Woodpecker Finished!

The Inspiration!

The Finish!

I started off with tracing the woodpecker on to white fabric then dye painted the bird.  From there, out came the beads and this is the rest of the story!

Seemed at times like a slow process...and yes, that's a glass of wine! 

The tree was fun to make..I started off with this commercial fabric and painted it with acrylic paints, cut out holes and over  layed the painted bark on top of a piece of orange hand dyed fabric.

Filling in more beads...

Now to put all the pieces together!!

And a quick animation from start to finish.....now to my next project!

Keeping busy!

I won't even mention the pandemic that's is with us...too much of it on the news...so will just show what I've been working on!!!

I'm getting quite a bit of spring cleaning done, as I'm sure most women are at this time!  But I am working away on my knitted lace!!!  This is the project from hell!  Yes, HELL! 
Although, I am learning quite a bit...when you are doing regular knitting, if you drop a stitch, no big deal, right!  But in the lace knitting...OMG..it's a major issue, at least for me!  Who knows that dropped YO (yarn over) from a dropped SSK, PSSO (slip, slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over!)...UGH!!!



 

I have ripped out more rows of stitching in this one project than I have in 10 of my previous projects!  BUT, I will survive!!!  I will finish if it drives me crazy!  HA  It's hard to see all the knitted patterns because it's on smaller circular needles but it will be very pretty once it's blocked...if I can finish before the snow falls!

BUT, all the pieces are ready to assemble on my woodpecker quilt!!!  WOOHOO...I've painted all the edges of the tree, limbs, beaded feet and beaded woodpecker! 

Actually, I've been working mainly on the knitting project, so my woodpecker quilt has taken a back burner.  I'm still on target to finish by March 30!  HA

He's all finished!  Finally...well, except for his beak which I'll finish beading once I attach to the quilt!

I have the placement of the limbs and woodpecker, just need to put down my knitting needles so I can get back to quilting!  That may happen...or may not!

Progress....

I'm back working on the tree for my beaded woodpecker.  The tree needed more shading to give dimension to the tree.  So, I'm using Gelato pastels to hopefully do just that.  This is my result, so far, and I still need to do the branches.  And create beaded feet as well as bead the woodpecker's tail feathers.

The background fabric is a lot brighter than what shows in this picture.








You can see better here with the tree on the left before I started using the Gelato's and on the right where I did shading.  Slowly but surely...

To be honest, I've been concentrating more on my knitting than on my woodpecker!!!!  Bad me!!!  But this dang lace shawl is such a challenge and I'm really anxious to get it finished!   I didn't have a good place to stretch the shawl out so I only 'pulled' on the left side so you can see the lace pattern. 

This is the shape the shawl will be in when blocked/finished!  

Actually, I'm getting more comfortable with learning how to do some of the lace repeat patterns by going back and watching (more intently!!) Andrea Wong's video's on BluePrint!!!  I purchased both or her video's a year or two ago, so I have them for a lifetime!  Which at the rate I'm going learning these new Portuguese knitting stitches, I'll need in my lifetime!

Background progress

I've been playing around with some ideas trying to decide on the background for my woodpecker project. 





I found this hand dyed green fabric, which I think will work out well.  I sandwiched the fabric today and will do overall quilting before I add the tree and woodpecker.  This piece is really very bright green in person.  The original picture has green in the background (you'll see the picture below)

Next up, it's  how to create the tree with all those woodpecker holes!  HA  I thought I would try to use painted Tyvek and burn holes....that idea was good in my head but didn't quite work out....so on to the next idea!

Trying to find a fabric to match the tree in the picture we're using for our inspiration was difficult.  I pulled lots of hand dyed browns and batiks but finally decided on a gray, commercial fabric that I thought had the perfect tree pattern...but wrong color....



So, I pulled out my Transparent Setacolor paints (Ochre, orange and yellows) and went to painting the fabric!

Didn't turn out too bad for a practice piece but now to create those holes this woodpecker made in the tree! 

Out came the scissors and cutting holes in the painted tree fabric. 

I had a screen print from this past summer that I thought might look decent under the tree fabric. 



So here's my start for the tree.....

I think it might work out.......I have a long way to go...quilting background, stitching the tree...adding color where needed, beading woodpeckers feet!, attaching the woodpecker....lots to do!  But it's going to be a long, long winter...so what else am I doing....well.......

Woodpecker Progress

I posted on the woodpecker project back in September.  You can read about it here.  Well, my woodpecker is now about 90% beaded.  I have areas that I leave 'open' until the time I add it to a quilted background.  I am really excited about finishing this project but have to be patient because now the hard work starts!  I have to make that background. 

Here is the photo I'm working from and need to replicate!

And how far I am now!   I leave some of the fabric on until I attach to the quilted background, then I'll cut the excess away.  I'll finish his tail feathers once 'he' is added to the quilted background. 










And here's where I started!

And here's where I ended up yesterday!

























This  is an animation for the process as I was beading.

Now to get working on the background, as well as finish the hand embroidery on my cardinal piece!

Progress

I made progress on my beaded cardinal/patchwork quilt this weekend.  I'm happy with how the addition of the patchwork looks with the bird.  It measures around 19" x 25"  and I still have to finish stitching in the ditch and adding handwork/embroidery.  That's the fun part!!  Not sure how I will finish the edges......facing, binding or inserting a cording/facing using Sarah Ann Smith's method, which I love!  You can see one of the pieces I used her technique on here.

Next I need to create some patchwork for the 2nd beaded bird.   I'm thinking of using browns/blue/turquoise  to brighten up the piece...but may change my mind!

As I was thinking about what to use with this little guy...I found a patchwork piece my daughter made several years ago.  She gifted me most of her fabric and tops, which I've posted about.  For fun, I laid the little bird piece on top of it!  Who knows...I might have to go into some of the other pieces of fabric or tops my daughter gave me!

I'm making progress on my woodpecker..although, at times it seems no progress.

Football wild card time so we had lots of football to watch and I could bead....well, I tried to bead!  Hard to bead with two dogs laying on either side of me!!!  Guess I wouldn't change anything!  Just love those little girls!

Packing up!!

I have been silent this past week but I've not been idle!  I finished (finally!) my daughter's table topper and will give it to her this weekend.  I think it's more for spring but that's for her to decide...now I just hope it fits her table!

A few more beads have been added to Mr. Woodpecker.....

Also, getting ready to knit the top part of the pinafore jumper.  I love the way the yarn creates these cute little flowers!  This too will be on hold until after Thanksgiving...kids are coming  from Indy next Thursday evening until Sunday so I'm playing Betty Crocker, which I love to do!


And...yep, this gal is packing a suitcase to head to Pennsylvania for the weekend with my daughter!  My sister and Nancy are also flying in to meet us...a quick weekend (Friday thru Sunday) but we'll get a chance to see each other!  My only issue is it's so hard for me to leave home!  OK, to be honest, it's so hard to leave the girls!!  But they'll keep Bob company!