NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL

 As most of you know I always start with a sketch on tissue paper.  I like to place it where I plan on using it to make sure the size is right and the pose and the position.

 I cut a thin piece of background fabric to place all the feathers on.

 The eyes and tiny and require a lot of patience to cut out.

 I use the tissue to place all the eye parts.

 He looks very wierd here but you must have faith that once all this comes together and he gets a
haircut....or should I say a feather cut...he will look oh so much better.

 Better but still pretty crazy.

The feather trim helped a lot...see what did I tell you.   Now the tail feathers which are furthest back go on.

 Then the wing feathers are constructed and placed on.  Chest feathers are added and he is done.

Saw Whet Owls are very small....maybe around 7 or 8 inches.  So he sits up on this little tree like a tree top ornament.  Now to quilt him which will make his feathers come alive.

TREE TOP

 No better time then the present to start a new piece.  This one is smaller, approximately 20"X26".
The background is quilted first.  I do not want the background to be too complicated in this piece so kept it a whole cloth.

 The beginning with what goes on first I begin my tree top.  This is a log needle pine with a lot of brown needles. Since the needles overlap depending on the branch they are on I have to keep thinking as I quilt them on.

This is as far as I can go before adding more branches further down.   I am happy with it so far...the background faded out a bit in these two photos...it is more like the top one so there is good contrast between the tree and the background.

Saved By The Bell

The last time  you heard from me I was about to give up on this one.   Then you all came to my rescue and made me feel  better about the piece as well as suggested what may help with the problem.  One of you,  Libby Fife, suggested more branches.  It was then that I realized it was not the branches that existed that were the problem but that there were not enough of them.  So.....I added being careful to not cover the view of the barns in the background.  Woolah!   Success!  So happy with it now.  So I am moving forward....not finished....more to come.

Thank you all so much for helping with this one....you all got me over the hump!