Below is a photo of the Red Cardinal I crocheted for my Christmas tree.
This has been more than a months project, with many stops and starts, but well worth the time. For many of you this might seem an overwhelming task, but for me it has been nothing but joy.
I have contemplated writing a pattern, but that really isn’t possible, because there are so many variables. That said, however, I can give you the general idea.
- A picture of the bird you want to create( I find them on the web). Get all the facts of the birds size. This takes a bit of research, but the info is out there.
- Bring the photo into whatever publishing software you have on your pc. Outline the body, wings and tail. Remove the original picture, save all the sections as one unit, then size the bird image to the size you need.
- Print off the image.
- Working with the image, create you body, then the wings and tail.
- Use floral wire to stabilize the wings and tail sections
You can see in the photo above what I mean by working with the image. It is the only way I have found that works, at least for me. You will notice that the body has Poly-fil stuff in the head and body. I fill it as I go to make sure it has the right shape. I simply pull it out when I am satisfied, then continue on.
The detail for this Cardinal, was created with a single strand of sliver embroidery thread and a single strand of grey sewing thread.
The Basketweave stitch that I posted on my website, was the main stitch for the construction of the wings and tail. The body was constructed with a SC stitch, using the back loops only.
I used size 20 crochet thread, and 1.25 hook for the main body, wings and tail, with the addition of a single red iridescent embroidery thread. The additional thread gives it a little shine, and is picked up by the Christmas lights on the tree. I also use it( the spool on the extreme left of the photo) to add a bit of sparkling color to the crown of the head.
In this photo you can see the black pearls I inserted for eyes. I love the highlight in the black, The peak is constructed separately.
Fun! Fun! Fun!
Merry Christmas to ALL!!!
KT
Creative Knitting - Beyond Knit and Purl 