This has absolutely nothing to do with journal making but once I got sidetracked off to crochet, I had to do a few patterns and other little things. I love these birds so much I bought a pattern for them but then I didn't like the pattern so much so I completely rewrote it to work with #10 crochet thread after I made 2 or 3 of them. I could not find the suggested size yarn in the instructions.
And I have to tell you, they look like real birds from a distance just for the shape and colors of them. The original pattern was used for the green bird on the right and then I started nitpicking it to pieces into something I liked much better. My pattern is the blue one on the left. Similar but very different to crochet. I like my wings much better and they take a lot less time to make. I trimmed down the bird and made him longer because I thought it was a little too plump and I made other changes too.
I also changed the size of the thread and needle to give me a smaller bird. I found some very colorful egyptian cotton crochet thread to work with - that I absolutely love at Hobby Lobby. It's their brand called Artiste 100% egyptian cotton size #10 and they have a wider color selection than any other brand I've found. It was on sale for 30% off making it 2 bucks a ball of 400 yds.
I'm working on sculpting a nose and beak out of polymer clay that can be attached with just two knots. I used to raise parakeets aka budgies. I love them so much but I can't have any birds because I have cats. These are about the same size as the real ones.
I changed the feet, the wings, the body, the tail. OK, so I completely rewrote my own pattern. The almost all white ones with light shading on the wings are called lacewings. I've still got some sewing to do on this one to blend the light green into white with crewel embroidery thread.
It's starting to look like a bird factory around here! There are so many different color combinations of yellow, green and blue you can make. I've made about ten of them and I haven't made two birds exactly alike yet. These last ones are waiting for me to get the nose piece sculpted and molded. I have all the feet done. Pretty soon I'm going to have to go outside and cut me a branch for them to perch on.
I can work the pattern and make a complete crocheted bird in under three hours but it takes a little longer to embellish it. Those wire feet have to be wrapped with thread. I used to sculpt dolls with a needle and thread and you really want to know how to hide the knots when you decorate these with thread. The eyes are glass beads. I don't know how many more of them I will make but I do enjoy seeing them come to life!
Why does it feel like somebody is staring at me...
And I have to tell you, they look like real birds from a distance just for the shape and colors of them. The original pattern was used for the green bird on the right and then I started nitpicking it to pieces into something I liked much better. My pattern is the blue one on the left. Similar but very different to crochet. I like my wings much better and they take a lot less time to make. I trimmed down the bird and made him longer because I thought it was a little too plump and I made other changes too.
I also changed the size of the thread and needle to give me a smaller bird. I found some very colorful egyptian cotton crochet thread to work with - that I absolutely love at Hobby Lobby. It's their brand called Artiste 100% egyptian cotton size #10 and they have a wider color selection than any other brand I've found. It was on sale for 30% off making it 2 bucks a ball of 400 yds.
I'm working on sculpting a nose and beak out of polymer clay that can be attached with just two knots. I used to raise parakeets aka budgies. I love them so much but I can't have any birds because I have cats. These are about the same size as the real ones.
I changed the feet, the wings, the body, the tail. OK, so I completely rewrote my own pattern. The almost all white ones with light shading on the wings are called lacewings. I've still got some sewing to do on this one to blend the light green into white with crewel embroidery thread.
It's starting to look like a bird factory around here! There are so many different color combinations of yellow, green and blue you can make. I've made about ten of them and I haven't made two birds exactly alike yet. These last ones are waiting for me to get the nose piece sculpted and molded. I have all the feet done. Pretty soon I'm going to have to go outside and cut me a branch for them to perch on.
I can work the pattern and make a complete crocheted bird in under three hours but it takes a little longer to embellish it. Those wire feet have to be wrapped with thread. I used to sculpt dolls with a needle and thread and you really want to know how to hide the knots when you decorate these with thread. The eyes are glass beads. I don't know how many more of them I will make but I do enjoy seeing them come to life!
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