Red Winged Blackbird composition

The Miami Valley Art Quilt Network is going to have another very small show at the Clark State Community College in Springfield. As if getting ready for Christmas wasn't enough, my entries for the show had to be in by December 21st.

Here's one of the pieces I put in. This is a red winged blackbird which I painted with acrylic paints on plain muslin. I intended to have the pieces be randomly sewn with the center being well....skewed or off center. This is an example of piecing by improvisation.

I would have liked to have had these more off square, but I think I'm just too symmetrical of a person to remember to do this more strongly. I was also trying to stay within a 14 x 18 or so size.

The circular pieces are wooden pendents which I glued on. I originally wanted to sew them on but I found that it was too difficult to sew them on after having quilted it. I think it needs something in the blank space at the top, but I don't know what. Suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I've always liked red winged blackbirds. In the spring, I remember being thrilled to hear them singing in the rushes on our farm. They particularly love to be in areas where there is marsh and tall grass. We had them in Connecticut too as our property backed up next to a field which was fallow for several years. At the east end of the field was a creek.

Unfortunately, they are not common in my yard here in Ohio, although one would think they would be a perfect match for my grasses and the creek at the back of our property.

Since this is the second night of Christmas...just think of this piece as a "colly bird" --which is what they think is the original form of the "Calling Birds" from the Twelve Days of Christmas. So, what's a colly bird? Colly means coal colored...in other words, black.