Getting back to the previous block on the Be My Neighbor quilt along, I said last month that I wanted to make these little houses into birdhouses. After that post, I was gifted a lovely piece of fabric by Mary who blogs at Needled Mom, (thanks again!!) The sizes of the birds was perfect for this block, and I used my square-up ruler to mark the fabric so I could fussy cut the exact size I needed with the birds in the center.
There were more than six motifs, so I had a hard time choosing which ones to use. I went for the ones with nests first, then had to adjust to get six full motifs. I couldn’t get the robin and nest because it was too close to the others where I needed the extra space to get the full square.
So, here are the final cuts, along with the other elements of the block.
There were only a few squares to mark for the roof sections this time.
Being careful to get the correct sections on the top and bottom of the bird squares, chain piecing made construction quick.
Little roofs went on the birdhouses quickly too.
Laying out the units, I made sure the colors of the birds were distributed nicely, and sewed the rows. At this point I was cautiously optimistic that this block would go together smoothly.
Rows pressed, and assembled, and YES!!! I made a block without ripping out a single seam, whoopee!!
Here’s a look at each of the bird blocks, starting with the cardinals.
Cedar Waxwings are seldom seen here, but once I did see an entire flock of them in a tree at our house. There must have been four or five dozen, a huge flock. This little square brings back that memory.
This one is a red breasted grosbeak, I haven’t ever seen one of these in real life.
We have bluebirds here, but I don’t see them often. I bought mealworms for them and DH put them in the feeder, then didn’t see any bluebirds for months!
This one is a yellow warbler. I would have loved to get the goldfinches on the fabric, but I couldn’t have them and the cardinals too.
I think this is supposed to be a purple finch.
One last look at the finished block.
Laying out the row, I had Block 12 from last time, so the row blocks were ready to assemble.
Getting closer to the end of this, just four more blocks to go and then sashing.
I know I have shared this before, but I was at it again with this block. I use the ends of my longarm bobbins to wind bobbins for the DSM. And I use the ends of bobbins from my DSM as the top thread for scrappy blocks. It helps to use up those bits and ends, and free up bobbins to reload with different colors.
If you are just finding this, all the patterns are available on Bear Creek Quilting’s free pattern area for Moda Be My Neighbor blocks, click HERE for the pattern downloads. Three rows finished, and I like the lighter colors. I wish now that I had done all the sky fabrics the same, but oh well, not going to rip it out!!
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From My Carolina Home 
How clever to make bird houses!! We have a lot of cardinals nesting around our home and I love to find fabrics with the sweet little birds. Your community is coming together nicely.
This is my favorite (so far) of all the Neighbor blocks you have completed. Love the houses and the birds. Can’t wait to see the finished project.
This is turning out to be absolutely beautiful! Love the fussy cut birds and the light blue skies! It looks charming!
Hi Carole, Your birdhouses are adorable, I enjoy each new house reveal! And, I like the blue variances too. you know the skies are always bluer on the other side of the fence, lol.
Hopefully I will begin some regular blogging again soon, but I do have some of these house blocks to share. Yesterday, I ripped & replaced the background of one. Somehow I pictured a green park behind , but it was definitely not what came across. Anyway, my houses are a bit of a hot mess, & prime real estate on my design wall. The neighborhood is lacking trees, much like my own, but i’ll be working on that this week. Do you have a target date for your flimsy?
love it, happy you found some pretty birds
Carole I love how this quilt is coming along …makes me wish I was making it with you. I have “grammy camp” for the next three days…and I’ll be preppy for a weekend retreat. CAN”T WAIT!!!!
Your bird houses are adorable. Fussy cutting motifs can be frustrating because you lose so much fabric. Well, I know you still get to use it as scraps, but you miss out on other focus motifs.
We had bluebirds at the bird bath for the first time late last summer. I don’t have bluebird bixes set up and I don’t know where they were nesting. Haven’t seen them yet this year and we haven’t had many robins, either, which is very unusual.
It’s a rainy morning, and much cooler than the weekend, so I’ll be sewing today.
Pat
I like the different sky colors. I frequently agonize over color too. So whatever you do, it will be what makes you happy.
I think choices are my greatest time waster, mainly for continuity but sometimes I realize I just do not like the fabric
I am starting to regularly go through my fabrics and give them away. My friend has a sewing school and she loves scraps of any kind. She sells AGF and Cotton and Steel, so I give a lot, and take more home haha
This neighborhood is turning out really cute. I might get the pattern and start it later.
I love those birds 🙂 You have given them a lovely home in those blocks and then WOW a perfect spot in your quilt with the other houses.
That turned out so cute, Carole. You did a great job with all of that fussy cutting. I wish my yard birdhouses were as full of such pretty and varied birds!!!
So, so glad a block was obliging and went together smoothly! Love the pretty bird fabric, too – we have a lot of birds here, although I have to admit the pigeons that show up sometimes aren’t my favorite, although their iridescent feathers could be considered pretty…but somehow the smaller birds seem more charming to me – finches, blue birds, cardinals, etc.
best block yet, maybe because I love my birds. The top is coming together nicely and looking forward to the complete layout.
This is my favorite so far. Love that bird print!
How cute, your “bird houses,” such pretty birds. I used some “kids” faces in one of my windows when I ran across a scrap of the fabric leftover from long ago. This pattern lends itself to lots of fun variations! :o)
Carole- Fussy cutting that cute little bird fabric has brought your little house blocks to life. Adorable!
What a cute block. Love the birds and their homes.
That fabric and your fussy cutting is the MOST lovely, beautiful little homes, for each birdie, all named for us in the far south, thanks again.
These are my favorite blocks! ! I am going to download the pattern soon ! No sewing for me this week. ..I am the snack lady at VBS…65 kids today. 🙂
Not quilting, but spent a delightful day making cards with the group I told you I was invited to visit. What a fun group of creative gals!!! Found a way to use my home made paper for a nice card – one of the friends I’ll be sending it to after her surgery will get a kick out of that one, since we made the paper together last year! It is pretty rustic, but attractive in its own way as a background layer under a layer of that fancy paper you sent in an odd color goldy-brown “print”. Sending happy thoughts is the sentiment on that top layer. Seems to need a little something more, but I haven’t figured out quite what yet. Glad her surgery isn’t ’til August. Enjoying YOUR quilting progress tho!
Hi I adore this bird fabric and what a clever way you used it. Truly inspired. This is all coming together so perfectly.
Hi Carole,
Here I am again. Just had to tell you about this experience. On my way to the grocery store while stopped at a red light I thought of an idea for a pillow using the bird and birdhouse idea. Haven’t figured out what made me think of this at a red light but here goes. I have 4 books on birds and birdhouses and feeders and I thought of using them and making pillows using your idea as well. The pillows would have to be made to fit the aproperate pillow size but would be so sweet on my swing on the porch and I could make them blend with the colors of my house. I have my swing (a must have) and 3 chairs, that gives me a lot of bird items I can use. Right now I have a Carolina Wren that has made a nest in one of my flower pots nest to my front door so have been trying not to disturb them, heard the little one two days ago , love their calls, they have such a pretty song when they just sing but when danger is near its quite different.
The books I have are—-Backyard bird quilts by Jodie Davis, it is a 18 piece paper projects, For the Birds by Jaynette Huff another paper piece birdhouses and bird feeders, and then Jane Townswich Appliques Takes Wings of birds, butterflies and more and Birds & Flowers Album by Bea Oglesby. I want to try and use these books and pull projects some things together to make pillow’s and quilts or small lap quilts together.
This is just a sample of things that come into my mind and at the strangest times, guess that comes with a creative mind, sometimes crazy sometimes great, right?
Guess this is all for my thoughts for now, happy thinking to ya.
Phyllis
I love the bird houses, and how happy you must be to not have ripped!
I love your use of the bird fabric in the houses. I have lots of bird prints, will have to check them out for scale when I get ready to make my scrappy blocks #11 and 12.
Love your birdhouse blocks! I really like how all your rows are coming out and what an attractive quilt this is going to be!
love the birdhouses, will check out the patterns and your mystery