This quilt fits a full-size bed and measures 72 1/2 by 82 1/2 inches. The finished quilt is made of 30 embroidered squares plus 26 plain squares that are incorporated to form a border.
Tools and Materials
5 1/3 yards of 60-inch-wide white linen fabric
5 yards of 60-inch-wide linen fabric in a contrasting color for back and border
Embroidery thread (chose any color you like)
Transfer paper
Embroidery hoop
12 1/2-inch square quilting ruler
Rotary cutter
2 full-size sheets of cotton batting (90 inches by 96 inches)
Quilt How-To
1. Cut out thirty 14-inch squares of fabric. Use a photocopier to enlarge the bird patterns of your choice so each is 7 to 8 inches tall (for 30, you will have to use one bird twice). Place a linen square right side up, and top with a sheet of dark transfer paper. Place bird pattern on top; trace the lines of the bird pattern with a ballpoint pen. The pressure will transfer the paper's ink onto the fabric.
2. Embroider each square: We used the chain stitch for all of our designs. Secure linen square in the embroidery hoop. Thread needle with one strand of embroidery floss. Follow instructions for the chain stitch included in our printable file (below)
3. After you've finished stitching, place the square quilting ruler over an embroidered square, and use the grid to center the embroidered bird. With a rotary cutter, trim each of the edges to a length of 12 1/2 inches. Repeat with remaining squares. For border, cut out 26 plain 12 1/2-inch square pieces. Lay out quilt, 8 rows long by 7 columns wide, arranging the birds as you desire (in the center 6 rows and 5 columns) with a white border around the entire perimeter.
4. Sew squares together to make vertical strips (you will have 7 strips of 8 when done), right sides facing, with a 1 1/4-inch seam allowance; press open seams. Then sew strips to one another: Begin by sewing 2 adjacent strips together, first pinning at points where horizontal seams meet to align the squares' corners exactly. Sew together two sets of 2 strips and one set of 3. Sew the 2 sets of 2 to each other, and then sew that piece to the set of 3. Press open all seams.
5. Cut the 5 yards of green fabric in half across the width. Sew long sides together with right sides facing, leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance, to make a piece about 90 inches by 120 inches; iron seam flat. Lay out the quilt parts, starting with green fabric wrong side up. Top with two layers of batting and the embroidered squares, right side up. Pin a safety pin just inside each side of each square, piercing through the quilt, batting, and green-cloth backing. Trim batting to size of front piece. Stitch along each of the square's seams through all of the layers; remove pins. Trim green cloth to extend 2 inches beyond sewn squares. To create quilt's green border, fold green cloth 1/2 inch all around; iron. Fold over remaining 1 1/2 inches; iron. Top-stitch all around.
I love the bed itself, does anyone know where it can be bought? Thx.
I love the bed itself, does anyone know where can it be bought?
Let me preface my comment, by telling you all that I am new to embroidery. How many strands of the embroidery floss should I use when chain stitching?
dry clean your quilt, linen shrinks. or just don't dry it
have used the pattern to make little window curtains in my sewing room - love them - they were so easy and quick - wanted to bring the outside in and still have bit of privacy - it worked
If I'm too lazy to make the quilt, it would make a good coloring book for my grandchildren.
mtngirl: just click on the blue bird patterns in para 1.
i can't find the patterns? Where are they? I saw them the other day, now they'r gone?
Thank you MaryMac422 for the sites available for liquid embroidery. I love to embroider by hand but I also love the liquid embroidery as a different sort of craft.
The latter is much faster and can make a quilt just as beautiful. Thank you again.
So very cute! Thanks for the patterns.
www.christmascorgi.blogspot.com
The problem with all these crafts is the fact none of the photos can be enlarged. Even though I can see the pdf birds clearly, it would be nice to be able to download both the directions and LARGE photos in .pdf format
This is a charming quilt! You can also make similar quilts to this for horses, or national landmark buildings, or sea creatures - good resources for simple, easy to copy images are the many coloring books from Dover or any similar publications.
Anyone knows that quilts are made with squares for this kind of design. Click on bird desing below to copy their bird.
What a lovely quilt! This will be an excellent summer project. I am teaching my girls (ages 10
I was a bit disappointed that we didn't have a better view of the quilt too.
However, it quickly reminded me of a favorite quilt my mother had made in the 1940's. Inplace of birds her quilt had state flowers embroidered in each panel. Instead of lamenting the loss of Mom's beautiful quilt and sadly years later my Mother too. I hope to use this pattern to remake this quilt. Consider it therapy of sorts. :)
How about guidance on what colors to use? It's hard to see your photo but it appears each bird is one color rather than various colors within each block.
The picture of this quilt is so washed out that I can't even tell what it looks like. There should at least be a couple of detailed close-ups. I also imagine that a number of your readers are folks who may have some trouble with their eyesight, and a picture of this poor quality only makes it worse. It's a real shame - - the project looked interesting.
Beautiful! I can't wait to try it! My grandmother taught me to embroider and to quilt and I haven't done it in years. This will be a perfect first (again) project!!!
I'm anxious to try this. I can remember sewing embroidery kit pictures as a child with my mother. My grandmother was an avid embroider-er (is that how you say it?).
thanks for this idea looking for looking forward to see more craft iideas soon
I have been making a candlewicking patch work quilt for some time now... I needed new ideas, an the birds of the states is just what I need to help fill in the blanks... Now all I have to do is find pictures so I can get the colors down right...
So when do we get a better picture of the completed quilt?? I am a very visual person and this would really help.
i love this idea I can't wait to get started, I will probably do mine in cardinals they are my favorite brid.
Am very excited about this one. Love to do hand work and I also love to quilt. Can`t wait to do it. I am getting out my bird book to try to make the birds as authentic as possible THANKS for this one!
I made this when it was first published in Living several years ago. It really is a very pretty quilt and I get lots of comments about it. It was easy and fun to make as well.
RE: Liquid Embroidery
Paige: I typed "liquid embroidery" - with quotes - into Google and got many results.
Try these:
http://www.artcove.com/Miscellaneous/liquidembr.shtml
http://www.fabricpaint.com/cameo/c-cart.htm
What was the % of increase when copying the bird patterns? That would be very helpful when making copies.
Thanks.
I was wondering if anybody did liquid embroidery anymore? I haven't been able to find any kits but the company that used to sell on the party plan, Tri-Chem, doesn't seem to be in business anymore.
I agree with others, hard to get excited about the project when you can't see it.
If you don't embroidery, or don't want to do all that work, outline patterns using fabric pens in different colors, or paint the birds using tole paint mixed with fabric medium to keep painted design soft and pliable. I've done this on pillow cases, and the paint lasts forever if heat set with iron when completed.
Aunty M
click on bird pattern to print and you can see all the details i may not do this soon but i will print for future project. looks pretty and easy to do.
I agree with Sheryl50 ~ it is difficult to be enthusiastic about this project not being able to really see it. Poor photo and too small. I expect it is really a beautiful quilt if we could see it.
Would be nicer to be able to see more enlarged pictures of the crafts. This bed spread didn't get justice. A close up of a couple of squares would have been much better.
As always, a beautiful embroidery project that I could totally envision on one of Martha's own beds. Ive been thinking of a bird decor for my twin grandaughter's bedroom in their new home and I am hoping this might tickle their fancy. Thanks for something truly remarkable.
Wow! Thank you very much for the patterns!
So many times on other sites, we're shown this "great idea" and then, oh yeah, fork over 45 bucks for the patterns!
Your more than generous!
I've been embroidering since I was about 11 and finding patterns isn't easy. Thank-you for this one and hope to see more in the future. Nancy
do you have some bird patterns for us?
MaryJo Brady
Hi.....need a video of this one -- bird embroidered quilt....
Craft of the day? More like craft for the decade!!
For some reason I'm not able to download the bird patterns. When I went to the TRY THIS section with "Bird Embroidery" it's the same. Help!
I would like to see a close up of the quilt. If you had the enlarge feature on the picture that could be a big help for when someone would like to see a larger picture.
This is lovely and I adore hand embroidery. Thanks!
Picture is not clear or large enought to get a good feel about if I want to do the work.
Adorable.
Adorable.
Loved the bed head bord!!!!!!! where can i get one ???