Friday, September 21, 2012

The Owls Have It (Fabric Owl Tutorial)

Owls are getting a lot of press out there on the internet.
They are just so stinking cute.
I love owls.
I will use them in my fall and Christmas decorating. 
I pinned a few fabric owls to one of my Pinterest boards last spring for inspiration. 
Crafting for the Home
It was too late to do anything with them then, but I was determined to give making them a try for this coming autumn. 
For my first owl,
I started playing around with a pattern for a one dimensional owl.
I cut a rectangle that was about 3 by 4 inches.
I turned it right sides together.
  I tapered the sides to make the head.
I also cut a slight curve for the ears.
 I turned it out right sides together and sewed around the owl shape leaving a small opening in the bottom.
Drop cloth material became the circles for the eyes and the triangle for the beak.
 
I did a very amateur looking stitch on purpose.  
  Two black buttons for eyes.

He will  go in my fall tree in a few weeks.
The second incarnation of the owl came at my crafting weekend at the lake.
Here:
I was going to make some more of my simple variety but my sister-in-law asked if they could be more two dimensional.
Together we worked out a pattern.

These we wanted to be green and black to go with the white pumpkins I was making.
It started with the same 3x4 inch shape.

 We added some rectangle sides that are tapered toward the top. 
 The sides are about 1 1/2 x 3 inches.
 You can adjust the sides smaller if you don't want plump pumpkins.
  Start sewing them to the owl under the tapered head.
I sewed one of the sides to the front and one to the back and I sewed the two sides together. 
 I turned it right side out and stuffed it.
The selvage of the side will be sewn into the bottom of the owl. 
My sister-in-law and I did the faces of our owls with some felt, buttons, upholstery tacks. 
Finally we added some two different types of wings. 
One is a little fabric wing held on by buttons.

This other one has wings made out of leaves.
I won't put these out for a week or two, but I thought you might like to get crafting.
I am a amateur bird watcher and I love listening to and looking for owls in the winter.  They are so elusive and hard to spot. It took me years to see one.

A few years ago on our perfect, magical Christmas
an owl showed up in the tree that hangs over into our yard from the neighbor's. There he was on this magical, snowy night the perfect end to a wonderful day.
I think I am going to make some white owls for Christmas.

Sprinkled with owls,
Katie
Linking with,
Funky Junk Interiors


6 comments :

  1. Yippee! Now I can make them too! I have owls all over my craft room and I'm making a family of these for it. Thanks for sharing it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my, these are adorable!! Thanks for sharing, I'm pinning. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love your cute owls!! Great idea for the leaf wings too. I'd love to spot an owl in the woods... maybe one day! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh these owls are so cute! I have noticed alot of owls floating about this year.
    Thanks for visiting me and becoming a follower. I am now following you back.
    Have a great week,
    Chrissy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, your owls are so darn cute and the soft pumpkins, too. I am already a fan and your newest follower. How do you feel about becoming mutual followers? I would be delighted if you would join my lovely blobbing sisters. Have a great day, and keep sewing these wonderful soft sculptures. Connie :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Totally precious! Love how they look perched on their branch!

    ReplyDelete