Of Birds and Stitching.


The wee bird feeder we bought has worked so well that we are getting loads of tiny birds settle on feed. These are tiny little wax eyes and yellow hammers . At times there  are up to 5 on the little purple rod. The rod comes from www.windwand.co.nz

 
 I decided it was time to make more seed cakes. I made some following some online advice using fat and wild bird seeds.  I melted the fat and then added seeds to the mix to harden. I find adding the little seed cakes into mesh bags - like onions and oranges come in - help prevent wastage. It does not seem to bother the birds who eat though the mesh. I think setting them in little silicon baking cups would make it easier to pop put making the cling film not necessary.

My stitching lessons on Jude Hill's site  www.spiritcloth.com continue and yesterday I basted the two thin fabrics together using the invisable basting technique she shows on her site. This joins the two background fabrics together using little puckered stitches.

I then followed one of her 3 examples of how to do a background - using weaving of fabric strips together and stitching down. This was new to me and I found it created an interesting very tactile background. I especially love the frayed edges. I tried to pick old recycled fabrics in softer tones so as to not dominate any applique I added to the top.

 I am hand quilting the woven fabric down after pinning it. I am using lots of tiny quilting stitches down with DMC floss. With each layer the fabric thickens and feel different under my hands and yet is soft and beautiful. The strips have come from old pillow cases , some faded floral fabric and Greg's old flannel shirt. I love the softness of the old flannel under my fingers. It is comforting somehow.

I like how it is evolving and how much I am learning. I have to reign in my desire to rush ahead and do more without savouring the process. It is in the process that my spirit finds the calm and healing it seeks.