Rain, rain, go away...

It's raining, it's pouring and the kids are driving Mummy crazy. So to save my sanity I worked on a project I've been planning in my head for awhile.
I was inspired by my favourite coffee mug. Inspiration strikes in the weirdest of places doesn't it?

I've been wanting to do a wallhanging like this for ages. Yesterday was the perfect day. I drew up a rough sketch of what I wanted, traced it onto some fusible webbing (and oops forgot to reverse it, oh well!), grabbed my Aviary 2 scraps and away I went!

I did an extra little bird to see if I wanted him sitting on the branches or not. Look at that little purple one, even looks like he has an eye! Happy accident.

Whacked it all together amidst cries of "Get off the bench!" "Stop harrassing your sister!" (from me, best mum ever) and their cries of "Mummmmmmmmyyyy, I'm booorrrreddddd" (hello you're 4, you don't get bored, go play with your gazillion toys!) and the ever favourite, often repeated "Mama, mama, mama, mama, mama ad infinitum" from Little Miss. Are you starting to see why I needed some sanity sewing? Because I could go on. Really. No? Okay, moving right along!

I FMQ'd this thing to within an inch of its life. I have noticed that I tip my head on an angle when I FMQ like I'm some kind of weird quilting cock-eyed pirate. I had some very funny pirate conversations in my head with my piece of work. They stayed in my head, not out loud, don't worry, I haven't gone completely round the bend. 

Then I got brave and used some more of my scraps and added a real binding. Yes, a real binding. Not cheater moves here! I used this fab tutorial from Crazy Mom Quilts recommended by Jane. Added some ribbon. And tada! Wall hanging finished!

It's not wonky in real life, honest. I have well and truly learned my lesson about squaring up blocks! It's just over an A4 size and I'm very happy with it!

 Look at this cheeky birdie peeking over the edge of the binding. Again, happy accident. That little aqua bird there is my favourite. I did some stippling over the birds, then loops for the background on white.

Now Joel Dewberry fans, look away now. The back isn't so pretty. What was I thinking, using my beautiful Aviary 2 fabric as a backing when I was going to FMQ like a madwoman all over it in white thread?!

Oh well, live and learn. Meanwhile I think I need to go talk the real estate into letting me put a hook in the wall in the bedroom so my new wall hanging can live above my matchy-matchy Aviary 2 doona cover.