Birds of a feather

I really like making things for Paula (a coworker buddy of mine) because she genuinely gets a kick out of them. She also has some identifiably favorite things (in this case, crows) so it isn't hard to select fabrics.

I've made a pair of predominantly pink ones for Bob and Marie and a blue one for my son. It's been a varitable aviary in my sewing room.

Bird finds favor

My son and husband were not impressed by a phase I went through some time ago making enlongated Christmas elves. In fact, they find most dolls eerie so I moved on to other things. No use freaking the family out.

This little bird (pattern in the recent Quilt International magazine) has passed the family test. They like him and have okayed the production of more.

Quilt retreat top finished

This top is from a pattern (name not in front of me)--not someting I do very often. The pattern was the project for the Smith & Owen quilt retreat 2009 which I attended a couple weeks ago. Lessons were learned--some great ones that will improve my handwork (I know how to start and stop blanket-stitch properly now) and that you need to bring your own proper chair to retreats or risk back-ache by plastic stacking chair.