My latest love has been the creation of tiny needlefelted birds, and I've been working feverishly on launching The LittleBirds Project for a few months. I'm so happy to say we're finally there!
Follow us on Twitter: @The_LittleBirds (we tweet about project events / milestones AND bird-related news, issues, etc.)
We were also accepted to Pittsburgh's First Mini Maker Faire, hosted at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh on 10/23 - what a great day! Pics of them in action just outside the Make Shop here, here and here.
For a little backstory... this project began life as a bit of a prank. Several months ago, my husband had a *most resplendent* beard. Sort of biker-esque. I had been needlefelting for a little while, and I decided to make a tiny bird for his beard. You know, a "beard bird"...
Well, it turned out so gosh-darn cute that I decided to make more. And more, and more. I started modeling them after actual North American Birds, using my National Audubon Society North American Birdfeeder Guide.
Once I had a whole flock, I needed someplace to put them! Wanting them to "fly free", I built a potted shrub for them of willow branches and moss.
Not wanting the project to just find a place on a random shelf, I submitted them as part of HackPittsburgh's booth submission to Maker Faire Detroit 2011. The LittleBirds Project was accepted and underway! See pix of them in action (and other HackPittsburgh projects) at Maker Faire Detroit here.
Their second outing was solo, at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, for Mini Maker Faire, as mentioned above. Look for us at future Maker Faire events!
I'll post up soon how I create these little guys, and keep track of the HackPittsburgh calendar if you're in the surrounding area, as I occasionally teach needlefelting classes there.
I should note here that the Etsy store for LittleBirds is no longer in business, but the related Twitter feed is still alive.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I see the little birds and buy some?
ReplyDeleteAlso, speaking o FC the interactive rug loom:
I take a T shirt and place it flat on a table and remove the part fron my underarms up and remove the very bottom stitched part. I proceed to cut horizontal strips from let to right and end up with one circular piece of t-shirt (like a necklace, right? OR, do I cut on one side (either left or right) to end up with ONE very long strip?
If my loom is 6' on the longest side, how can ONE strip go all the way? And since u have a "loop" on each screw I am assuming I DO NOT cut the necless and just "drop it" on top and bottom sceews but, his can a large T shirt ex pl end to go all the way fron top to bottom? I am sure the explanation is obvious but, I just can't figure that out. Hugs:. William Hunter - dutchinkc@gmail.com (816) 400-5466