Australian Trip wall-hanging

Wow, how time flies when you're having fun! Sorry I've been a little negligent about my posting. I promise to do better henceforth. Had a lot going on in my life, but that is what life is all about. Everyone seems to love my bird vignettes, and the pillow is the icing on the cake. I just love it. My birds are really having a fit out there today. Lots of rain in our area. Australian Adventure: I started my Australian wall hanging for my son using the authentic Australian fabrics that I bought while touring down there a few years ago. The classic blocks that I chose are: monkey wrench, churn dash, wild goose chase, and the compass star. The outside blocks stand for the Pacific and Indian Oceans that surround the continent of Australia. The flying geese pattern represents the 24 hour flight from Dallas to Sydney. The churn dash represents the churning of my son's brain while delivering his speech at the Computer Software Symposium. The center block represents the icon Opera House in Sydney and also being "down under" the equator. The blocks are 8" blocks. Most classic quilt books have these patterns in them, or if you EQ5, they are in the classics.

Finished Bird Vignette projects

Wall hanging including three of the bird vignettes.

The woodpecker pattern is very easy to use. I made it into a throw pillow top. Here is the pattern and the finished pillow top for you to see how I did it.

Thought you might want to see the finished hummingbird vignette in color. It was fun to make.

Bird Vignettes

The Hummingbird vignette is our next project.

Hope you can print out the pattern. If not, look at the Quilters' University in my archive on the right hand side of this blog. Locate May 10, 2010 for directions how to print from the blog.

Finally got the robin red breast finished. Thread painting is so relaxing. Just set your zigzag stitch, lower your feed dogs and take off machine quilt. I'm making these Bird Vignettes as a wall - grouping. There will be 3 of them with a throw pillow in the same room with #4 bird vignette on it. The Hummingbird is the next one, and it is a little faster to make, as the hibiscus flower is so large, and the little birds are soooo small. Have fun with this project!

Robin Red breast project

I wanted to start this project last week, but had to get Mr. Whoozy's birthday party all planned and over with! Now, we can go on with our Amazing Bird project.
I am putting the pattern on this blog for you. Enlarge it to the size you wish. I am making mine about 12" X 12" as that thread painting takes a lot of thread.
Using a light box, trace the pattern onto the right side of your fabric background. I am using the same background for all 4 of my birds. The Cardinal is already finished, and you can scroll down to see both of them. I made one in a pine tree and one in a palm frond. Whichever works for you.
Once you have the pattern traced onto the background fabric (tracing with a #2 pencil lightly works for me as I shall be covering up all lines with thread later) trace the entire bird onto a medium brown fabric. I used Heat Bond on the back of this, and then traced the red breast of the bird onto a bright orange fabric and bonded it to the brown bird.
Tear the bonding paper off the brown bird, and bond it to the main fabric where it is penciled in.
Make a darker brown branch as shown in the picture and bond it over the bird. The thread painting will take care of the details later.
Get this much done, and I'll try to show the next steps on the blog in a day or two........Dr. appointments are interfering with my quilt work! MERCY!
Have patience with me, please.