July is here and I think we are all hoping for a new start for 2020.
Our bird this month is the American Robin. When ever we are at the end of our Minnesota winters I look for the Robin. Forget Batman, Robin is my sign that we are out of the cold and a new spring is here. Every spring we get to watch the baby Robins learn to fly and we get to see them all summer long, it's one of the first birds my child care Littles learn by sight. I love the hope the American Robin brings.
Inspired by their gracious flight, unique and sometimes vibrant color, I chose birds to guide us in our challenge this year. To see the full year in preview read the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Announcement.
"An American Robin can produce three successful broods in one year. On average, though, only 40 percent of nests successfully produce young. Only 25 percent of those fledged young survive to November. From that point on, about half of the robins alive in any year will make it to the next. Despite the fact that a lucky robin can live to be 14 years old, the entire population turns over on average every six years."
*Side note. Whoa! I've only seen two successful broods in one year, but the low number of survival of fledglings is crazy.
"Robins eat a lot of fruit in fall and winter. When they eat honeysuckle berries exclusively, they sometimes become intoxicated."
*Not kidding, I kind of want to plant honeysuckle now.
"The oldest recorded American Robin was 13 years and 11 months old."
*So basically I've lived through just over 3 generations of robins. That makes me feel old.
Click on the link above for another look into the American Robin.
Here is July's block focusing on the rusty belly of our beautiful Robin.
The instructions include a link to a How To video, but if you like pictures better you might find this post helpful. It's for the Spinning Bow Ties Quilt Along, but has some helpful tips for half square triangles.
This year I am offering instructions for making the background the same throughout with a neutral. You can download the yardage amount and instructions HERE.
July Bloggers
Quarter 3 Sponsors
Have you heard?! We have sponsors for the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge! Meet all of them in THIS POST!
Prizes will be given quarterly: April 1, July 1, Oct 1 and January 1 2021. To enter you must link up your block at the end of the month. Each month you enter gives you a chance to win. If you miss one month, don't despair, you can still enter the other months for a chance.I would truly appreciate if you would let these amazing sponsors know our appreciation in the comments below and/or on their social media pages.
Sponsors July thru September
Patterns By Jen - Superior Thread S-Fine 50
Patterns By Jen - Magic Wand
I would truly appreciate if you would let these amazing sponsors know our appreciation in the comments below and/or on their social media pages.
Happy Stitching!
Jen
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2020 Monthly Color Challenge
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