'Charm'ing Birdie

This 'project' started SUCH a long time ago....and wasn't a bird!

It started when a friend on facebook posted this photo...

in January 2011.  Isn't it beautiful...what a talented lady!

It inspired me to have a go!

I bought my fabric....but I soon realised with the various uses of our dining table that this runner wouldn't see the light of day much....or if it did it would likely get ruined!

I did start putting squares together but stopped quite quickly!

Then earlier this year Teenage Daughter and I took a trip to Brighton, West Sussex.  We came across a shop called Quilty Pleasures, what a joy....so many lovely bright modern fabrics

Whilst there we saw lovely creatures and cushions made up from designs by Sewgirl.
We ummed and ahhed and decided that we'd go for the bird cushion ....

I decided to pre-wash the fabric....DISASTER!!!!!!!!!!!

I became ill and The Hubs took over the washing....he put my delicate patchwork in with darker stuff to wash and it came out 'grey'ed!!!!

I really lost the will....but then going through some UFO's I decided it either had to be finished or dumped!

I was disappointed with the fabric now.....but decided to finish as I hoped it would look OK when done.

Although I had already started to put the squares together I thankfully hadn't got so far that I couldn't wriggle things about a bit to squeeze in the shape of the bird twice and have enough for wings!

That's my 2 sides and this was left over from the tails ends for wings.....

I decided to back with felt, blanket stitch and stuff so that the wings stuck out a little.

I used the same technique with sticky bonding as I did with this Christmas Decoration.  It is the same as Kirstie Allsopp used in her Handmade series when she made the Christmas Garland of Hearts.

Now going back to my post on the Crochet Coat Hanger, if you are eagle-eyed, you will have spotted not only yarn in my bag but fabric too!  Look......

It was my Peace & Quiet night when I hid in Miss Flossie Vanroyce!

Here's the floss stash for a bit of blanket stitch.....

Slightly crumpled tablecloth, green tea and homemade muffin and about 1 hour 30 minutes to myself!  Bliss!

The 2 sides of the wing stuck together enough with the bonding to sew, but you can still pull it apart to stuff....and then to seal you run an iron around the edges...so the blanket stitch is purely decorative.

 

I secured the wings on with buttons before I sewed the two sides of the Birdie together.....

...and I also added button eyes......

I stitched around the edge of the 2 Birdie sides with my sewing machine and left a gap at the bottom to stuff it which I hand-stitched last of all.

I added a little yellow gingham ribbon around its neck and...there we are all done!

Despite my initial disappointment with the washing disaster...I really love my little Birdie...want to see it nesting on my bed?

OK, here we go........Ta-DAaaaaH!!!!!!!!

Thought you'd like to see both sides!

Back soon with more makes......it's been busy here in NoraLand!

xx