How to Quilt the Singing Bird Motif

Today’s Topic: How to Quilt the Singing Bird MotifWelcome to Week 3  of our 2021 Quilt-a-Long,  Even Better Machine Quilting

This FREE multi-week tutorial is based on my books available in my Etsy shop:  LoriKennedyShop

Sign up for emails of the class HERE.

Join the private Quilting with LKQ Facebook Group HERE

Find the 2021 QAL links HERE

Find the 2020 (25 Week) QAL links HERE

Good Morning, Quilters!

Does anyone remember the Tuesday Tutorials?  It’s been a long time, but for most of my nine years of blogging (I can hardly believe it’s been nine years!), I offered a step-by-step motif tutorial.  Most of those tutorials can be found HERE at Lori Kennedy Quilts. You can also access the motifs by category in the top bar from the LKQ home page.

BTW-After we complete the 2021 quilt-a-long, I plan to resume the Tuesday Tutorials!

The Singing Bird

The Singing Bird motif is somewhat special, not one of my typical Tuesday Tutorials.  I designed this motif for a friend’s grandbaby quilt.  The family is quite musical so a sweet little bird seemed perfect.  Unlike most of my motifs, the bird and the notes are not a continuous line. Because this was a special friend,  I was willing to stitch and knot each note to create the look I wanted.   The bird is sweet without the notes, so omit the notes if you don’t want to spend the extra time knotting.

How to Quilt The Singing Bird

Stitch a semi-circle.

Add a counterclockwise circle.

Echo stitch the right side of the circle and stop on top.

Add two loops and a curl.  Overstitch the curl so you are just above the “head” circle.

Stitch a small circle and a large circle inside the bird’s head to create the bird’s eye.

Overstitch the front of the bird’s head several stitches then add two triangles to form the beak.

Stitch below the birds “chin” then add a curved line to form a wing.

Quilt a straight line to close the “wing”.

Stitch under the wing and add three loops to create the “tail feathers”.

Tweet! Tweet!

YOUR Bird

Of course, doodle first.  Once you’ve got the basic formula for the bird, add your own embellishments.  Change the head and tail feathers.  Add design to the wings.  Stitch a few wavy lines to represent wind.

That’s the fun of quilting–making the designs your own for the special little birds in YOUR life!

Cheep! Cheep!

Please Share

What’s YOUR favorite bird?

Any grandbaby quilts on your to-do list?

Are YOU having fun quilting?

Also, I would love to create a “Reader’s Favorites” motif list…tell us YOUR favorite motifs!

We’d LOVE to hear!

YOUR Quilting Birder,

Oriole Loriole

PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy Quilts and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ.  For all other purposes, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com.  Thank you!

Visit my Etsy shop: LoriKennedyShop for all of my books!  They are ALL bestsellers!