Bird Quilt from the Baby Shower

By Corey • September 30, 2009 • 18 comments

This weekend Daisy and I held our baby shower at our home and a good time was had by all. The food, the games, and friends and family made it what a baby shower should be: a joyful occasion (the competition to see who could empty a baby bottle of beer fastest didn’t hurt either). Of course, we were showered with gifts which is the not-so-subtle point of a baby shower, and some of those gifts were bird-themed. Today I will share with you one of those wonderful gifts, a quilt my mother made for our due-in-November son.

My mom is a long-time quilter and over the years her design and execution have gotten better and better (not that her early efforts were in the least bit shabby). We are thrilled with this gorgeous quilt loaded with fancifully-colored birds and think that little Upopa Epops (Jochen, you’ll be sad to learn that Daisy has rejected Willet as a name, though it did make the possible list, and I think it goes without saying that Upopa Epops wasn’t even given a fair hearing) will love looking upon it. Wait, looking upon it? Aren’t quilts to cuddle up in? Well, yes, most quilts are to cuddle up in but this particular quilt is actually meant to be a wall hanging because the buttons used for the birds’ eyes would be a choking hazard. It will look wonderful hanging in the room we are turning from a computer room/guest bedroom into a nursery.

It’s great to be a birder with such wonderful family and friends who were so kind as to show at the shower and share in our joy. And even better to have such a talented and caring Mom who can make such a sweet work of art to adorn our walls. Thanks, Mom!

Tags: art, kids, quilts

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About the Author

Corey

Corey is a New Yorker who has lived most of his life upstate but has spent the last three years in Queens. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy, their son, Desmond Shearwater, and their two indoor cats, Hunter and B.B.

18 Responses to “Bird Quilt from the Baby Shower”

sara Sep 30th, 2009 at 4:30 am
Those are some mean neon partridges! I love it!
Wren Sep 30th, 2009 at 7:23 am
That is a wonderful gift. I expect it will become a family heirloom.
Mike Sep 30th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Aren’t we supposed to guess the different species? One of those birds resembles a Pink-headed Warbler but after that, my guess is they’re all Old World exotics.
Jochen Sep 30th, 2009 at 8:33 am
That’s sad about Willet getting rejected. I’ll have to send you another quilt with pictures of Willets but mind you, I have none as I have seen none. Oh man, I hate it when a plan does not come together.
tai haku Sep 30th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Ooh Willet as a name sounds quite good. I may broach that one with the other half when the time comes.
Nate Sep 30th, 2009 at 8:41 am
That’s a wicked quilt! Little Upopa Epops is gonna love all those colors.
Will Sep 30th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Does that mean that Dickspiza is still on the list of possible names?
Mom Sep 30th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
OK, to give credit where credit is due. The quilt is not an original creation. It is from a pattern in a quilting magazine. Here is where I am supposed to name the magazine, but unfortunately, I loaned it to a friend and I can’t remember which one it is–the magazine, not the friend and she loaned it to her daughter…Also, I did the piecing and the applique, but my friend Mary Metty did the machine quilting–it was too big for my sewing machine. The quilt was great fun to make, from selecting the colors to finishing the binding. Also, all the bird fabrics came from my stash—I have a LOT of fabric. Made with love for Corey, Daisy and baby Shearwater.
Corey Sep 30th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
@Mom: All of my illusions have been shattered!
Shearwater, you know, Daisy hasn’t outright rejected that name yet…
Patrick Sep 30th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Awesome quilt!
Paula Oct 1st, 2009 at 2:09 am
Interesting, Beautiful bird themes. This would be one of the most wonderful baby gifts. Thanks for sharing.
Donna Oct 1st, 2009 at 6:38 pm
What a lovely quilt, so very Charley-Harperesque. I’m sure little Celithemis eponina will feel very happy as he gazes at it. (are dragonfly name suggestions allowed?)
Raven Oct 3rd, 2009 at 8:25 pm
love the quilt soo pretty great job g’ma love it tons cant wait to see u guys next weekend
John Oct 5th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Beautiful quilt!
So can you identify all the birds on it?
Susan Campbell Oct 7th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
What a wonderful quilt! All of that beautiful handwork! Great job!
Audrey Apr 19th, 2010 at 8:55 am
Beautiful quilt Jill. I bet Desi loves looking at it.
Peet Jun 30th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Thank you for sharing your baby quilt – I replicated it (from the pictures only) and made one for my niece. It is a little bit different, I hand quilted around the squares and birds and added a bright coloured border. It is lovely, and I just want to say thank you one more time for the inspiration.
erin Jan 23rd, 2012 at 5:47 pm
hi! love the quilt. my husband is a birder and we would be interested in finding out if your mom does work on the side for quilting. thanks.