My quilting arts group challenged each other to make a quilt, 16 X 32, using a turquoise Cherrywood fabric quilt with no borders and no particular theme. It was the first challenge we were to attempt.

I chose to do one of my favorite little bird, the cheerful, strutting little Snowy Egret. The Audubon society was actually founded to protect such birds for their feathers. Their plumes or aigrettes, sported by the little Snowy Egret were prized for ladies' hats. It's obvious why. I took this particular little egret's photo in Orlando FL. I hoped to capture the beauty of these little birds during mating season. However, nature does it best.

The first thing I did was start a pattern showing where lights and darks were to go. I debated the background and decided to use a whole cloth background with appliqué background pieces taken around the area where I got the egret picture. I was really impressed by some water plant colors in the marsh area and decided to include them. I added more detail in the egret, in order to make give it more depth and then auditioned fabric. I wanted to use light teals and pinks to add a change in value.

Once I had chosen the fabrics, fussy-cut them and had them laid out on the pattern, I traced the pattern onto a thin piece of white fabric, to keep the dark teal from shadowing through the white. I placed my pattern pieces, that were backed with Wonder Under, onto the white fabric, and ironed them down. This way I could move the bird around once I finished deciding on the background. I treated the leaves the same way, so that they could be moved around and I tried different layouts.

The next decision was tough, how to handle the feathers he was strutting. I cut out a fabric head as a sample, and tried different kinds of stitching, threads, and yarns. Then I started the actual quilting. Nine of us participated in the challenge.

Due to it's small size, it couldn't be entered into a lot of shows.

Shows

"Strutting His Stuff", Special Exhibition "Rhapsody in Blue", Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza, Oaks, Pennsylvania, Sept. 14-17, 2017

"Strutting His Stuff", Special Exhibition "Rhapsody in Blue", World Quilt New England, Manchester, New Hampshire Aug. 17-19, 2017

"Strutting His Stuff", Special Exhibition "Rhapsody in Blue", Quilt and Sewing Fest of New Jersey, Edison, New Jersey, Mar.2-5, 2017

“Strutting His Stuff”, Daniel Boone Regional Library Quilt Show, Columbia, MO 65202. April 2-16, 2016.