For the last few years I’ve participated in the 100 Day Project. Last year was the first year I actually finished it. 🙂
The 100 Day project is awesome. Participants decide on any creative activity they want to pursue for 100 days. It can be ANYTHING! A few that I remember off the top of my head are a jeweler who made 100 pairs of earrings, a potter who came up with 100 different handles, a baker who made 100 different pies, and an artist who designed 100 different alphabet fonts – the sky’s the limit!
Last year I designed a different repeat pattern every day – AND I used that pattern to mock-up a new applique design. Here’s just one example.
I hoped to have a fabric collection come out of it, but I got something else instead. SO MANY QUILT BLOCK IDEAS!
I’ve already designed a quilt pattern using the arctic animals I mocked up.
I love how it turned out – but it was relatively easy. Just design all the blocks, make a sample, record the video tutorials, and write the pattern!
But one of the ideas that the project sparked last year was a Mix & Match Backyard Birds pattern. As I was drawing some of the birds I see at my feeder, I realized that a lot of the basic parts are pretty much the same. I wondered if I could create some basic templates that could be used to applique just about any of those classic feeder birds. I noodled around with the idea for ten of my hundred days, and it seemed like it would work!
I’ve taken the months since then to draw up a bunch of templates and now I’m finally ready to test them – just in time for a new 100 Day Project!
The new tests won’t be mock-ups. They’re actually appliqued blocks that I’ll be able to join into a quilt. So exciting!
Here’s Day 1 – a black-capped chickadee, one of my favorite birds.
Will I be able to make 100 different recognizable birds using just a few pages of templates? We’re about to find out. 🙂
You can follow along with my progress on Instagram. And the applique pattern will be available at the end of the project – maybe even sooner if the testing goes smoothly and I don’t need to design too many additional templates. 🙂
Update! The project is finished and you can find the pattern here!
Want to join in the 100 Day Project? There’s more info here.
Happy stitching!
Just wondering how large these bird blocks will be! They’re adorable!
They fit in 10 inch (finished blocks) – so you can mix them in with my other patterns if you like.
Hi Wendy, Will you have all the bird patterns together for sale? Love them!
Yes! It’ll be a mix & match pattern – so you’ll also be able to combine all the parts to make other birds too, in addition to the ones I make samples for.
Wendi, if you need some inspiration for birds watch
Dancing With The Birds on Netflix. It has the most amazing
birds from New Guinea and South America. Enjoy!!
Thanks!
I would like a notice RE: availability of bird patterns. Love them
Judi
I don’t have a way to send a notice like that to individuals, but I’ll be announcing it here on the blog, in the newsletter, on Facebook and Instagram. Basically – I’m so excited about this pattern that I’ll be shouting about it from the rooftops in every way possible. 🙂
I’ve been following the bird project and I love them! Is there anywhere to see all the birds in one place?
Wendy, can I still get in on the 100 birds? Secondly, please check your email subject: dinosaurs. I purchased your pattern many years ago. Loved it but never put it together. I can’t find my videos to now start the project. Love your channel.
The 100 Birds project is now the Backyard Birds pattern – including all 100 birds! You can get that pattern here. https://shop.shinyhappyworld.com/collections/applique-quilt-patterns/products/backyard-birds-a-mix-match-applique-quilt-pattern And the videos for the dinosaur quilt pattern are all linked right in the pattern. 🙂