monkey hands

Wacky Spring Bunny

a funny bunny for a dear neice ~ fun to create!

 

spring inspired sashiko napkins to give as a gift

Wool Matryoshka Doll Meets Red Silk Bird

I've been building my tour guide skills hosting family and friends here in Beijing during the past couple weeks, so sustained large fiber projects have been temporarily moved to the wings. Meanwhile, I've been making small things, working with more Chinese silk, and hand-felting some gorgeous wool/cashmere blends I found at the tailor's. The bird is about 7"long by 4.5" tall, and the doll is 4" tall. Next on the design table: A wool quilt made from a rainbow of colors. 

Chinese Silk Bird

I've been making friends at a local tailor's shop in a popular tourist market (Silk Market) a few blocks from my apartment.  At first they weren't keen to let me buy half meters, but when I brought in a bird to show a clerk, she promptly pulled out the "discount" drawer of silk remnants!  This little four-inch bird was made from those wonderful leftovers, and now I'm even allowed to buy quarter meters! (I'm mixing measurements--meters for fabric and inches for birds. That's the way my brain seems to be working these days.)

Without realizing it, at first anyway, I've been practicing hand-turning applique skills when I turn the raw edges of tiny bird beaks as I stitch them to the head. Tricky! 

Penguin Dress-Up

   It gets cold here in Beijing! 

Playful Penguins

Penguins are the lastest addition to my birding endeavors. These are made from an original pattern I developed after being inspired by a picture of children's drawings in a magazine.  If you haven't yet seen the fascinating and moving (really--no kidding) 2005 documentary,  The March of the Penguins (click link for info and trailers), I encourage you to spend 90 minutes or so enjoying this critically acclaimed film!

Black, gray, white and orange felt; button eyes; approximately seven and four inches tall (18cm and 10cm).