Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Birds



I started making birds way back at the end of 2007.  I made more. Then I started selling them on eBay. Then Pokey Bolton asked me to submit an article and pattern for a Quilting Arts special magazine called Quilt Festival Quilt Scene. Then she asked me to tape a segment for Quilting Arts TV and show how they are made. Now, as part of the promotion for the TV show, Quilting Arts TV has published the pattern on their web site. You can print it out for free and make your own birds, if you want to. Just go here. It is in the 600 series, #610. You may have to register, but it is free.

Now, if you make a bird I'd love to see it! My friend Maggie Turner brought me a bird that she made "many years ago."  Quite different from mine, but so whimsical and imaginative. I would name this "contemplative bird."


Here are a couple of my birds.The one on the right is the sample I made for the TV show, and is made from the pattern that was published. The one on the left is a new design, with the tail down and longer wings.


After the magazine came out I got emails from several people with links to birds they had made from my pattern. I love that even though it is the same pattern everyone puts their own spin on it and each bird has its own personality. Here are links to some of the offspring of my bird pattern:

I made birds like crazy for awhile, but I haven't made any in awhile and my Etsy shop is completely bare. I think I need to start on some new birds. If you want to know the truth, the best part of making the birds is picking out the fabric and I keep picking up fat quarters that look "birdable" so I have my supplies. I just need to clean the refuse of my last few months of feverish quilt-making off my work table and get busy. I am liking the "tail down" guy. He needs some company.

P.S. That picture at the top is an ad image for the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds. I'm sure you are too young to remember it.

6 comments:

  1. As you already know, I love the birds. My little bird greets me every morning first thing. Hitchcock movies are some of my very favorites-Sadly, I not only remember The Birds but saw it in a theater...sigh.
    I wanted to say how much I love the new Banos piece. As I sat here looking at it endlessly, my entire family eventually stopped in back of my chair and commented on how wonderful it is & how much work must have gone into the lovely details. They never notice anything so that's the mark of an exceptional work in my house.

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  2. Terry, I love the birds and made one of the birds last year as a gift for a friend. Here's a link
    http://notesfromstudiob.blogspot.com/2009/12/blue-bird.html

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  3. Hi Terry, Yes, I am too young to remember the movie The Birds. But for some reason my 9th grade English teacher made us watch it and compare it to The Raven and possibly the book/poem(?) The Birds was written from. Holy Cow! Even though I was 15 years old, I was frightened by movie. I'm pretty sure I sheepishly ducked from birds walking to the bus for weeks! I don't think I'll watch the movie again! But, your birds certainly don't scare me! They are so fantastic. I did go to buy one off Etsy (NOT the Raven due to my scare in 9th grade...HA!) and they were all gone!

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  4. Beth in ABQ9:52 AM

    Terry, your birds are wonderful! I do appreciate your fabric choices - perfect in every bird.

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  5. Anonymous3:05 PM

    I love your birds, and so want to make more...I'd love to branch out, so to speak and to 3-d-ize my 2-d birdies! There's just so much I want to do, and so little time - thanks for the link, I had lots of visitors through from it this past week!

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