I've had a few Christmas makes preying on my mind and didn't manage get on with them as fast as I had hoped. The main task I had set myself, and which was really bothering me, was making some Christmas robins for the gallery (I know I'm not the only one who sets themselves targets which can then become rather challenging and stressful when, really, whether or not they are achieved is not going to end the world). I did manage to finish them in early December - only a fortnight after I'd intended.
They look lovely hung up at
Peter Potter and I'm happy with how they have turned out. I wanted to make fat little robins. I think I had fluffed-up-against-the-cold robins in mind. I'm not sure how anyone else would have gone about designing fat little robins. I'm always intrigued to see how other people work, especially those that really know what they are doing, I would love to have some kind of training behind me but I seem to be muddling along finding methods that work for me, even if they may not be the most efficient or technically correct.
I ended up with 5 drafts* before I got the shape I was hoping for. They progress round clockwise from the bottom left in the photo below. The first had some strange kind of crested cockatoo head shape, or perhaps it was a horned dinosaur. The next had a huge head and no beak, or huge beak and no head, and the body was shapeless. The third had quite a sweet shape (I may use it in the future for non robin birds) and the fourth and fifth were better but not right. Lucky number six was just what I had been aiming for.
Number six - a fat little robin. Just in the wrong plumage! How would you have gone about it? I'd love to know.
I still have a long list of makes I hope to finish but they are all for immediate family so I have a whole week more to try and squeeze them in.
* I used brown paper for drafting my patterns......I think in a rather faint hope that it would make me as skilled as Beth (
The Linen Cat). One can always hope. But whether or not it comes with magical powers brown paper is lovely to work with.
16 comments:
Hmm, #2 is rather hippo-esque ;o) I made some birds like this for my granny for Christmas for a mobile last year, but I always think of robins in felt for some reason, too much primary school programming I think! Yours look great though :o)
They are beautiful. I love them all hanging together in the first photo. I do the same as you... trial and error. When I asked my husband what he thought of my 4th draft of an easter bunny that i made last year he thought it was a really good pterodactyl! x
Your robins are brilliant! I'm awful at designing my own anything. I start off with great plans for paper and measuring and altering and noting alterations etc. But I always end up just adjusting things as I go, then I can never make the same thing the same again!
I love your thought process and think that I would do it the same. I too use brown paper and safe it. I love the Robbins and will have to get one for my tree next year
Oh you have so much more patience than me , I've only tried designing things a couple of times and if it didn't work first time then that was it... you did a grand job .
That last bit made me laugh, because as I was reading your post and looking at the photos, I thought 'oh, looks someone else who uses brown paper' ha ha! I design in exactly the way you have, just making up patterns and seeing what works, it always amazes me how differently things 'sew up'. I don't think having training means much at all, my favourite blog for process information is: http://whileshenaps.typepad.com/
and I notice that Abby uses many of the same methods as me, but has probably got there from a different beginning, so it all ends up the same in the end.
Lovely robins, and thanks for the mention :)
Bethx (thelinencat)
Your robins are wonderful, you are clever coming up with the design and experimenting until you got it right.
I had great plans of making things for Christmas and I have only managed making one of the things on my list.
Sarah x
Beth - No problem and thanks for the tip re the blog, I'll check it out. always good to find a new source of ideas and inspiration. Juliex
They're lovely Julie. I really like the way they look hung in that window.
I've not done anything like this in a while but back when I did I would have used the design guidelines in a bunch of old 70s toy design books I have (and magic brown paper of course ;) ). They helped me to pattern draft more accurately from first sketches. I can let you have the titles if that's any help :)
I love how you little Robbins have turned out. Sounds like you are very busy.
Very cute and clever robins -well done Julie! I love the 'drafts' pic, it reminds me of a scene in Alien Resurrection!
Hey Julie, your Robins are wonderful and well done for perservering with them.
I find it very tricky trying to get the shape you are after when making birds.......I made a chicken once and it took some time before I got the shape I wanted.
Needless to say I only made a couple as they were rather fiddly, but fun......
I think sometimes its better if you haven't been 'taught' how to do something as finding your own way you learn alot more through trial and error.....
CLaire :]
I love reading how people come up with their designs. I think we all have slightly different ways of shifting the idea from our heads to pieces of cut-up paper. I tend to draw a sketch of the finished object and then map out the sides on any piece of paper that comes to hand, before the idea fades. It helps me to get the proportions right. Facinated by how other people do it.
I think your flock of robins look wonderful. I bet they will/have been snapped up quickly.
You must have read my mind, Julie! I've been mulling over making birds for quite a while. Maybe this spring? Yours are extra pretty. They're a great way of using up bits and pieces of fabric, aren't they?
Thank you for sharing with us and inspiring me.
Stephanie
Annie- what a kind offer. I'll be in touch by email. Thankyou. Juliex
Super cute and very festive and I love how they are all lined up in a row.
Nina x
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