The Lydia Quilt in Bird is the Word
Did you ever see that Put a Bird On It! segment from Portlandia? Anytime I see a fabric collection that has birds, that's what I think about and I just love it so much. The birds in the Bird is the Word collection are adorable! I was so excited to use these prints for the cover of the Lydia Quilt.
Why This Fabric Works Perfectly with the Lydia Quilt
The Lydia Quilt is a versatile pattern that’s perfect for showcasing fun prints, and Bird is the Word was an ideal choice. I love the combination of the low volume and black prints with the bright pink and teal and the warm mustard.
I paired the feature prints with a soft neutral background to make the birds stand out, and the strip-pieced sashing added a pretty pink touch that ties all the blocks together. The result? A happy, cozy, warm quilt with lots of birds on it.
Fabric Selection Tips
If you’re working with a fabric collection like Bird is the Word, here are a few tips to help your quilt shine:
1. Highlight the Main Prints: Use feature prints (like the bird designs) for larger sections of the blocks to let them take center stage.
2. Balance with Supporting Fabrics: Incorporate smaller-scale or tonal prints from the collection (or basics or solids) to avoid visual clutter and keep the design cohesive. I chose to go with the light pink so that the blocks would stand out from the background.
3. Choose a Complementary Background: Opt for a background fabric that stands out from both the feature fabrics and accent fabric. I actually really liked that a couple of the prints in the collections blended in just a bit but still held their own against the background and accent fabrics. It gave the quilt some nice visual movement.
Quilt Details
For the backing of the quilt, I used Spark Bird in Flamingo. I love the combo of the bright pink with the warm orange. The binding is Moonflower in Storytime. The background fabric is Violet in Natural from the collection and the accent fabric is Speckled in Cotton Candy Pink.
The quilting on this project was done by Heidi of Piece and Joy Quilting Co. She always does gorgeous work and I am always so glad to have her quilt my cover quilts!
I loved using Bird is the Word for the cover quilt, but I’ve also created a few mockups using other collections to show just how versatile the Lydia Quilt can be. If you have a favorite fabric collection you’d like to see mocked up, let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your suggestions!
Get the Lydia Quilt Pattern
Ready to make your own Lydia Quilt? The pattern is available now in both PDF and paper formats and Bird is the Word is available for preorder (it will be in shops soon!).
Be sure to tag me on Instagram (@kitchentablequilting) and use #TheLydiaQuilt to share your progress—I can’t wait to see what you create!