Now the Alchemy Bird is in the huge XXL nest, I have to make a new one for the frightened little bird and her friends. This is for my art project about bullying. More about it you can read at my website.

I am using a cushion I had made earlier for my project as a start for the nest. To make this cushion I have used felting and I recycled a garment with holes in it I found in the thrift store. Around it I build the sides with crochet rings, feather cords and cords of recyclematerials.

First I use multiple brown yarns and chain stitches to make a foundation cord. At this cord I stitch lots of feathers.

I use forms with wooden or plastic rings inside, to build the corners and the middle of each side. Then I take the feather cords and pull them through. I use cords of recycle materials in between the feather cords to make the sides more firm.

Next step: Making a shelter. Again I used curtain rings and plastic rings to make the crochet more firm. I just crocheted around them.

Making again new feather cords….

And making a tree for behind the nest. For the trunk of this freeform tree I use slipstitch and sometimes single crochet. I also tried going in the round with slipstitch, using a pattern of 2 stitches in the back loops and 2 stitches in the front loops. For the tree I only used it at the underside of the trunk. The base of the tree is made with rope with wire inside.

Branches of the tree are made using slipstitch and sc. Most of the leaves are crocheted, but some are knit.
I had to put some extra sticks in the trunk. Also one of the branches had to be reinforced, because it was just too heavy. I used some kind of plastic covered wire for this.

Finishing the nest: I made some pillars to support the roof. First I started with 2, but I needed 2 more. The pillars (with bamboo or a wooden stick inside) were covered with yarn and feathers.