Duck Duck

Another duck made by request.

I used a layered and ripped technique on the wings.

FMQ Small Birdie

My free motion quilting adventure continues. For this bird I tried to do wiggly pasta - mine is more wobbly - LOL

Here is the fabric - or the end that I used for the bird - there's enough more to make another small bird.

Luckily my beginner's stitching efforts do not effect the cuteness of the finished bird. This little guy stands about 3 inches tall.

Free Motion Bird

I have been wanting to try free motion quilting for years, so when I wanted a technique to add interest to my bird bodies, I decided to give it a try. I found a wonderful blog by Leah Day with great instructional videos: The Free Motion Quilting Project.

Of course I'm not making quilts, so I really didn't want a quilt sandwich, but also wasn't sure if a single piece of cotton fabric would have enough body to take a lot of stitching. First I tried a piece of cotton with a piece of thin cotton batting - that worked okay, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to sew and turn the bird. Next I tried a piece of cotton with a lightweight non-iron on interfacing.

I stitched up a 10x10 square with a pattern of elongated e's. I didn't think to take a picture - I was too excited to get to the bird making part!

Finished Bird

Close up

Green Bird

I need to get some more birds ready for sale, but best case, they take 3 days to complete. This is due to the 9 hour hole in my day spent earning a living - LOL - it's all good.

This crazy bird has been half made for a while, so I wanted to give her life. I tried something new on the feet. They're painted and varnished after wrapping with white floral tape.

Another Roadrunner - this one is a little less random, but he has cool wooden beads on his legs.