Owl Always Love You!

Ok bad pun aside...
I didn't feel like doing anything with paper last night. (gasp!) Instead, I decided to have a shot at making myself an Owl softy.  I sketched out a quick pattern, and then raided my stash of polar fleece offcuts to cut it out.

First of all, I took the front of the owl, and using a blanket stitch on my sewing machine, stitched the tummy, the beak, and the eyes on.  I sewed 3/4 around the eyes, and then inserted a little ball of polyester stuffing into the pocket, then stitched it up, just to make the eyes a little bulby.  I also added a pair of feet which I free handed out of a scrap of the tummy fabric - cut 4, and sew together.  Clip your curves, then turn inside out and attach to the front.
Looking back, I wish I'd have stuffed the beak too.  Maybe next time. :)
After that, I placed the back of the owl on top of the face (good sides together), and stitched around that with the machine, leaving a small opening on one side to allow me to stuff it.
I then stitched the base in, and turned the wingless owl in the right way.
He was feeling a bit flat, so I gave him a big tummy full of stuffing, and stitched his side up with a ladder stitch.

For the wings, I used a contrast for the underside of the wing.  I stitched these together, leaving the top open, and then turned them in the right way.  To stitch these on neatly, I placed the wing up the wrong way (so the tip was touching the top of the owl's head), and ran a good strong line of stitching under there.  I then folded the wing down, and slip stitched the wing down to hide the raw edge.
Looks pretty cute if you ask me!

I can see a few more of these in my future.. perhaps some big enough to pop a cushion or pillow inside... who knows!
See you tomorrow!
x Rita  
E.T.A. About half an hour after I'd finished making this, Miss 3 had a bad dream and came into the craft room.  She took one look at the owl, and decided that Owls were great for keeping monsters away, and happily went back to bed, with Owl in tow.  Looks like I'll be making another one sooner rather than later!