Itty Bitty Lovebirds

I have never been all that into Valentine's Day. However, this year it is everywhere I look, and that could be because I tend to look at craft sites most of the time. So in all this looking it struck me that the thing to do was to join in. Actually, what struck me was that here I was sewing itty bitty birds all the time and there are birds that are perfect for this - lovebirds. Awww!
 

Lovebirds are a sort of social and affectionate parrot (thank you Wikipedia) and there are a number of varieties. They are monogamous and they are often seen cuddling which gave them their name. They are also a key element in the movie "The Birds" so it a natural evolution of my itty bitty birds.

I started making the rosy-faced lovebird as seen above, using green felt for the bodies. I tried painting their faces, which wasn't so good. 

I tried felt applique, which was better. And from behind their faces made a little heart.

Then I tried embroidering the red bit, and that seemed best to me. But when I showed them to people, nobody could tell what sort of birds they were - it wasn't clear. Since I don't expect people to go off researching lovebirds simply because I'm interested in them, I went ahead and made some in a more seasonal color.

The thing about lovebirds is that you sort of want to make them in pairs. So I cut out a set.

I drew a vague half heart shape in pencil and then satin stitched it in red. I whip stitched on the wings.

Whip stitch the back seam...

... and the belly. Now, this is pretty much the same process as the itty bitty birds, so I was a bit slack in documenting it. In fact, I used different birds. I admit it. I'm still making them.

  
Stuff the bird, sew up the belly and paint eyes. I've tried to get the shut eyed look of the cuddling birds above on several of them, but I'm still working on getting it just right.

This part is sort of humorous to me, and that shows my humor. I sew their beaks together in a kissing position.

I added some jump rings and memory wire I had to give them a little space of their own. I'm not sure what to do with them now, as our home becomes increasingly full of 1.75" long birds, but they make me happy and I will wear them out on a chain or something. And sure, I'll "sell" some on Etsy. Does anybody buy there???

Of course, by the time I finished the red birds they were the new favorites.

 This is the template for both the lovebirds and the itty bitty birds.