The birds, in the end

So, these birds, you can see them in the early stages here. And after weeks of dyeing:

batik birds!

As with any picture taken in my basement (sorry, but it's raining today!) the color is not right. That top left one is red. The one next to it, imagine as a warm chocolate brown, rather than icky bluish grey.  And so on.

Although the wax is mostly out, there is still enough to make them stiff. Especially the four or five where the background was also waxed.  I expect there will soon be another round of washing out to do.

By and large I'm fairly pleased with them, so I don't know now which ones will go in the quilt and which ones will sit that out.  And I don't plan to start on that project till after Christmas (or at least, after Christmas presents are complete, which may end up being the same thing (though, I hope not!)).

You may have noticed, if you were looking closely at the photo, a strange thing - a phantom bird or two (or three!)

spooky!

I'm not at all sure where these came from - they are an exclusive feature of those birds with waxed backgrounds - though not every waxed background has it. I think that when I waxed the first one - I did it on a piece of glossy cardboard - something remained on the cardboard or didn't remain? And when I waxed the rest on the same piece of cardboard - this results? I don't know. I also don't know if this is something that is permanent or if when the wax is truly out, it will vanish as well.

Alright, back to work!