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The Flycatcher Babies are Hatched!

The Flycatcher Babies are Hatched!

Western Flycatchers

Previous posts:

Bird’s Nest for Camera Day

Bird Nest Update

Western Flycatcher Update

Western Flycatcher Progress

Western Flycatchers Fly

Western Flycatchers are Back

Western Flycatchers are Back

[T]hese flowers, so fragrant, grew
And the birds and bees sipped sweet nectar
From the sparkling, morning dew.
God has blessed all beauties of Nature;
He’s set His approval and seal
On all of His small, winged messengers
That fly through the air with such zeal.
~Gertrude Tooley Buckingham, “Honeysuckle” (1940s)

For the third year in a row, the western flycatchers have chosen to nest next to the front door to the house.

I love that they trust us enough to come back year after year. 

I love watching the little family grow.

The parents built up the nest:

Flycatcher Nest

There will be four siblings this year:

Flycatcher Nest

Previous posts:

Bird’s Nest for Camera Day

Bird Nest Update

Western Flycatcher Update

Western Flycatcher Progress

Western Flycatchers Fly

Initial Pillow No. 4

This month’s pillow is for my second granddaughter.

I used Cindy Needham’s Ultimate circle stencil to create a guide to free motion quilt.

Hannah Pillow

I didn’t want to use the larger circles, but I did start marking one by mistake. Oops.

Hannah Pillow

After marking the lines from the stencil that I needed, it is simply a matter of ‘connecting the dots’, in my case, for petals.

Hannah Pillow

Then it got complicated.  I had drawn s0 many lines that I really needed to concentrate on which ones that I was going to quilt on.

Hannah Pillow

I thought it easiest for me to outline stitch the lines that I needed, and fill them in later.

Hannah Pillow Hannah Pillow

I hadn’t decided how I wanted to fill the petals, so I quilted the centers and the background first.

Hannah Pillow

Now we are getting somewhere!  Love the texture!

Hannah Pillow

I used Wonderfil Invisifil 100 wt. to outline stitch the letter and the ladybug.  Aurifil variegated 40 wt. was used to free motion quilt the flowers, and Aurifil 50 wt. was used for the background stitching, as well as appliqueing the letter.

Hannah Pillow

The finished pillow:

Hannah Pillow

Just a simple covered zipper backing:

Hannah Pillow

I didn’t think that I would make it this month, but here it is the last day of the month, and I can still link up to QuiltShopGal’s May free motion quilting pillow challenge.  Yay!  I chose Option #1.

Be sure to check out Cindy Needham’s website and blog.  She is a fabulous quilter and teacher!

Hannah Pillow Joy Pillow

Initial Pillow No. 1

Initial Pillow No. 2

Initial Pillow No. 3