fanciful

feathered
friends to
make + sew
{
abigail patner glassenberg
}

2

Making Wings
and Tail
I often wait until I have a turned,
stuffed, standing bird before I decide
what sort of wings it might have and
what color scheme to use. To me, the
wings are a blank canvas, and this is
my opportunity to be creative with
colors, textures, and materials. The
simplest method is to make quilted
wings and tail. Wings and tails with
feathers take more time, but also
add complexity, texture and visual
interest.
Creating Quilted
Wings and Tail
The simplest way to create wings
and tails is to sandwich batting
between fabric layers and quilt to
add dimension and visual interest.
This is a fast, but still beautiful, way
to make wings and tails. I like cotton
batting best, but polyester batting will
also work for these projects.
Cut a piece of batting roughly the
shape of the wing or tail, but
1
4"
(6 mm) larger. Cut two pieces of
fabric this same size, and place
them right sides together. Put the
fabric on top of the batting, creating
a sandwich: batting on the bottom,
then two layers of fabric, right sides
together, on top. Iron the pattern
piece on top of the sandwich [1].
Stitch around the pattern piece
through all layers, leaving an open-
ing of about 1" (2.5 cm) for turning
[2].
Pull off the pattern piece and trim
the seam allowance around the
stitching line to
1
8" (3 mm).
stuffed bird
basic
birdmaking
techniques
fgure 1
fgure 2



3

Insert forceps between the two
fabric layers and grasp the farthest
tip of the wing. Gently pull the wing
right side out. Iron it fat and tuck
in the raw edges of the opening,
ironing them fat as well [3]. Stitch
the opening closed with a ladder
stitch.
Now, quilt the wing. I like to draw a
feathery design with a disappearing
fabric pen and stitch over it on the
machine [4]. Handquilting can give
a beautiful effect, too.
Creating the Base for
Feathered Wings and Tail
The frst step in creating a feathered
wing is to sew up a wing base that will
hold loops, punched shapes, or other
feathery embellishments. The wing
and tail bases can be any fabric color,
because they will be covered later and
will not show.
Cut two pieces of fabric roughly
the shape of a wing but
1
4" (6 mm)
larger. Place them wrong sides to-
gether. Iron the wing pattern piece
on top [5].
Repeat for the other wing and
the tail.
Stitch alongside edge of freezer
paper around the pattern piece
through both layers. Remove
freezer paper. Cut out the shape
through both fabric layers, cutting
1
8" (3 mm) from stitching [6].
Wings and tail have raw edges and
are not turned.
fgure 3
fgure 4
Making Looped Feathers
To create looped feathers on wings
and tails with torn strips of fabric,
I like to use quilting cottonit tears
very easily and in straight lines
on either the lengthwise or cross-
wise grain. To tear strips, make a
series of snips along one edge of the
fabric, about
1
2" (1.3 cm) apart (it
is not important to be exact about
this). Tear the fabric using the
snips as starting points. Continue
tearing until you have a good pile of
strips. Twelve to ffteen strips are
needed for a one wing, so several
dozen in a few different colors will
be needed to complete one bird
(7). You can press the strips if
they are curled on the edges.
fgure 6
fgure 5
fgure 7
Quails are small, plump birds that
nest on the ground. Whimsical
head feathers and colorful plum-
age make this bird an especially
attractive fnished piece. I like to
give the quail long, firty eyelashes
to add to its allure. Because this
bird is a ground dweller, it does
not stand on wire legs; its rotund
body is weighted with a smooth
stone inserted during stufng, so
that it stays upright.

making quail
1
Trace pattern pieces and cut out of freezer paper.
2
Pre-wash and iron all fabrics.
3

Cut two side body pattern pieces from white cotton fabric.
Transfer all markings. Cut one bottom gusset and one head
gusset from white cotton fabric. Transfer all markings.
4

Pin bottom gusset to one side body from point A to point B.
Stitch. Pin bottom gusset to other side body from point A to
point B. Stitch.
5

Pin head gusset to one side body from Point C to Point D and
sew. Pin head gusset to other side body from Point C to Point D
and sew.
6

Sew remainder of bird between Point A and Point C and
between Point B and Point D, leaving the opening for turning
and stufng as marked.
7

Clip curves and reinforce seams as needed. Turn quail right side
out with forceps, pulling head into body frst and then pulling
the rest of the body through the opening.
5

materials

1
4 yard (23 cm) white cotton
fabric for body
Scraps of colorful cotton for
wings, crest, and tail, about
1
2 yard
(45.5 cm) in total
Small scrap of brown cotton fabric
for beak, about 2" 2" (5 cm 5 cm)
15" (38 cm) of 18-gauge
aluminum wire for crest
10 ounces (284 g) wool or
polyester stuffng
Brown embroidery foss
Smooth stone for weighting, about
1
1
2" to 2" (3.8 cm to 5 cm) in diameter
Thread
tools
Freezer paper
Scissors for paper and fabric
Disappearing fabric marker
Pins
Appliqu pins
Sewing machine
Forceps
Handsewing needle
Wire cutters
Craft glue
Round craft punch for crest
(optional)
pattern pieces
Quail Side Body {cut 2}
Quail Bottom Gusset {cut 1}
Quail Head Gusset {cut 2}
Quail Wing {cut 4}
Quail Tail {cut 2}
Quail Beak {cut 2}
See
Basic Birdmaking
Techniques
section for basic
construction
information
contents
Introduction
Tools & Materials
Basic Birdmaking Techniques
Patternmaking
Fabric Selection
Stitching Methods
Turning & Stuffng
Wire Legs and Feet
Beaks & Eyes
Wings and Tails
Resources
Index
proles and gallery
Birds by Abigail Brown, Tamar
Mogendorff, Jennifer Muskopf,
Ann Wood
6

project
gallery
projects
Bird Ornament
Bird in a Nest
Mini Assemblage
Wren
Lark
Crow
Quail
Chick
Swan
Woodpecker
Penguin
Owl
Owlet
Raptor
Wading Bird
Flamingo
Gull
Hen with Eggs
Peacock
wren
wading bird
amingo
gallery
7

chick
penguin
join the
ock!
Create your own aviary of charming, beautifully detailed,
one-of-a-kind fabric bird sculptures with basic machine-
and handsewing, embroidery, and mixed-media craft tech-
niques. presents 19 incredibly charming,
quirky, personality-flled birds for you to make!
Through a detailed chapter of step-by-step basic bird-
making techniques and tips, you will not only learn to
make these cute creatures, but also discover how to draft
your own patterns for almost any birdreal or imagined.
Inside youll also fnd Glassenbergs creative ideas to give
each bird individual character and personality, from using
paint and glitter to adding collage elements. Plus, check
out an international gallery of birds from other noted
fabric bird makers for more inspiration!
Abigail Patner Glassenberg has been making award-
winning soft toys and soft sculptures since 2005. She has made
more than 100 birds of every variety, selling them in galleries,
boutiques, craft shows, and online. Her work has also been
featured in magazines including Cloth Paper Scissors and in
sewing, craft, and soft sculpture books. She lives in Boston,
Massachusetts.
paperback, 8 9, 144 pages
isbn 978-1-59668-238-2, $24.95
available january 2011