Twiggy and Opal: hummingbird quilt block

Finding time to make projects from our bucket list isn't always easy! My list is much like every other persons, long and always getting longer! As much as I'd like to make every single project on that list, realistically it isn't possible. In the end I tackle small projects that take hours instead of days to make.

With a bit of time on hand I seized the moment and made a few Mini Mini quilts! It satisfied my urge! At least for the time being!

First up is this amazing Hummingbird Mini!

SUGAR BABY
8" X 8 1/2"

I love hummingbirds! Nicole Young @lilllyella designs amazing paper pieced patterns! When I saw this one I knew one day I was going to make it! 'Sugar Baby' is one of Nicole's free patterns available here: Sugar Baby!

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is probably the first one we think of when talking hummers! The iconic iridescent red throat and emerald green body is always a beautiful sight to see.

The block was not terribly difficult to piece which made me happy! It took a couple hours to piece the block together with not one single mistake until I was putting the sections together! That was human error and not anything to do with the pattern!

The crowning moment for me was the wing! I picked the gray fabric the night before, but knew I needed daylight to make sure the gradation was going to be perfect before I began making it. I couldn't have been any more excited and happy at how it turned out! It makes me want to drool!

I kept the quilting super simple by stitching around the bird and adding lines radiating out. I wasn't going to take a chance ruining the bird with unnecessary quilting!

I made this mini for my Mom who loves hummingbirds! She loves to watch hummers, and now she has one that isn't going south for the winter!

As promised in my previous post: Rubber Ducky, I made a couple mini rubber duckies! You knew I would!

RUBBER DUCKY MINIS
5" x 5"

I took the existing pattern and reduced it by 50%, so what was a 10" block became a 5" block. The hardest most tedious part were the eyes! Yikes! Even on the large duck the eye was difficult!

The first one I made was this little black duck. He kind of reminds me of a Loon from Minnesota! I don't have a lot of prints that are black, so when I saw Sprinkles from
Cotton + Steel I knew it would be perfect!

He's a blue eyed handsome little guy! Simple quilting and finished with a binding of black!

Why make one when you can make two! I choose a lime green print for the body and if you look super close at the wing you can see monkeys!

When it came time to piece the eye I had a brilliant idea! Why not use a dot from the 'Sprinkles' fabric for the eye?! So, I did and he now has a glint in his eye! If I ever make another one you can be sure it will get the same eye treatment!