I agree with Kate…have a different one in each corner….but the blue ones so that there is continuity.
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I always have trouble with choosing fabrics! I’m looking at a different one in each corner at the moment 🙂
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Hello Margaret! What a wonderful quilt:). There sure are a lot of windows though. I can see why you may feel a bit overwhelmed. Slowly and steady , right? The blue and peach bird is my favorite. Great job!!!
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Thanks Tracy, I’m glad there’s no more windows, just lots of leaves 🙂
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A lot of decisions to make. I don’t like the striped blue tail (it seems to strong and dominant), but otherwise, I like all the pieces. Each bird can be a different mix of pieces, I would think. Or maybe if you start appliqué on the other pieces, the bird will come into better focus for you.
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As you say, lots of decisions, all these comments have given me things to think about 🙂
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My,but you have a lot to think about! Be sure to do it the way it makes you happy as it is your quilt,and I know it will be lovely with whatever you decide!
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Pretty! But how to choose favourite bird? I am not sure! Definitely not the blue with the purple wing. I am sure whatever you decide will work with the rest of the quilt – sometimes by just asking out loud you get inspired to go with your gut feeling
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I have absolutely no idea so cannot contribute to a solution, but I agree with Kate that it would be wonderful to have this completed!
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