Nature Nests

In The Nesting Quilt, Maya watches as a little finch snaps up a tiny scrap of Nana's blue cloth to use in her nest. Later she sees the blue strip woven into the nest, which is now filled with tiny birds.

Last Spring I filled an old suet feeder with scraps of cloth, yarn and ribbon--hoping to temp nest-builders with colorful adornments.

Then,while cleaning out the garden earlier this spring, I discovered a small nest from last summer which had amazingly survived a wild winter and four feet of snow. Woven around the nest was a blue ribbon.

The nest few weeks brought several gusty winds, and eventually the ribbon disappeared.
Then last week, I noticed another nest. A nervous catbird flew back and forth. It's hard to see it in this photo, but festooned just below the nest is a faded blue ribbon. You can see the bird's face peaking out of the nest.

Nesting Quilt crafts to make

I've been getting ready for upcoming library programs at Portland Public Library, Baxter Memorial Library in Gorham, Maine, and others events. Here are some of the fun crafts we'll be making! They are all based on The Nesting Quilt.

I sewed squares of cotton print fabric (thank you, Grace!) to felt squares.
Kids can "stick" them onto a felt-covered board.

Precut 3" squares of paper in pretty prints can be glued onto a 9x9" square of construction paper to make a paper quilt.

Remember sewing cards? Kids can draw, and then "sew" a border with yarn.
Cardstock weight paper, pre-punched.

Dried pine needles make lovely nests. Glue into a cupcake paper, which is
glued onto a small paper plate. I found those cute wooden eggs here.

Two paper birds. One is a cut, fold and glue  together. The other is
easier for small hands. I precut the bird and wing shapes. Kids
can glue on the wings and the little feather.

Nesting Quilt at Portland Public Library

The Portland Public Library is exhibiting the illustrations from The Nesting Quilt in the children's area now through June 28th. I've included some related items as well.

There are instructions for making this little quilt
in the back of the book.

There will be a children's program on Saturday, May 30th, at 10:30am.
Story time, fun crafts to make, and a book signing. On First Friday, June 5th, there's a reception for the show.

This is kid-size nest! Children who come for the Saturday
program will be able to try it out!

This is the quilt that Maya and her Nana make for the new baby.

Nesting!

The Nesting Quilt is finally out! I have several events coming up in conjunction with the book's release, so I've been getting ready. Yesterday I tried being a bird....

by making a nest out of bittersweet vines and dried grasses. Two smooth stones made perfect eggs.

The first event is Sunday, May 10th--Mother's Day--at Letterpress Books in Portland.

We'll be making Mother's Day cards and paper birds.

Nesting Quilt first copy arrived!

Very excited to finally hold a bound copy in my hands. Nesting Quilt won't launch into the world for another month or so (end of April or early May) so this is my "preview" copy.  Tilbury House folks, you pulled it off! Many thanks!

I'm also thrilled (soundtrack: Tooting My Own Horn ) with this lovely review from  Kirkus Review.

The Nesting Quilt, update!

Well....progress! Yesterday I checked the color proofs with my editor from Tilbury House, Audrey Maynard. The Nesting Quilt will be released in May. Yay!
Here's the cover: