Little Guys

Design - "Square Dance - September"

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Vintage Country Mocha

Fibers - WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 7 September 2020

Completed - 15 September 2020

Little Guys

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Goldfinches eating chicory seeds

Lots of gleaning going on this time of year. 

A Nice Bird or Two

Design - "Monthly Animal Series" - "August Bee"

Designer - Nikyscreations

Fabric - Espresso 30 count R & R linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 5 August 2016

Completed - 7 August 2016

Framed - September 2018

The frame picks up on the rosy-pink flowers.  I have quite a collection of framed beehives / bee skeps and am most pleased to now be able to display this design. 

 Most of the male Black-headed Grosbeaks are gone - already migrating back south.

What's left a females and juveniles - very hard to tell them apart.

I did have a special bird swing by.

Very poor lighting for the most part.

But here you can see it calling which was what alerted me.

It was a bright yellow female Western Tanager!

Nuts and Seeds

Design - "Little Bit of August"

Designer - X-Appeal

Fabric - unknown 32 count dyed linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - June 2015

Completed - 11 July 2015

I added two JABC bee buttons rather than cross stitch the two bees.

 

A Black-capped Chickadee

I set out this really nutty block for the Acorn Woodpeckers.

But apparently the Chickadees are all in too.

That's okay share and share alike.

And what is the female Black-headed Grosbeak eyeing?

A seed bell.

Three Birds!

Design - "Sewing Bees" - Thimble Holder

Designer - Schoolroom Samplings

Fabric - 28 count natural linen

Fibers - DMC & Needle Necessities - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 23 June 2012

Completed - 23 June 2012

I promised you three birds.

Bird #1

A mature male Acorn Woodpecker

Bird #2- a female Acorn Woodpecker

And Bird #3

Also a male Acorn Woodpecker...but...

Mature birds have reddish/pinkish eyes. So look at those blue eyes!

It's a young bird (probably newly fledged).

So the Acorn Woodpecker population is growing and that's good news.

And as a surprise Bird #4

A female Downy Woodpecker

She's a very sweet little bird.

Bigger Guys

Design - "Bee Ye Humble"

Designer - Pine Mountain Designs

Fabric - 32 count Wichelt linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 4 June 2012

Completed - 7 June 2012

This kit came with a tuck pillow, creating an Instant Finish!  

Besides cross stitch, the design used Satin, Herringbone, and Double Leviathan stitches.

Bigger guys

Yep crows.

And Band-tailed Pigeons.

LOTS of them~

Best of all Flickers.

This pair was courting.

See his head is up-right and extended.

Lots of chattering going on before they flew off. 

Chickadees

Design - "Banded Bee Skep"

Designer - Arachne's Silken Web

Fabric - 32 count Vintage Nutmeg Lakeside linen

Fibers - DMC, Pearsell's Silks, and Gloriana Silks - 1 thread over 2 strands 

Started - 1 August 2012

Completed - 9 August 2012

This piece probably makes it into my Favorite Top 10 list of everything I've ever stitched.  I love the variegated silks and the color of the linen.  This was a challenge to stitch, using 8 or more different stitches for the different rows of the bee skep. It was charted so well and the instructions were so clear, that I had no trouble learning each of the new stitches.  

I think the Chickadee nesting box is empty and the babies fledged on Sunday.  

Still there's lots of -Chickadee activity.

I put this out for the Acorn Woodpeckers, but hey, everyone is welcome.

And some Chestnut-backed Chickadees hanging around too.

Bigger Birds

Design - "Square Dance - September"

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Vintage Country Mocha

Fibers - WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 7 September 2020

Completed - 15 September 2020

Bigger Birds

Nice to see a Flicker at the feeder.

This is a female.

I love the bright orange tail feathers.

A ubiquitous Steller's Jay.

And a crow.

It seems there's always a crow.