Chirp, chirp, peep

I've had this idea rolling around in my head for a few weeks and I have finally got around to executing it.
I'm really into birds, maybe it's just because of spring, I don't know, but I wanted to make a bird to go with my nest I made a month or so ago.

I started by sketching out a bird.  I cut it apart to make it into a pattern.

I made a copy of the pieces and drew cutting lines around them.

Amazingly enough this is all by someone who doesn't draw well at all.  I'm really good at stick figures.
I pinned it onto three different fabrics.
Once I had it cut out I pinned and sewed the three pieces onto a 12X12 piece of muslin, but I left the edges out.  I washed it so the bird's outline would rag.  I had to cut the edges down a bit before I washed it.

Not bad but it needed something.  Of course a beak, which I embroidered on.

It still needed something.  So I started playing with ribbons.

I thought I had some stitch witchery around but I couldn't find it, so I cut thin strips of heat n' bond and attached the ribbons.
I could've stopped there but no, I didn't want to make feet for this bird.  Nest? Perfect.  I just picked up a remnant of burlap at Jo-ann's the other day.

I hand stitched it on with a few gathers and stuffed with the burlap strings.  I then used my distressing ink on the nest area for a contrast.  I trimmed the muslin to fit my frame.

Lastly I thought I would pull the burlap over the bottom of the frame to add a bit more dimension.

I had originally wanted to bring the burlap up the entire back of the frame and make a bow at the top with it, but it was way to bulky to do that.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Here is the pattern.