THE MAKING OF THE SANDHILL CRANE -

If you saw my post yesterday, you saw the photo of the juvenile sandhill crane, taken by my friend Mary Jane, in FLorida. This is a photocopy, with the outlines I used to make the pattern.

I took it to Kinko's, and enlarged it to about 14" x 21", and used it to trace my image onto fusible. Although Bob gave me a light box, I like using my back door when I trace bigger projects.

Using the mirror image, I traced it onto the sticky side of a one-sided fusible. I used a fusible by Pellon, which has cotton on one side. 

Next, I constructed the background, and used it for more practice on my free-motion machine quilting.

Then I placed the fusible on the background. Sometimes I use double sided fusible for my birds, but this also worked fine.

 

I applied the legs, feet,  and his flip-flops.

Then, the cap and facial features, with a perfect bead for his eye.

Here, the fun begins, applying the feathers one by one.

                                                                                          

More feathers, hundreds of them. I used all sorts of fabrics, including silk, copper mesh, brass mesh, many different textures. 

When I decided to add the fishing pole, I had to add a wing to cover it. The scarf went on last. 

I did some additional thread painting on the background. I may do a few more finishing touches, then he's off!