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Friday, 1 February 2013

Bogong Bower

Nearly two and a half years ago, Adds flew into Adelaide to join me at a workshop with Kellie from Don't Look Now. In that we had a starter exercise, and then a bigger project. While I liked both of mine, I ran out of enthusiasm for finishing them; partly due to other deadlines, but mostly because in my heart, I hate to use others' designs (even if I love the designs themselves). Yes, I should've thought about that!!! Anyway, I'd almost finished the starter exercise; it was fully quilted, even trimmed, and I had the binding fabric all chosen. But there it sat.

Before the weekend I wanted an extra project to take with me in case I finished the others (ha, I always take too many!) or wanted something different. I found this, and took it. Not surprisingly, I didn't touch it, but yesterday while binding my current quilt, I did this as well. An hour or so and it was done:

I've called my quilt Bogong Bower, because after making my bird blue, it really reminded me of a Satin Bowerbird in its bower. Male satin bowerbirds are a gorgeous, satin-y, iridescent dark blue, and they collect blue things (bottle lids, straws, feathers, paper scraps...) to decorate their bowers to attract a mate.

Before we started staying right in the snow on our annual skiing trips, for several years we stayed half-way up the mountain, in Bogong Village, where we'd see lots of satin bowerbirds (and other birds). We'd often put out a seed feeder, and they'd be on the lawn right outside our window, and they'd let us get pretty close.

(me with male & female satin bowerbirds and currawongs, Bogong, July 1992)

I gave my quilt a border by quilting contrast swirls, then subtly emphasised this by quilting the tight spirals outside the 'border' using a pale pink thread, rather than the white quilting used in the centre. The binding fabric is covered in tiny swirls very similar to the quilted ones.

Having finished this quilt, I will make an effort to finish the main project from the class. I love the fabrics I chose, and it will be a much more enjoyable project with my 820 (without the constant thread breaks, skipped stitches and birds' nests I had on the Pfaff).


6 comments:

  1. Emma, this is just absolutely beautiful! I love your quilted-in border and such a perfect binding fabric.

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  2. I'm glad that you decided to finish this project so you could share it with us here. it is most adorable. Love the quilting on it specially where you doubled up with the pink.

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  3. The quilt is really darling - but even more, I appreciate the ornithology lesson! What interesting birds… I had no idea there was a bird out there that only collected blue….! Thanks.

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  4. Your quilting, as always, is magnificent! Your decision to add the pink really adds another dimension to the overall piece. Interesting information about the blue bower bird! I've never heard of one before. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Amazing quilting Emma! You are so very talented. I love this!

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  6. Oh my gosh, Emma, I LOVE this bird block!!! Your applique and quilting is gorgeous!

    :)

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