Friday, April 7, 2017

F is for Flight of Swallows


This month I'm participating in A to Z Challenge, where 100's of bloggers around the world challenge themselves to write every day for the month of April, working their way through the alphabet.  I'm sewing a patchwork block for each letter of the alphabet. Each day I will share that block and a little about the block and direct you to where you can find a tutorial for that block on the Web.




Flight of Swallows

Birds seem to feature a good deal in quilt blocks, especially traditional ones. Perhaps because they were a common feature of life, and a woman who sat and sewed a quilt, usually by hand, had time to look up and out her window to see them flying in her garden, sitting on trees, across the sky. This block is made up of 4 smaller units, which on their own are known as the Birds in the Air block. Birds in the Air is another traditional block which has a number of variations.

On Generations Quilt Patterns site they show a number of these variations of the Birds in the Air quilt block and give a few more names for the same block. They are all bird related.

Same name, different block...

It happens.
Blocks designed in different places may use the same geometric shapes and have different names. Or different shapes but the same name. These are all known as a Birds in the Air quilt block.



Flying Birds and Flock of Geese are two of the names that they give as well as Birds in the Air and Flight of Swallows

This was my block



I used up some American flag fabric a friend in the USA had sent to me and it has worked quite well. I was glad to have a use for the fabric. I don't really have much cause to use US patriotic fabrics. I know many quilters in the US who make quilts for the troops known as "Quilts of Valor" and use a lot of patriotic fabric in them. There is an Australian group, Quilts of Valour (note different spelling) who do similar work for Australian troops which I have not become involved with but obviously if I did then I wouldn't be using American fabric. Oh dear a bit of digression there. (someone said A to Z blog posts should be short... but mine aren't)

The pattern I used for my block was once again taken from Quilter's Cache here

20 comments:

  1. Birds were always an inspiration for all kinds of embellishments on fabric, I guess. People look for inspiration around them and as you mentioned a casual glance at the birds in the sky could have prompted them to use the birds in their design.

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    VINODINI

    http://ifsbutsandsetcs.com


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  2. I like the colours in this block, and good use of the American fabric too :) It actually looks quite effective in this piece.

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    1. yes it worked out well. Not sure when else I would use it

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  3. I particularly like your block. It looks so'American'!

    The Fish Inn, Amble Bay

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    1. Lol - as a proud Aussie I am not sure I am pleased or offended Snort. It would work well if you were wanting an patriotic American quilt but doesn't scream stars and stripes

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  4. what a great idea to use quilt pieces as a basis for your blog. i'm going to tell my sister about it. she's an avid quilter in Alaska. thanks. Lightheaded: Retiring at 8300 feet

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  5. what a great idea to use quilt pieces as a basis for your blog. i'm going to tell my sister about it. she's an avid quilter in Alaska. thanks. Lightheaded: Retiring at 8300 feet

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    1. I think its very handy having a quilting sister... my family all think so. I have made all my nieces and nephews children quilts when they are born and am currently making quilts for my siblings. Maybe one day I will make ones for my nieces and nephews themselves. Since I have 7 siblings and 24 nieces and nephews its an undertaking!! I hope your sister stops by and enjoys a visit

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  6. Every quilt has a story stitched with it! Flight of swallows seems no exception!
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    Team MocktailMommies
    https://mocktailmommies.blogspot.com

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  7. Your posts are so full of creativity, colour and pattern. I am really enjoying looking at them.
    Theme: Peregrination Chronicles (travel)
    Flower power #atozchallenge

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    1. so pleased you are enjoying the journey with me. Thanks for stopping by

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  8. Quilts can be awesome things indeed, and are old school involving skill time and hard work. I am involved with art but using card and paper but I would probably go mad trying to quilt, I know my limitations.

    Thanks for the visit it is much appreciated . . .Good luck an the journey to Z

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    1. thanks for stopping by. I've tried paper crafts and ... man do I mess up and as for origami... not a good look at all. With fabric I can unpick (and I frequently do) Guess we all find our medium sometime. I do love quilts

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  9. Love your idea of using quilts in the A to Z Challenge, I'm going back through to read your other posts.

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    1. thanks for stopping by. ENjoy the other posts.

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  10. I am loving that Quilter's Cache and how they show a whole quilt with one certain block. Very handy.
    Stephanie Finnell
    @randallbychance on Twitter from
    Katy Trail Creations

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    1. yes it is great that way. It shows you the secondary patterns that can emerge. I do love me a secondary pattern... its like a little bonus when you put the blocks together.

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  11. Your chatty style is a pleasure to read.

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