crow sew-along week 4 : finishing the crow

 parts of a textile crow on my worktable ready to be assembled

The final steps go fast. One minute there are a bunch of parts in front of you and the next thing you know there’s a big bird standing on your table.  It’s been a while since I made a crow and I expected the assembly to take way longer than it did. The reality was just a couple hours and that included me awkwardly filming myself. Let’s jump ahead and take a look at the finished guy before we talk about putting it all together. 

As soon as he was done I took him to the front yard for a photo. Just kidding! That’s the Henry Whitfield House in the background. It’s definitely haunted and the oldest house in Connecticut.

assembling the crow

don’t see the video? click here

Check out the video above  for a pretty solid look at stitching the eye, a little bit of the wing stitching plus a finishing tip at the end, something I do to all my feathered textile creatures. And keep reading for more assembly tips.

He got on his feet easily and did require a bunch of counter weight for balance (about 80 cents). Before closing up his back I pinned on his wings and tail for a test drive. The tail was fine but the wings felt like they needed a tiny bit more texture so I added a feather. 

The most difficult thing about assembling the crow is sewing everything on after the legs and beak are in. There are a couple things that help. Keep your thread pretty short, less to tangle, and hold your bird upside down, feet up, as much as possible, get gravity on your side.

I realized after his official photoshoot that I had forgotten the last step in the sewing pattern – shoving some stuffing up into his shoulders. I think maybe he doesn’t need it though, the extra ruffle detail on the top of his wings is enough.

Good luck assembling your crow! And congratulations where-ever you are in the process. This is the last of the 4 official  crow sew-along posts but we will need a finale post for sure, a parade of crows.  You can checkout crows in progress in the facebook group  and on instagram- #annwoodcrowsewalong.

Plus! the brand new ann wood handmade community – stitch club. Please click here to sign up.

sew along links:  week one     week two     week three

Are you ready to assemble your crow? Did you already cross the finish line? Just getting started? Let us know in the comments.

7 Comments

  1. Finished my crow yesterday. I had knee surgery five weeks ago, so having a crow to sew was just the thing to keep me busy while I’m recovering (it’s all going really well). The pattern and instructions are lovely, and the FB group is a fun place for encouragement and tips. Thanks, Ann.

  2. I’m still on Week One, but I plan to spend a lot of quality time with my crow this weekend.

  3. I’m still working on the wings and tail, had a few interruptions to my sewing time. I’m just taking my time and enjoying each step. I need to finish some quilts this weekend, then I hope to work on my crow.

  4. I’m not making a crow at the moment but I sure have enjoyed seeing everyone’s creations come to life.

  5. It’s wonderful! I’ve dyed some fabrics and chosen others that I think will work nicely. I have my pattern cut out and the first steps completed. Then my crow got put to the wayside. ☹️
    After seeing your finished project, I am anxious to get back to it. I’m just wondering what other project I can let wait until I have him finished. LOL

  6. Finished my crow– spouse says “wow! …looks real!”
    Thanks for tutorial!

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