Owl Bag and Pouch

My very good friend just decided to start selling Origami Owl products.  It’s a home-party based jewelry company that mainly sells locket-type necklaces that you can fill with charms.  It’s pretty cute stuff, and she’s really excited to get started.  She was asking me the other day about owls and owl-print fabric, etc. so I decided to make her something to help her get started.

First, she was talking about needing a bag to carry stuff in.  I recently stopped selling Stampin’ Up! products, and I was going to put my bag on a yard sale.  This bag is nothing special—it’s just a black canvas bag that I got for free from Archiver’s with a large purchase, but it’s really sturdy, and it’s black, so it doesn’t show dirt.  I don’t need it anymore, but it’s perfect for home party supplies.  I thought about making a bag, but thought this would definitely be easier, and since I don’t know where to buy the vinyl backed sturdy canvas fabric, it would probably be more utilitarian than anything I could make as well.  So, I drew up an owl and worked out an applique.

I used fusible web for all the fabric pieces and then free-motion sewed around the edges so it looks a little sketchy.  This was my first time using this technique (usually I use thread that matches better), and I LOVED how it turned out.  I think it really makes the design pop a lot more than just using matching thread or thread that blends in to the fabric.  I will definitely be doing this in the future, perhaps even with my little owl again.

I also made her a little zipper pouch to use for cash/change and checks.  I made this little guy in the same way, but he’s much smaller (and therefore cuter!).  I also like the colors/fabrics I used on him a lot better than the ones I used for the large owl and the linen rather than a black background.  On the small owl, I ironed on each piece before I began stitching.  On the big guy, I ironed on a piece, stitched, and then repeated the process.  In the future, I’ll do all the ironing at once.  It saved so much time, and I think it’s as sturdy or even sturdier than the slower method.  I sewed three passes on each line.  This was easy because I didn’t have to go around a piece all at once.  I could do a back and forth  motion for an inch or two and then continue.  On the little guy, it didn’t matter so much, but when working with a bulkier piece (like the bag), it really makes things a lot easier.

I used this Robert Kauffman owl print for the back of the pouch and for a little pocket inside.  I love this little owl applique so much that I might have to make one for myself.  I so wish I had made a copy of my drawing before I cut it up to use it as a pattern.  I still have the pattern pieces, though, so I might be able to get a few more tracings out of them before they wear out.