The Owl–Work in Progress

April 18, 2018
Owl, Machine Quilting, Lori Kennedy

Owl, Machine Quilting, Lori Kennedy

Good Morning, Quilters!

Sorry about last night’s “Silent Sunday” photo.  I was working on my new website (details coming soon!) and the photo of my Mom making peach dumplings decided to post itself.  (I know.  I probably cued it somehow. Technical, blogging stuff remains a mystery to me–and I’m not interested enough to really learn it!)

What does interest me….

Quilting of course!

And photography, and doodling and dabbling in watercolors and…..

Frankly, I’d rather dust than figure out all the fine details of blogging!

Owl, Aurifil, Wool, Machine Quilting

THE OWL QUILT

Several weeks ago, I started stitching this owl using Aurifil Lana wool. (Read more HERE)

The wool creates a very nice texture on linen!  To develop even more texture, I challenged myself to use a variety of motifs.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Now I’m stuck.

My original plan was to add a branch for the owl to perch on, leaves all around, and a quilted border, similar to the quilt below.

Lori Kennedy. Free Motion Quilting, Partridge

Now I’m wondering if I should switch to a lighter colored thread so the owl really stands out.

And maybe I should skip the wide quilted frame and put him in a real frame?

INCUBATING 

Mr. Owl has been perched on my design wall for a long time because I can’t make a decision!

I think it’s moved from incubating to procrastination.

I have to make a decision–even if it’s the wrong one, it’s better than this sad unfinished quilt…

The poor owl can’t even rest his weary feet!!

Lori Kennedy, Machine Quilting, Owl

What about YOU?

Do YOU ever procrastinate because you can’t make a decision?

Do YOU think it’s worse when you really like the quilt?

Do YOU think I should quilt the frame or use a real frame?

Should I switch thread?

Should I sleep on it another day?

Even though it’s April should I quilt a SNOWY Owl?  (16 inches of SNOW–Blizzard last weekend!)

We’d LOVE to hear!

Muddled in Minnesota,

HOOT, HOOT!

Lori

PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only.  Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt.  For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com.  Thanks!

More Free Motion Machine Quilting 1-2-3

 

 

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47 comments

  • Patti Bach

    I love it! I’d add a branch, one or a few leaves and frame it. I like the simplicity of that and you really get to see the owl.

  • Linda Mahoney

    He really does need a branch or maybe a wooden beam to perch on. Maybe if you quilt a snowy owl, it will bring us better weather. Sometimes things like that work for me. I do procrastinate when I come to a spot where I’m not sure what to do. I tend to see too many possibilities and then have trouble deciding.

  • Laurel

    I love the owl and other birds. I hope to try them for on a smaller wall quilt. I have not tried a project that detailed but your posts are so inspirational and informative I’m now excited to try. I have made many bed quilts and have always used cotton batting. I would like to try the wool but everything i have read says yes to the washer but no to dryer. Have you dryed wool batted quilts in a dryer or do you dry these bed quilts flat? Thanks you so much for all the great information and support. Laurel

    • WordPress.com Support

      Yes! My daughters put their wool quilts in a college dorm dryer several times and the quilts are as soft as butter!!

  • Linda MAtthews

    Really love the details in your quilting and agree with those who suggest the limb/branch, perhaps pine, with suggestion of a tree off to the side. Rather than filling the background as often happens for small quilted pieces, I would go with a quilted border and then stretched over foamcore. He’s so adorable!

  • Elaine

    Perfection Paralysis. It’s real. I suffer from it too. Put a deadline on your project. It will force you to finish it somehow. Usually it is fine in the end. Then you can start another project and do it all over again.

  • Mary Heard

    I think s/he needs an appropriate tree and foliage. Such lovely work.

  • HollyAnnW

    Well!!! Haha … I think you have been subconsciously channeling spring peach blossoms and summer dumplings and, poof! up popped that photo ????
    Re: the owl … I like redwood (bluework and blackwork,too) so all one color thread would be reminiscent of that. Its expression makes me grin. Looks like the matronly head housekeeper in a Victorian-era household. “Well, dear, it’s really not proper for me to ask; but could I rest my feet for a bit while you decide?”

  • Suzanne G

    I love the photo of your mom baking. It has a warm, homey and loving vibe – you can almost smell the peach goodies as they bake.

  • Amy N.

    I think you could squeeze a nice branch between his claws to give him a nice perch! You might consider mounting this on a foam type board and then a wooden frame without glass. Really nice job on this!

  • Donna Belisle

    Just fell in love with that most adorable Owl. I am kind of an owl nut anyhow and I already decided that his name is :Olly Owly and yes, he needs a tree with a hole just big enough for him.

  • Cheri

    Love your artistry in this bird. I like the idea of the owl on the ground with 2 little owlets and a tree in the background. Beautiful.

  • Barbara

    Please quilt a snowy owl. That is a special owl.

  • Jan Christine

    he needs little owlets and maybe some bits of barn or tree?

  • Lynn B

    Love the owl, but see it on a big old bare branch ( think Halloween time of year) with a piece of moon behind. I had the pleasure of seeing a real owl in the daylight one year. They are gorgeous.

  • Jennie B

    Lori, I absolutely love you and what you do! I think the owl needs a pine branch in lighter thread – but no snow. Pine cones instead. And I prefer a quilted frame.

  • Elizabeth

    Re: Silent Sunday photo 🙂

    My mother just wrapped up a visit with us. Having her in the kitchen with me is loads of fun, informative, helpful, but not at all silent, so I got a kick out your “mis”post. My first thought was”well,Lori’s mother must be the silent and peaceful type, I wonder what that’s like.” Lol.
    (And I think I’ll take some photos of Mom in the kitchen next time)

  • Kathy

    Here’s my opinion: You definitely need a branch (s/he looks like s/he’s floating in mid air), but since you didn’t use different colors in the bird, don’t use a different color for the branch. And I always like real frames; but your choice should depend on the final use of the little quilt. I have several quilts waiting for quilting because I can’t make a decision .. I don’t think of it as procrastination, it IS awaiting inspiration. I think your satisfaction with the finished product is far more important than the time it takes to get there. The timing is only important if there is some external pressure, such as a graduation, anniversary, etc. Having the quilt hanging on your wall where you see it all the time helps keep the inspiration generating, so it can eventually percolate to your consciousness. For me, another thing that generates inspiration is visiting sites like yours, so please keep your blog coming, no matter what difficulties technology poses. We can be very forgiving!

  • Just wanted to thank you for doing more animals. Our quilting group has Q day once a year when the kindergarteners the floor below us study the letter Q. They come upstairs and we show them how we make quilts and give them a small quilt “sandwich” which we then quilt something on for them to keep. The girls are no problem because they want their names or flowers, etc. But the boys want animals! Because I’ve been following your blog, I can offer them turtles, owls, cats, and have even branched out to lions and other easy shaped animals. A year ago I wouldn’t have had the confidence to try it. So thanks, again! (I drew the line at godzilla, wolverines, and tigers) But scary pumpkins was easy, thanks to your pumpkin tutorial. Keep them coming!

    • WordPress.com Support

      What fun! Your class must be very creative!

  • Oh Yes, he needs a branch to stand on! Do that and then decide borders.

  • L84quilting

    Good morning Lori, A)… I thought I was going crazy and that I had messed up my computer, so I am glad to hear it wasn’t that…B) Since you were doing the steam punk thing last week and you are a Bernina ambassador, have you seen the steam punk embroidery collection in their collection? I don’t know if I am allowed to send you a link, so I will try: https://embroideryonline.com/products/designs/brand/oesd/steampunk-linework/ They have a cute guy/gal like yours. I think a branch would be awesome, as you have it in a sort of sitting position, as opposed to flying! And maybe a nest… I see it watching the nest! Anyway, I totally adore it and think you should get into making your motifs for embroidery and us longarm quilters! Yes, more stuff for your technical side! LOL!

  • Lorraine Doyno Evans

    Yes, I procrastinate when I can’t make a decision. Love the owl!

  • VickiW

    Think about where you would see an owl. Bare brown branch, atop an old faded out fence post, in a ‘pine’ tree. On the ledge of the hayloft opening. Now, think small for the perch – only show the top few inched of the post, or just the one branch – green, brown, black, a few inches on each side. Simplistic so we continue to see the owl. Just my thoughts. I love the idea of a snowy owl. I wish I could quilt what I see in my head. I need to practice.

  • Carmel

    What if the branch sort of turned into an incomplete frame. Maybe it starts out looking like a branch and becomes something more swirly/abstract as it goes around on the right. It could end without completely encircling the owl. Not sure if I’m explaining my idea well. I love your owl, he is very cute.

    • Gypsybaker

      I love this idea of the branch becoming more abstract/swirly as it goes
      on to the right…and, I think it should keep going all around, making a
      frame for the dazed & confused owl. He deserves the best.

  • Pat knight

    Add a branch for him to perch on then decide

    • I like your owl. I would like to see more things like that to make a quilt of embroidered blocks. I like the free motion part.

  • Cathy

    I was glad the Sunday post popped up yesterday, it makes me realize I’m not the only one. I too could learn better computer skills-but I just don’t care! I think your owl is beautiful. The thread color is fine, but you’re right, he needs a branc to rest on; look at his eyes, he actually looks tired. As far as the frame issue goes, also say both I love your quilting around the other bird. I think a real frame will set it off nicely and it deserves a frame it’s beautiful Thanks for sharing your struggles, it reminds me that I am not alone and you too aren’t really perfect.

  • Helen

    I personally think electronics are demon possessed. My electronics demon does some really weird things now and then just to play with my head. In fact, when I saw a Silent Sunday this morning, I thought it was my electronics demon messing with me.

    • L84quilting

      I am with you… Friday the 13th, was also another demon day! All my electronics decided to do their own thing, especially my longarm. I had a lot of ripping to do that day!

  • Kathy Kelner

    Lori I totally understand and enjoyed your explaination of the “error” . I too suffer with and absolutely understand and loved your quote! (“I know. I probably cued it somehow. Technical, blogging stuff remains a mystery to me–and I’m not interested enough to really learn it!”) Thank you for the permission to just enjoy the things we do and leave the rest of them to the people that are interested in them!

  • Chrysanthemum

    When it doesn’t feel right and I apcant see how it works, I’d leave the owl hanging, so to speak… eventually I’d come up with what’s right for “Owl”. Doodle on it ????

  • Jenna

    He definitely needs a tree. Procrastination is a big problem for me, but I’m not quite as bad as I used to be. I realised it was getting a bit ridiculous when I spent 6 months trying to decide which of my 2 hand dyed turquoise fabrics would go with which of 2 hand dyed orange fabrics. To be honest There wasn’t a great deal of difference between them! That quilt still isn’t finished.

  • Elizabeth

    What about framing the owl in a hole in a tree? He reminds me of the little screech owl outside a friend’s window.

    • cyndy

      I really like your ‘hole in the tree’ idea … but it’s not my piece.

  • Kathryn Dahn

    Hmm, is this the new web page? I like it, it has an open and airy feel to it. Yep, that poor owl needs a branch to rest on. Love the wool on the linen.

    • Kathryn Dahn

      Well, after I posted it went back to the regular format. Gremlins!

  • Terry

    I think the owl needs a tree branch with a partial trunk on the left side with some of your beautiful leaves surrounding him. No owl wants to be in a frame – it wants to be outside it a tree so it can hoot and talk to the other animals.

  • I also think both frames would really set him off.

  • cyndy

    I do not call it procrastination. It is merely a piece which requires more consideration than others. I recently completed a piece “Waiting” (I always name my pieces before I start them to keep me focused). In this case, however, it may have been a mistake as it indeed waited …. for two years!!! It was pinned to a design wall most of that time waiting for the proper inspiration. I’m glad I waited for that inspiration…for my piece to talk to me and tell me what it wants. I think your piece will do the same. There’s no reason to rush to finish a project (perhaps with less than satisfactory results) you are largely already happy with. I’m VERY happy with the end result. It is the 13th in a 14 piece series and I couldn’t be more pleased with my non-decision to wait.

    • I agree with you, Cyndy! A person may acquire skills down the road that will make the piece outstanding. Waiting for an epiphany can be wise.

  • Julie Zeigler

    I think the quilting gets put off whenever you have strong feelings about the quilt- whether positive ir negative! For fear of ruining it or in hopes of improving it!!
    I think you should do the quilted frame and a real one both for your owl. I am down by Faribault and feeling your snow issues as well! So sick of winter blowing it’s way into our spring!

  • Lori, I’m glad that older post popped up! I was a little surprised but absolutely loved it. My Mom is 94 and still baking pies! 🙂

    • A

      Aren’t we lucky to still have our Mom’s to teach us how to bake? My Mom is almost 93!

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