Owl Quilt

The Thimbleweeds Quilt Guild had a challenge to produce raffle-quality quilts for community service fundraisers. Each participant was allowed to choose a panel to incorporate. I picked the cute owl panel in the center right of the quilt. I wanted to create a sampler using an assortment of owl patterns. These included Otis the Owl by Joanna at Shape Moth on the top left (The pattern is missing a portion of the branch on the bottom of piece K.),  "Hooters" by Eileen Sullivan in the bottom right, "Remember Whooo Loves You" by the Acorn Quilt and Gift Company in the top right, a paper-pieced owl by Kristy at Quiet Play in the center of the branch (Remember to set your print size to 100%.), and an owl I sketched based on the cover of Dare to Be Square by Boo Davis in the center left position.

I added a continuous branch, as I thought it was odd-looking to have chunks of branches floating in mid-air. I also made the Acorn Quilt and Gift Company owl's wings 3-D so they can flap instead of being stitched doen flush with the quilt surface.

I used Magic Binding on this quilt. Unfortunately, some unintended magic happened, as it made the legs of the little guy in the bottom right disappear. Since I was looking at the top when I brought the binding from the back to the front for securing by machine, I didn't notice that my thread did not stay in the ditch on the back side and often rode up onto the binding. I do like the speed of the process and the accent flange it creates on the front of the quilt.

For the free-motion quilting, I used a wood grain design I learned from Angela Walter's Machine Quilting Negative Space class on Craftsy. It's a very quick and forgiving design.

I'm linking up with the parties on my linky page.

Mad About Patchwork Mosaic Challenge

Mad About Patchwork is having a mosaic challenge. First, you pick fabrics available on their website to curate a fabric bundle using a Design Seeds palette as inspiration. Then, you create a mosaic using Big Huge Lab's Mosaic Maker. The winner gets their bundle for free!

I went with the Global Hues palette.

This is the mosaic I created.

Economy Block Takes a Trip Out West

Howdy, y'all. Today I'm taking you to the wild, wild west. (Disclaimer: It's actually Corrales, NM, which is more acurately the southwest.) Be forewarned, cowboy jargon awaits. Dude translation is available. 

Pony up, and take a gander (Dude translation: Hurry up, and take a look) at my latest finish. 

Here's the whole kit and caboodle (Dude translation: whole thing). 

I used Economy Blocks comprised of solids and prints from Sarah Jane's Wee Wander collection.

    

They are all available from Fabric.com.

I think the horses in the center are of the first water (Dude translation: first-class)! A few centers do not have horses; I wanted it to look like they absquatulated (Dude translation: left) their squares.

Isn't it fine as cream gravy (Dude translation: very good)? I think so.

Mosey along your little dogies (Dude translation: shuffle your calves along),

while taking time to stop and smell the roses. Word to the wise, take a moment to ponder whether you are giving it a lick and a promise (Dude translation: behaving recklessly) by setting your quilt in a rose bush. When you try to remove it, there will be regrets. I tend to go through the mill (Dude translation: learn the hard way.)

At risk of playing to the gallery (Dude translation: showing off), I'll leave you will one more shot. The backing is Glow Friends in Sea. 

If you think my Wee Wander quilt is of the first water (Dude translation: amazeballs),  I'll explain so you can twig (Dude translation: understand) the process for making you own.  Doesn't that take the rag off (Dude translation: beat all)?


First, you'll need to cut your center squares. These are ideal for fussy cutting. Since I made six rows of four blocks for a crib size top using 10" finished blocks, I cut 24 5 1/2" squares.

Economy Block Cutting Chart from Catbird Quilt Studio

Get a wiggle on (Dude translation: hurry), and attach one of the smaller triangles to one side of the center square by hook or by crook (Dude translation: to whichever side of the square you want). Align the raw edge of the square with the longest side of the triangle. Don't just give it a lick and a promise (Dude translation: do it haphazardly), make sure the excess is extending evenly over each side. Sew with a 1/4" seam. Chain your squares through the machine without severing the thread between blocks. Flip the entire line of blocks around, and chain them through again. This time attach a triangle to the opposite side of the center square. This allows the piecing to be done across lots (Dude translation: most efficiently).

Press both triangles away from the center square.

Cut off the protruding corners.

Add triangles to the remaining two sides.

Press outward.

Fetch (Dude translation: Get) masking tape to mark the measurement that is 1/2" larger than the visible part of the center square from corner to corner. I also mark the halfway points with a pen. Line up the block so that there is a 1/4" from the edge of the ruler and each corner of the center triangle. Trim the right and top sides. Then, rotate the block and repeat the process.

Attach the longest side of two of the larger triangles to opposite sides of the square.

Press outward.

Cut off the protruding portions of the triangles.

Here's what it should look like once the tiny overhanging corners have gone up the flume (Dude translation: are removed).

Attach two additional larger triangles to the remaining opposite sides. Be careful to leave the same amount of fabric sticking out from the top and bottom.

Square up your block to the finished size plus an additional 1/2" for seam allowance. There should be 1/4" distance between the edge of the block and the corners of the larger square. Making sure of this keeps your seam allowances in apple pie order (Dude translation: in perfect order).

When sewing together blocks, put a pin through the corner of the square to make sure your points match. 

Pressing seams open reduces the bulk and results in a flatter, easier to quilt, top.

I welcome your comments, especially if it's soft solder (Dude translation: flattery). If you make your own ace-high (Dude translation: first class) version of this bully (Dude translation: outstanding) quilt, I'd be powerful proud (Dude translation: very glad), if you'd add it to the Quilting Mod Flickr group.

Download a PDF of the pattern on Craftsy.

I'm linking up with the parties on my Linky Parties Page.