Free Motion Feathers?

  After spending 8 hours in the ER with Russ' Dad yesterday, I was so tired.   What is it about sitting and waiting that wears you out?    Thankfully, there is nothing seriously wrong, just an abrupt decline.

  So this morning I needed a machine fix!  Nothing that a little feather practice wouldn't cure.  I used a piece of tan cotton for this practice....and just went for it. 
  I learned a few things along the way.  1.  It is hard to follow or backtrack over sewn lines.   2.  I sew better and have more control working from the bottom to the top.  3.  Coming down from the top to the bottom of the feather is a disaster for me....don't do it.  4.  I need to practice ending the feather at the top and reduce the size more evenly, I think.  5. Breathe and relax....this is practice.  I was going to fill in all the space around the feathers with outline echo and s-curves.  I did a little at the bottom and hate it.  I won't do that again.  So then I just did a decorative stitch to finish the edges. 

  Still so boring.........how about some color with prismacolor pencils?   I just scribbled with  yellow gold, and red over the background area, and yellow over the large feathers.  Then the smaller ones got the aloe vera gel dabbed on them and a little red and blue.  Oh well, now they look like grapes.  But I was willing to experiment and try something new.  And crazy enough to post it!
  Insight:  Somethings I am just not meant to do.  Practice the feathers and leave the painting to others.   
Happy stitching,