Buffy called me on Sunday to ask how I was. I was so pleased to hear from her. You have all been so understanding as I move through this tough year. Thank you for all your love and support.
Anyway, I told Buffy about my pink bird making plan. After I hung up, I made a pink bird and sent her a picture. "Gee, that didn't take long..." she texted back. "How long does it take you to make a bird?"
"Well, um," I replied, "once I pick the fabrics they only take me about 20 minutes or so..."
You know me. Once that was out in the open, I had to wonder, JUST HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? Since I love nothing more than a puzzle I decided to find out. Watch me (sort of), dear reader as I make a bird.
Since I had my pink and pinkish scraps handy, I played around until I had these fabrics. Note I make big leg panels ahead of time. (I am not going to explain how I make these. That is what The Tutorial is for.)
Now you have to remember, I've made a few hundred birds, so I know how to do this. Here are the pieces all cut out.
Here is the first go-round of sewing. I work efficiently. If I can do several steps at the same time, I'm going to do it.
OK! Here you go! Bird is done! (And look I changed my mind about the legs and decided to use something else.)
Buffy, you will have to do the math. Just how long did it take me to make the bird?
Yesterday, Peggy asked about the extra long rulers that hang near my ironing table. I have a confession to make. I love rulers. I have a thing for rulers. I have metal rulers because, duh, you can cut against them with your rotary cutter. I use them for trimming quilts and for cutting long things straight. There is a 36" one (also known as a yardstick), a 48" one and a 60" one.
When you need to cut a long straight line, use the longest ruler you can find. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can push a shorter ruler along and get the same result. You must be careful with your big long metal rulers because they can get bent and nicked, and you need them to stay straight and true, so I hang mine. And I get them at the hardware store.
I also have 18", a half meter, and a 24" ruler hanging there, along with some long rulers the guys who cut drywall use to cut something nice and "square."
I also have two gizmos I bought way back in 1984 that are probably no longer available. They are 18" rulers and you slide one thing over and the ruler will automagically find the halfway point on one, and the one-third point in the other. Hardly ever use them, but like I said, I'm a ruler junkie, so I had to have them.
Peggy also wanted to see the fabrics I bought on Saturday. Some of them are shown above. I'll show the rest later. In the meantime, you can all go back and read this post about my Stash. It explains why I buy what I buy and how much, although I did break a couple of those rules with my purchases on Saturday.
So if YOU want to make a bird or two (or thirty or fifty) you can get my tutorial here at my Etsy shop. It's an instant download so you can get started right away. Now if you are an OCD type, and want exact dimensions of every tiny detail, you probably won't like my tutorial. My way of working is very flexible and I don't like to carve anything in stone, because flexibility = creativity and that = fun. I am not into making millions of things that are exactly the same. Besides, the birds are kinda bulletproof. You can do all kinds of things wrong and still wind up with a handsome bird. That's the definition of success in my book!
And since I know somebody will ask... the yellow thing on the metal light fixture in the picture with the rulers is a magnet on a handle. I use steel pins and a sloped worktable. Gravity happens. Need I say more? The silvery thing next to it is a small magnet at the end of a telescoping handle for reaching small metal things from a distance. Because, you know, it's a cool tool....
7 comments:
Millie, you are in Lynne's heart today, just more so on your birthday.And mine too, I miss all of ours who have gone, maybe the strays the most of all. The magnet on an extendable wand, I have one too, purchased it a shop that stocks every mechanics, carpenters and handymans dreams. Bobbins, pins, scissors, it handles them all from 6 inches away to 24 inches. I also have a steel ruler ( just one) I used when I was sewing children's clothes so many years ago.Your set up for hanging them there is perfect, they stay straight and so easily found.And as a memory, I have my Dad's fold up wooden ruler, that has hinges and brass fittings at the ends, it says Boxwood, Rabone, Made in England No' 1167.Love the legs that you changed.
If I read the clock right, it looks like you started at 8:31:39 and finished at 8:47:57 ... that is an amazing 16 minutes and 18 seconds! Master birder! Thank goodness for students of your tutorial, you meander through it slowly, including lots of asides and tips and so many pictures to get us started and spark our imaginations of the limitless possibilities in making these addictive birds.
Love your fabric selections in this post, especially the Charley Harper birds. That fabric includes such a wide range of interesting colors and, as usual, you managed to find so many other fabrics that sing along beautifully with it and still introduce such variety.
Millie, thanks for being such a gift to Lynne and letting her be the same to you for so many years.
This was a very interesting post, but that is my usual reaction to your writing. I clicked the link and read your 'stash' post, so today, I read two great posts instead of just one!
You have my sympathies about your loss of dear Millie. She sounds like what I call a 'lifetime' cat, meaning that she is so special and such a wonderful companion that you will miss her your whole life. How wonderful to have one of these special cats! I think it's worth the pain of loss to have loved so well.
I highly recommend the hardware store for tools. They are usually better quality and less pricy than the same things prettied up for sewing. Also the drafting department at office supply stores is good to visit. Especially the acrylic triangles and curves for drawing and drafting patterns and circle or oval templates. Even though you rarely use them, I bet you really appreciate having them when you do, especially the one that does 1/3s.
You got some lovely fabrics - that splattery water colorish one is very interesting. Happy BDay to Millie, even though she's wandering about in kitty heaven. She had a good life in your home.
Hoping all of Millie's friends are throwing her a HUGE birthday party today on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. Maybe you need to buy yourself some pink flowers on her birthday to soften the edges of missing her so much. If you had made that bird without stopping to take photos, I'm guessing you could shave close to a minute off your time - having made FAR fewer than you, I am no where near that fast!
Happy Birthday in heaven Miss M - we miss you so, and mum cried some tears reading this post. Hugs to you Lynne.
Julie and Poppyq
Xxx
Lynne, I have only messaged when Millie passed but I want you to know that I am still praying for you. When I pray for comfort for those who are grieving the picture of you holding Millie with your head down in her fur comes into my mind. I tear up , like I am now, and pray specially for you. I know the terrible pain and loss all too well and I am so sorry 😢. She knows how much you loved her.
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