Nellie"s Needles

Friday, June 20, 2008

Adding to the Flock

By the end of the day, Tuesday, there were six birds from my pattern adding to the flock at large. Five are pictured here ... the sixth one flew home with its maker, Helen.
My husband's two cousins and their wives were visiting the cottage for a few days. My friend, Helen, came to spend the day playing in the studio with us.
Just before Helen left I took this photo of her and the cousin's wives birds. My bird had not progressed very far during the day due my hostess duties and helping each of them with unfamiliar machines as well as some of the steps involved in creating their birds. Poor thing had no feet, wings, nor eyes.
By the end of the day he got his cow bird wings to become the MaCowCowa bird. He found his roosting place on the ledge above the wood-burning stove in the living room.
My husband and I created the tile mosaic in 1999 to make a fire proof barrier for the heat generated by the chimney. Elvis is peering out of the top of Big Red, the lighthouse.

If you'd like to add to the flock at large in the world, the pattern and instructions are downloadable PDF files that you can print. They are found here (pattern)and here (instructions). To see a lot of other birds and more instruction photos click on the "Birds" label at the end of this post. If you make a bird, please share it with me.

10 comments:

Cathie said...

Nellie - I always get a chuckle from your birdies. They are divine. I do plan on making one when I can find the time. I particularly like the black and white one.

Teodo said...

Nellie we have done 68 birds........now we have to do the eyes and finish the last ones. Then I will take a picture of them.
They are so colourful, they look fantastic!

ciao ciao

Unknown said...

The birds are fantastic. My little bird quilt that I am working on now was inspired from these birds.

Karoda said...

I'm going to give the bird a try...thanks for sharing the pattern and instructions.

allie aller said...

Very nice birdies!

Are you actually in Macatawa?
My cousins used to have a cottage there...but it went into the lake several decades ago. Skunk Hollow is where they were.....

Loved it there!

jenclair said...

Each bird has such personality! Sounds like a great way to spend the day - especially with such a delightful flock resulting.

Helen said...

these birds have so much character Nellie! they're great.

Anonymous said...

wow :: where did you get the huge acrylic extension table for your sewing machine? :: i'm learning they are essential for machine quilting :: sigh ::
thanks, ei

Nellie's Needles said...

Linda Teodo,
oooo...I can't wait to see photos of the flock you and your friends are making for the children. What did you end up using for the legs and feet?

Allison Ann,
Yes, I really am in Macatawa. It's as wonderful as you remember it to be.

Eileen,
The large acrylic machine table was purchased by my daughter-in-law for her Pfaff embroidery machine. When my son built her a beautiful sewing table with a sunken area for that machine to sit in, she contributed the acrylic one to the cottage studio ... lucky me! I have a smaller one that fits my Pfaff 7530 in my Tennessee studio. It's necessary to build up more flat area around that one when a large piece is machine quilted.

If, or when, the rest of you make birds, please send me a photo or a link so I can see them as well as share them through my blog.

Helen said...

These birds are way cool. Don't tempt me with more to make!

Thanks for the pictures of the Smokey Mountain Quilt show - very inspiring, especially the trapunto cream quilt.