BLOG 265

BLOG 265

 

This week, I returned to the craft and sewing groups that I habitually attend after a few weeks break over summer. I personally think it is good to have a bit of space sometimes, to re-charge your batteries and to actually miss being there. I now feel ready to get on with things again.

I needed a new project to do at the machine sewing session that I go to in Suzette’s home. I remembered saying in an earlier blog, after the Festival of Quilts, that there was a miniature quilt that I would have loved to have taken home. Here it is:

 

Miniature birds

 

And then I thought, in the absence of being able to bring this quilt home, I wonder if I can make something similar? I started by collecting pictures, cards, books and the like, anything that would help me visually. I did some preliminary sketches to get to know the character of each bird. Here’s the progress so far:

Preparation

 

A stabiliser was ironed onto the WS of the hessian-like fabric that I had chosen for the background. It was held taut in a hoop as I started to free-hand draw with a neutral thread in my machine.

 

Sketching

 

More sketching

 

Thread birds

 

Once I had sketched each of my selected birds (one’s that habitually come to our bird table), I used threads and occasionally bits of dyed scrim to colour them in. This was my progress during an approximately 4 hours of sewing (the rest of the time was spent talking, oohing and aahing, tea drinking … I’m sure you are familiar with the format).

 

Colouring in

 

More colouring

 

There are usually just 4 of us around the table at these sessions. Pat and Peggy allowed me to take photos of their lovely work this week to share on my blog.

 

Pat’s insects

 

Peggy’s rose