New Zealand, where I am from, is very well-know, of course, for the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, the scenery and its nature. New Zealand has one of the largest native bird populations in the world. The most famous of which is the Kiwi (which for those that don’t know we refer to ourselves as kiwis,  it’s after the bird not the fruit 🙂 ). They are a flightless bird and represented through New Zealand culture:

• Used to be the character that said Goodnight when the tv channels ended (1981-1994 before Tv went 24 hours)
  
• Used in the popular Kids books – The little Kiwi
  
• As the image for “Buying NZ made” products
  
• On our coins
  
• A mascot for the Commonwealth Games
  
• Represented in the symbol for the Royal New Zealand Airforce
  …….

The list goes on, obviously we love the little guys. What do you remember as a iconic symbol of your country and childhood???

Why did I cover the significance of a kiwi you might be asking….Well, Juliet over at Tartan Kiwi has had a paper piecing pattern for a kiwi, which I used before in this cushion/pillow and loved!!!

Well, she is expanding that pattern to do a complete line of New Zealand Native Birds….I am so excited and delighted. She revamped her Kiwi Paper piecing Pattern, and I decided to give it another go, using colors a friend requested.

Finished Kiwi Paper Pieced Block

Little Kiwi Pillow Top

Her other paper piecing patterns for New Zealand Birds are available on Craftsy and include:

• Kiwi (free pattern)
• Pukeko (free pattern)
• Kea (soon to be available)
• Fantail (soon to be available)

Over the next week, I am going to give a couple more a go and I will post the finished blocks. These are so much fun and definitely helps grow and improv your paper-piecing skills….I have loved them. Hope you give them a go.

Linking up with Fresh Sewing Day hosted over @ Lily’s Quilts and Paper Piecing Party over @ Quiet Play.