I shared this canvas with you just a few days ago…Right? Canvas by Needle Deeva. And no I didn’t just stitch this in a few days!

and here it is stitched! So this little birdie told me that he is happy that he (or she as the case may be) is winging his way to the finishers to be ready for our class at Destination Dallas! Hopefully the finishers magic will turn it into exactly what I have envisioned!

When I begin stitching a new piece I always, or almost always start with the area or areas that I am absolutely positive about how I will stitch it, the easiest, the areas that need not much thought or decisions. This gives me the time to study the other parts and think of what I might want to do. Well I knew that I wanted to bead the pumpkin. Believe it or not for this small canvas of the bird, there was a whole lot of reverse stitching going on!

Okay the beading was done and onto basketweave the background behind the pumpkin. Easy enough? Easier said than done! Well I first stitched it with a #8 Kreinik, but it didn’t cover the canvas the way I would like…so out it came. A little piece of green for the stem…dug through my stash and came out with something that I thought was just right. Well it wasn’t and out it came. Whew, well at least the wing was done!

Now it’s time to stitch the body of the bird. The diamond ray stitch that I stitched the body was uneventful (no reverse stitching!) but it will probably be mostly covered up by the wing. The rest of the bird’s body moved along until I got to the tail feathers, but I would worry about that later. I did redo the French Knots in the lower orange colored tail section as I originally tried to use the same Kreinik from the wing, but it wasn’t showing up…so onto the hunt and search mission for a better color.

I originally stitched the face in interlocking Gobelin, turning the canvas so that the stitches would move the same way that a birds feather’s would go. When the canvas was turned back to its normal orientation, I didn’t like the way it looked. So out it came. Gosh I could have stitched 2 birds by now!

Now I was agonizing how to stitch the tail feathers! what was I to do with that area? I kept thinking and looking at threads and then… then Elizabeth of Needlepoint Now fame suggested to me “why don’t you use some feathers?” wow is she brilliant or what? Hopefully the feathers will come through the finishing process just purr~fectly! You know needlepoint is all about sharing ideas, threads and stitches.

So if you are coming to Destination Dallas and just need to take a class…why don’t you sign up for it? I would love to have you join us. If you are not in the class taking mood, well just stop by the Needle Deeva room to visit with the Pumpkin Bird!

AlleyCat, well what can I say? she is being an AlleyCat! Thought she wanted out until she heard a strange noise and quickly ran to the door as she meows, let me in! let me in! and until next time…keep on stitching