Monday, January 5, 2009

Bird Patterns

I am on the hunt for bird patterns. My friend Janice told me about a blog called creativekismet that is hosting a Birds of Change Exchange. I was going to offer up my noisy cockatiels (Hubby thought it would be cool if the birds could wolf whistle and Woody Woodpecker whistle, which they now do endlessly) but they aren't taking real ones.

I do love birds. All birds. Yes, even those pesky road runners that like to jump up and try to pull the little sparrows out of the bushes. (Never saw that in any roadrunner cartoons, did you?) One of my favorites are the huge crows we have here in southern AZ. The biggest I have ever seen. Imagine one of those sitting on your shoulder!

I have been a real slug over the holidays, half-heartedly picking up one project or another, and have needed something that would get me fired up again. This could be it.

I have made a couple of birds but they're not quite right. Too much stuffing, not enough stuffing.

I'll continue my search. I'd love to enter into the exchange, but only if I can create something somebody else might want. I'll keep you posted!

4 comments:

pam said...

I can't help you with a pattern, but I love the fabric choice on the second bird. Really cute!

shabby girl said...

Thanks. I'm still workin' on them. One came out looking like a seal. Not good...

CJ said...

I'm not sure exactly what you are going to be doing with these, so maybe I am off base here.

When I look at your birds, the problem seems (to me) that the wings are too thick. Is there some way you can make them with a wire in them, so they are flat, but the wire will hold the wing shape and you might even be able to bend the wires to make it look like one wing is up or down or both are in flight? Or could you sew the wings around a piece of cardboard cut into a wing shape ---about the thickness of matboard? Or don't use any stuffing on the wings, stitch the front of the wing to the bird's body, then tack the back of the wing with one stitch so it won't flap around? For this last option, maybe stiffen the wings with stitch witchery or other iron-on product between the fabric pieces or make them 4 ply instead of using 2 pieces of fabric. I like the prints you've chosen.

shabby girl said...

CJ-thanks for your ideas! I like the wire especially. I have a picture of a dancing blackbird that I would love to do and the wings are stretched out in that one. The wire just might work!

Flora & Fauna

Books I have known & loved

  • Life of Pi
  • A Hundred Years of Solitude
  • Kite Runner
  • The Way the Crow Flies
  • Fall on Your Knees
  • Poisonwood Bible
  • East of Eden
  • Shantaram
  • I Know This Much is True

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