Virginia Lindsay - Pretty Birds: 18 Simple Projects to Sew and Love

2015 by Rotovision First published in the United States in 2015 by Running Press Book Publishers. All rights reserved under the Pan-American and International Copyright Conventions This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher. Books published by Running Press are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the United States by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call (800) 810-4145, ext. 5000, or e-mail special.. Library of Congress Control Number: 2014942369 Ebook ISBN: 978-0-7624-5644-4 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Digit on the right indicates the number of this printing Art Director: Lucy Smith Cover Design: Lucy Smith & Michelle Rowlandson Book layout: Michelle Rowlandson Illustrations: Jess Hibbert Photography: Ivan Jones Commissioning Editor: Jacqueline Ford Project Editor: Cath Senker Assistant Editor: Tamsin Richardson Running Press Book Publishers 2300 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371 Visit us on the web! www.runningpress.com Contents I have so many fabric scraps that if I dumped them onto the floor of my sewing room, the heap would be as big as a fall-leaf pile! Although I try to be as economical as possible when using my fabrics, there always seems to be some waste and odd shapes that are left over after a project is complete.

If you have been sewing as much and as long as me, that creates A LOT of pieces! Making these birds was such a fun and useful way to sew with some of those pieces. I loved searching through my fabric stash to find the right colors, textures, and prints for each bird. The projects in this book range from quick and easy (the white Dove) to moderately challenging (the Hummingbird) but all are created to be fun and satisfying. From cute (the Canary) and trendy (the Owl) to classic (the Woodpecker) and elegant (the Swan), the 18 projects in this book should satisfy every crafty mood you are feeling. If you are an avid bird lover or simply someone looking to make some sweet sewing projects, this is the sewing book for you. Each project has pattern templates to download and printplease see for how to do this.

Follow the guidelines on your pattern pieces closely. Working with small pieces of fabric can be frustrating at first, so be patient and go slowly the first time you make one of the birds. Basting (handsewing a loose running stitch) instead of pinning before you machine sew can work wonders when working on small pieces. Although I do the majority of the sewing on these projects with my sewing machine, the patterns are also suitable for handsewing if you prefer. All the birds do require a certain amount of handsewing anyway, and its an important part of the process to get your birds looking authentic. Since creating these birds is essentially doll making, there are also some special materials that you will need to have on hand along with your scrap fabrics.

Wool felt (not too thick but high quality) makes lovely and long-lasting beaks, feet, and crests on your birds. Synthetic felt is a very inferior substitute. You will also need a variety of coordinating separated embroidery floss and needle floss, and embroidery-floss needles to match the felt and the fabric. As well as the main project, you will also find suggested practical uses for each of the birds. Be sure to take advantage of these ideas and to transform these birds into your own creative household items too. I truly hope you enjoy sewing these birds as much as I enjoyed created them.

Your scraps bin is calling your name to begin sewing up these very special fabric stash cuties! Virginia Lindsay How to use this book Sewing When you sew seams, note that seam allowances are in. (6 mm), and use straight stitch (or running stitch if handsewing) unless specified otherwise. All seam allowances have been included within the patterns. Handsewing stitches should be in. (23 mm) long and evenly spaced. The thinner the fabric, the smaller the stitches.

Always backstitch at the beginning and end of every seam and clip the threads. Separate embroidery floss, into three strands for sewing. Downloading the pattern templates Scan the QR code (A) at the top of the page with your smartphone or webcam attached to your computer. Note that you will need to have a QR code reader installed on your device. These readers are usually free to download. Alternatively, type in the address printed under the QR code (B) in your web browser.

If you are copying the template direct from the book the scale of the pattern on the page has been included (C) so you know how much to scale it up by when you copy it. On the web page, you will see a button to download the pattern (D). Printing the pattern templates The pattern templates are designed to be printed at 100%. Before printing the patterns, make sure that page scaling is set to None in the Adobe Acrobat print window. The pattern pieces are all made to fit together perfectly but do not be afraid to make your own adjustments. For example, it is very simple to enlarge your birds by copying the pattern pieces and printing them out on your home printer at 150 or even 200%.

Also, you may want to lengthen tail feathers, increase wing sizes, head size, and even belly size. Just be aware that increasing the size of one piece may affect the way it fits with another piece. Owls have long represented wisdom and scholarship. There is something about their unique shape and big round eyes that is just so appealing. Just one warning notemaking fabric owls is addictive. I have been doing it for years and I still love it.

These fun little friends are a quick and easy sew, and you can use a variety of fabric combinations. Feel free to use bright and funky colors; the Owls shape and features are so distinctive that its always obvious what you are making. You can search for all your favorite fabric scraps and use them up for this project. The Owl pattern can be used to make toys, door stops, cable caddies, and fun pillows. Be sure to use good-quality wool felt so the eyes and base do not become spoiled after a few big owl hugs!