This past weekend it has been the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch here in the UK and it's been a pleasure to have the excuse to peer out the windows and count the birds who come to the garden and the bird table. There have been lots and lots - I do love them so.
Just lately I've finished two quilted pictures which include birds. They were inspired by paintings that I saw on Pinterest which is a great source of ideas for me.
The first that I made is on the left and I tried to improve a few things, particularly the method of making, when I sewed the second. I didn't like the hand quilting of the first as I thought that it distracted from the applique. There is only one thing that I like more about the first picture!
When I'm about to start a new project it's sometimes difficult to think just where to begin so I thought I would share my method with you. This is the method that I used for the second bird picture:
I drew my picture onto paper and transferred it, in reverse, onto sturdy calico, using a light box.
I sewed a raw edged background, in various blue rectangular fabric scraps, onto some pale blue striped fabric laid onto the undrawn side of the calico. I stitched these down by machine, sewing around the uncovered raw edges. I used the pale blue striped fabric underneath so that it didn't matter if there were gaps between my rectangles.
Next I sewed on the tree branches, placing brown fabric onto the blue background, and using my light box to get the positions of each one right. I sewed with a small straight stitch, from the back along the drawn lines on the calico. I trimmed each branch as close as I could to the stitches. I then used a machine blanket stitch to secure them, with light thread on one side of the branch and dark on the other. (This is what I don't like in the second bird picture and I'd rather that I'd used a zigzag stitch as I did in the first picture.)
I laid green fabric on the blue background in the position of a leaf, again using the light box to aid me. I sewed the leaf shape from the back of the picture by machine, with small straight stitches. I trimmed off the spare fabric close to the stitches and then used machine blanket stitch to secure.
After marking the position of the flowers and the birds on the front, I laid my work onto some wadding and free motion stitched between the leaves and branches.
I had already sewn the birds onto a thin piece of fabric with needle turned applique, and embroidered the wings, tail and breast. Now I could easily cut them out with a seam allowance of the thin fabric which I turned under as I sewed them into position. I embroidered a beak, legs and added a bead eye.
I embroidered the leaves and their stalks. For stalks I usually sew a small running stitch which I then whip with the same thread. I drew all the little flowers onto the backing paper of some Steam a Seam, laid this on the back of cream fabric, cut them out and ironed them down into position. I did a little stitch at the edge of each petal and tiny french knots in the centre of each flower, and sewed their stalks.
Just a backing fabric and binding left to do, with little triangles in the corners on the back to hold a hanging stick.
These are the close up pics from my first picture - leaves, a bird and berries.
For the berries I ironed stabilizer onto the back of red fabric and my husband punched out the circles with his hole punch! I sewed them in place with stitches radiating from the centre.
These two were lovely to do and they hang in my kitchen. They may yet be joined by another!
Happy stitching - Anita x
