Lots of birds and a fish!

Where is October disappearing to?
I've been stitching a little bird. After doing several feathers for Jude's project I decided I wanted to try a small bird. It's a strange mixture of hand stitching and machine applique.  I have used Bali batik fabrics for the bird and the background is onion skin dyed shirt fabric 'invisibly' basted. The piece is only 4" square and is not finished yet!

 There are a pair of blue wrens in the back yard. I'm sure they have a nest but I haven't worked out where yet. They take turns to look for food and have a quick little dip in the bird bath.

A pair of swans have nested on a swan-made island in the middle of the wetlands. There are three or four babies. The photos are a bit fuzzy as they are a long way off.

And this fearsome creature was on the beach this morning!

Two more feathers

Two more feathers for Jude's Magic Feather project.  Recycled shirt fabric dyed with tea, and feathers dyed with passionfruit skins and appliqued. I have added some embroidery on top of the feathers.

Story Time

'Time' was the theme for our latest 12 x 9 challenge. I had various ideas including clocks, an hourglass, Old Man Time, etc. and then an image for story time appeared. I remember as a young mum struggling to find the 'time' to read that all important story and then nearly falling asleep as I read it. Now I am a grandma I have a lot more 'time' to read the stories but I still nearly fall asleep (especially after reading the same story five times!)  See more 'Time' quilts here.
I used commercial fabrics for the applique, a yellow shot cotton for the background, machine appliqued the picture and added some hand quilting on the background. I love that bug fabric!


On the beach this morning the remains of a magnificent sand castle with an impressive entrance bridge, and a nice piece of rusty chain that should make a good addition to the dye pot!