I looked in my stash too - Mama loved birds so I have a lot of different birds but no parakeets...got robins,  chickadees, flamingos, doves, cardinals, lots of hummingbirds.

I did find one place you can order a 9x9 swatch for not much: 

https://www.zazzle.com/bountiful_budgies_cute_watercolor_parakeet_fabric-256877233875365554

Suze, you gave my memory a good kick and I went to Etsy.com where I found various options for items made with parakeet fabric.

One small item was cute (made in Netherlands) and another small item was cuter (made in Ohio) but the one I liked best is made in New Hampshire and so I ordered that one.  Why buy something with pink parakeets or yellow parakeets when my Skeezix was turquoise? I held out until I found something that was close to my childhood pet. LOL

I swear this heart failure business is really messing with my thinking lately. I'm going in for a surgical procedure in two weeks and it had better work and get my blood pumping better so my brain works better.

Thank you for that idea. I will use it when I look at that block in the future.

Thank you for searching your awesome stash. Cannot believe I stumped you.

There is a block called Ornery Husband as well. It's been so long since I made one that I have no clue what it looks like any more.

Couldn't find Ornery Husband in the Brackman book or at Quilter's Cache but I found something called Contrary Husband online so I can use that one.

Thanks for the suggestion because my DH is actually more contrary than I am.

judyinohio said:

Thus far I have made three nine inch blocks.

You will have a puzzle to put together.  You will enjoy that as you like puzzles.  I'll check my  stash for fabric with a parakeet in it.

ETA:  Glad you found a fabric with a parakeet resembling your childhood pet.  This sounds like a fun quilt.

I'm glad you see my motivation for tackling this project, Cathy.

The last two largish quilts I worked on did not "spark joy" (to quote the famous Marie whatshername who has people cleaning out their closets).  I made one small wallhanging that was fun to work on; it was a kit but frankly there are not many appealing kits out there that ring my chimes.

So when my fevered brain took me down the path to this idea I pounced on it ...could I make an autobiographical quilt with blocks that reflected my history? 

Why not give it a whirl?  Making my own rules as I go along. I think it is Suze that has said, "Your quilt, your rules".  (Or maybe it is Ami.)

Pieced blocks only

No applique.

No photos.

Bingo!  Your quilt/your rules!

Absolutely!

Likely Suze said "Your quilt, your rules." I wholeheartedly agree!