PATCHWORK BIRD - TIM HOLTZ SIZZIX CHAPTER 4 2019 RELEASE

Hi fellow crafters!  I can't believe how fast Christmas is approaching, and as usual, I'm so behind in everything. Still some decorating to get done, cards to make, and the list goes on. So if any of you are like me and still busy creating for the holidays, here's some inspiration! This is a project I created for Sizzix's Tim Holtz Chapter 4 Facebook release using the Patchwork Bird and wool fabric.

The bird perches on a spool I made using a piece of a cardboard tube, and the Mini Tree Rings die and embossing folder set.  Here's a short tutorial:

After selecting the wool pieces I wanted to use, I used Heat'n Bond Iron on Adhesive paper to the back of the fabric pieces. There are different kinds of this adhesive, two sided, one sided, light weight, etc.  I had a two-sided light weight that I used which can be found at a craft or fabric store.  This adhesive not only makes it easier to stitch on top of your pieces, it also stops your fabric from fraying.  Also keep in mind, that you want to keep your fabric on the thinner side, so it will still die-cut with the Thinlits.  You might have to scissor cut it in a few places.  When ironing the two-sided adhesive onto your fabric, leave one side of the paper backing on, iron the side with the exposed adhesive to your fabric.  

Remove the remaining backing and iron your tail pieces onto the bird body die-cut.

Do the same for the feet.

 I hand stitched around the edges of the pieces after they were adhered to the upper body die-cut and through the middle of the tail feathers.  Adhere the body with the pieces to the main bird die-cut.  I left the top of the bird chest, head and beak unstitched because I wasn't sure what I was going to do when stuffing it.  You can hand stitch this area now, except for the beak, which I left.

This is what your bird looks like so far.

I used 2 pieces of thin craft wire, twisted together halfway.  This wire supports the bird, so it stands upright. Glue the wire to the bird body and feet, leaving some wire sticking out past the feet.  It's a bit tricky on the feet, there's not much room, so you can't use a lot of glue.

 I die-cut another bird body and glued it on top of the bird back around the edges, except a small opening underneath the head.  I used a small amount of hot glue for this.  

I stuffed the bird to give it more dimension, but you could leave it flat. You will only need a very small amount of filling, then stitch your opening closed.  I finished off with the hand stitching around the chest and head at this point (not through the very back body layer)but you will have already done this step. To finish off the back edge, I hand stitched in matching thread all the way around and secured the feet fabric around the wire.  You will be poking  the wire from the bottom of the feet through your tree ring.

For my 'spool', I die-cut two of the smaller Mini Tree Rings from chipboard and two from Tim Holtz Mixed Media Cardstock.  Emboss the two pieces of Mixed Media cardstock rings.  

The paper roll was cut 2 1/4" long and the roll was about 1" or slightly more in diameter. Cover this with patterned paper (I used Tim Holtz Christmas paper). I coloured my tree rings, first with spraying with Antique Linen Distress Oxide Spray, then inking with Distress Oxide Ground Espresso ink and finally highlighting the edges and raised areas with Distress Walnut Stain ink.  Adhere the embossed coloured rings to the chipboard rings.  Poke two holes in the one ring that will be used for the top of the spool.  This is for the wire.  Poke the wire through and hot glue the the wire to the underside of the ring.

Glue your bottom tree ring to the bottom of the spool.

For the leaves, I die-cut different shades of green fabric from the leaf in the  Deck the Halls Colorize Set.  I did use a heat 'n bond adhesive (one-sided adhesive) to stop the fabric fraying, on some of them (mostly the ones that were not wrapped around the spool).  Machine stitch all your leaves in a garland, with the ends touching.  I continued sewing after I ran out of leaves for a little bit, so you have a thread that looks woven.

Leave the first leaf loose, then wrap and adhere the chain of leaves until you get near the end.  I had a total of 15 leaves in my chain.  Leave two to come up to the bird.

The thread piece that looks woven goes in-between the bird beak back and green front piece.  Adhere this to the beak.

To finish off my bird, I die-cut some green foliage from the Sizzix Large Funky Festive Thinlits set and green Tim Holtz Metallic Cardstock.  This, and spanish moss, were adhered to the spool top around the birds feet.  Also, two wool fabric leaves with alcohol inked red Beaded Berries(TH93779) were adhered slightly behind the bird.  A green fabric bow from the Deck the Halls Colorize set and a Tiny Bell (TH93744) tied on, complete this project.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial, I still have a few more projects to share!  Hopefully I can get them done before Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jan