Button painting tutorial

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10/09/2014

You never know until you try....

or alternately "not everything is a winner."  I always post all the things I've done that I'm happy with but this time my grand idea fell a bit flat....  The long overdue wool blocks finally arrived ...about 3 months late.  When I signed up for that RR I figured by the time fall farm chores started I'd be long done... Instead last week I received not one set but THREE...half of the entire RR is in my UFO basket. 

What I really wanted to do is to embroider a stumpwork cardinal in my usual manner... But since time is now a factor and the blocks  are wool, I decided to make the cardinal from felt.  Something I hadn't done before.

It took a bit to decide on the focal color and finally decided on the cranberry color because it is in three of the patches..  It might have worked better had I used wool felt and shrunk it until it was quite thick.. It just seemed the felt needed more body... I think though I will just stick to embroidered stumpwork birds from now on.... 

Luckily the weather has been lovely and I've been able to do outdoor work all week... I need a new U-bolt on my tractor tiller and waiting for it to arrive.  It will probably arrive  with the expected rains....  Beth has asked for no beads but this cardinal just needed a few...

6 comments:

  1. margaretOctober 9, 2014 at 11:26 PM

    he looks great . I did one round robin and it put me off for ever as some sat on the work for weeks like has happened here, said never again! Must admit I loved mine when it came back to me

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  2. Mosaic MagpieOctober 10, 2014 at 4:23 AM

    I think your cardinal is a beauty and the beads are a nice addition!
    xo,
    Deb

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  3. MarilynOctober 10, 2014 at 5:58 AM

    I'm sure it must be very frustrating when there are delays like that. HOwever, your cardinal does look great - especially the dyed lace bits :)

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  4. grbevOctober 10, 2014 at 8:15 AM

    Well, you were bumped out of your comfort zone, and you rose to the occasion! Yay, it's beautiful. I love the crocheted accents on the wing and tail. Very creative.

    Hugs, Bev in Utah

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  5. Mary Ann TateOctober 10, 2014 at 8:56 AM

    I think it's fabulous:)

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  6. Momma BearOctober 10, 2014 at 10:19 AM

    RR's are a hit or miss for me.
    I have sent back blocks that I was less than pleased with and gotten rave reviews for them and had the ones I worked and slaved over get a "meh"
    your cardinal is sweet and just the right color to show off the rest of the block.
    I have rarely had a RR end up on time.
    usually someone is late, which pushes everyone back, a UPS truck blows up or blocks go missing.
    I seem to be the last to get her blocks back and I have since learned not to start a new one unless the last one is finished.
    but still I join in and learn a new way of doing something form each one I do.

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