Put a Bird On It!

 

Spring is just around the corner here in Maryland. Some of our flowers have come up, and others are well on their way. Our yard has been filled with robins and our back porch has had its usual nuthatch visitors. I (Kara) love seeing the renewed activity of all the different types of birds we have in our area, because I love birds. My children have teased me because of all the bird items I use in our home decor: pillows, figurines, framed art, etc. I don't think I'm as bad as this video, but they played it for me, and I did find it humorous.

I know I am not the only one with a bird fascination, otherwise there wouldn't be so many neat bird things in the stores. Since the beginning of time, birds of all types have inspired us. When we visited the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival a couple of weeks ago, there were so many quilts with birds on them, we knew that the inspiration was alive and well, and that it would make a fun blog post. So here are a few of the lovely quilts whose makers chose to "put a bird on it."

Woodland Home by Lois Griffith 

Detail: Woodland Home

A Joyful Noise by Eileen Lord-Williams 

Detail: A Joyful Noise

Detail: A Joyful Noise

All About Birds by Donna Bergman

Out on a Limb by Roxann Robinson

Jubilation by Heidi Dewey

Our Family Tree by Colleen Woodcock

The Elephant's Child by Shirley Hyatt Usry

Detail: The Elephant's Child

By Yvette Cienski
Heron from the book Quilts from Nature by Joan Colvin

by Corinne Vance
Center medallion from the book Nature's Chorus by Jeanna Kimball

A beautifully embellished bird from Threads of Friendship (Carol's Gift) 
by Barbara Korengold

As quilters, we can interpret birds and nature in our own unique way, and these quilters have done a magnificent job of doing just that. Letting our imaginations take flight (pun intended), we can find so much inspiration in the feathered creatures we see each day. Whether we stitch them to look just like the real thing or come up with our own interpretation, birds and quilts—in my humble opinion—definitely "flock" together!