I have been working on owls lately and decided to make an applique for free download.  This tutorial is photo rich as I feel that one picture is worth more than one thousand of my words and probably much clearer as well. This owl is simplified and  super easy for beginner applique seamstresses. You can use this as a patch on a blanket, pillow, pants, where ever you decide to use it.
I put my owl on a cross body bag for my daughter. It is a perfect size for her phone, glasses, a pen and anything else she wants to carry. It has a zipper on the top and a strap that can be used several different ways. I used up-cycled denim, fabric scraps and  some jelly roll strips and a remnant for the lining. There will be a tutorial for the bag later.
Cut out your pattern pieces. Pin them to the fabric of your choice and then cut them out.
You can use a fusible web tape  behind each piece to keep it aligned. I didn’t do this as I used pins and it isn’t rocket science.  The background is a 4  x 6 piece of recycled denim.
Center your body onto the background fabric. Pin it to keep it straight.
Here are the wings, and eye patch cut out.
You will need to adjust the settings on your sewing machine. Mine has a button to keep the needle down when the machine stops stitching. You will want to do this either manually or simply push the button.
Change your stitch to the blanket stitch. You also need to change the stitch width. I put my stitch width to about a 2.5 or 3. Â 
Position your needle at the edge of the body shape so that the straight stitch will be on the denim or background fabric. The blanket part of the stitch will be into the body of the owl.
See that little bit where my attention wandered. Â Thankfully it fits under a wing and I don’t feel any compulsion to rip it out and start over.
Ahh, this is the right way to sew it.
One wing placed, pinned and sewn… and now to the other.
Pin all your pattern pieces together so you don’t lose any.
Place the beak and pin it like so. Sew down one side and then move the pin to the last edge you will sew. I simply leave the needle down and lift the pressure foot and rotate the  whole thing until it lines up where I need to sew. Then put the pressure foot back down.
Like so!
See the beak is finished and now we add the eye patch.
See how the pin is in the fabric. I will be able to sew two directions  and leave that pin in for most of it. Treat the eye patch like a box shape when you are sewing and it will be easier. There is a bunch of sew,stop, leave the needle down, lift the pressure foot, and turn to this part.
Now your Owl is finished except for his eyes. I sewed the eyes on at the very end of making the purse/bag.
Isn’t he cute. I know that the sewing purists in you would say. Where is the interfacing and the stabilizer? My thought is: Â I made this for a teenager. In two months or less she will probably not be using it as she will want something else. Â I can always make her another. If I wait until I have all of the things needed to sew, I would never sew. This isn’t rocket science or even an entry to the fair. It is a bag for my girl. i learn something every time I sew and I am getting better at it everyday.
talk to you later,
P.S. She loves it!
Karen
