Aerie
Aerie is my quilt for Challenge 15.1 of Project Quilting Season 15 hosted by Persimon Dreams. The theme for this challenge is Bird House. We were encouraged to be “inspired by the myriad places a bird calls home”.
Not far from our house, out in a corn field, stands a cottonwood tree. In that cottonwood tree is an eagle’s aerie. When my kids were little, we started to watch for the eagles in their nest. The nest is still there, and the eagles still return.
The aerie, when seen from the road, looks like a tangle of branches, but I know it is much bigger than I think, and those branches have a design that makes the nest sturdy and safe. It sits in the vee of two large branches in the tree.
So for my challenge piece, I decided to play with some improv and create a quilt to remind me of that aerie. I’ll take you on a progression of the finished top. The first two photos are the true colors of the quilt. The last one has poor lighting, but I wanted to post it as evidence that the quilt is completely done.
What a mess, huh? Time to square it up.
I kept the quilting simple, with some breezy waves in the sky and then quilting through each of the sticks in the nest. I added the binding and it was done.
With that, I’m ready for the next Project Quilting challenge!
Wendy
Weekly WIPs 2
28 Comments
Barbara J Stanbro
Great interpretation of the theme. Very creative. I like everything about it.
Sandi
Hi, I love your art quilt!! That is so clever. You did wonderful! Hugs,
marissthequilter
Remarkable!!! I am awestruck by all those criss-crossing strips, by the overall impact, and by how you have pulled off the difficult task of representing an eagle’s series. It is magnificent.
How big is the quilt?
Don
I loved it. I see the tree and the nest. Two pictures in my mind. One real and one a concept
texasquiltgal
Very cool! Great interpretation, and I love the bits of color in the nest. Best keep Wilbs away from it. 😉
Kate
A very fun interpretation for the challenge. Congrats on a very fun finish.
J Mur
Super cool nest, Wendy!!
Vicki in MN
I totally get it, we had one of those eagle nests not far from us also. It was lost in a storm in the last year.
Tracie
Wendy, you nailed the woven branches of the aerie. I love your inspiration and the design is so you. I can picture you cutting and stitching with a smile on your face.
rl2b2017
Me, too! ~smile~
Bernie
Well done! I like this challenge (I didn’t participate) it has been fun to see all of the interpretations. The different colors in your nest add depth. Very cool Wendy!
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
Eagle aeries are massive. I heard once that they are often the size of a queen size mattress or larger. Wow! I love how you were able to play with improv and connect to something that you have been enjoying for years.
aquilterstable
Very cool! I like your interpretation of your prompt a lot.
Rochelle Summers
Wonderful interpretation of the concept and great use of improv to provide the overall look. Eagles are great architects for the nests to last for so many years. I love the different colors of brown you used. The quilting really enhances the piece.
Eva
This is a great great interpretation of the birdhouse theme….. an eagle home is a birdhouse…. Only other size! Love it! My birdhouse in the garden is highly frequented in this time of the year! Yours as well for sure! Greetings to Wilbs…. Lol
Mari
A perfect ‘bird house!’ I can just imagine it on the banks of a river. Wonderful challenge response!
Diann@ Little Penguin Quilts
I would love to see an eagle’s nest in real life – I love that you have one close enough to you that it was part of your kids experience growing up! Your mini quilt looks like the perfect response to this week’s challenge, too. Fun finish, Wendy!
Laura
This puts me in mind of the eagle nest near us. It has also been there for many years, and is still occupied. What I notice about this nest is the tree that holds it. It has been interesting to watch that tree from season to season. Several of the surrounding trees are dead now. I am not sure if this tree is dead yet, but it is bent and craggy, and I wonder how it finds the strength to hold such a massive nest. 🙂
Vicki Welsh
Brilliant response to the prompt!
rl2b2017
WOWEE, Wendy! This is so very cool and very representative of the eagle’s nest. At least, as we can imagine it and how it is constructed. LOVE this. Great job all around. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Kathleen McCormick
This is so fabulous and so you! I did not know the name of the eagle’s nest, and am glad to. I have one we watch for on the way back and forth Maine as you cross the border. It is right off the highway on power lines, very near the Kittery outlets. The cornfield aerie sounds a bit more comfortable. Hooray for PQ#1 for 2024.
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
Eagle’s nest–what a great interpretation, Wendy!!! We go by several regularly and enjoy seeing if the eagles are nearby.
tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles
That is a cool interpretation! I like all the depth of the overlapping branches in your piece!
Sandra Walker
That is really cool, Wendy. How lucky you are to have an eagle’s nest so close. We see them from time to time flying over the lake and shore, but no nearby nests that I’m aware of.
Kim Lapacek
This is so so so cool! I absolutely adore it!
Patt Clancy
Love this. You have such a gentle talent and you share it well!
Joan
Great idea! Very modern. Love those strips for the nest.
Janine @ Rainbow Hare
It’s amazing to me that you have eagles so close by. I like your aerie quilt 🙂