Surely I mentioned something about purse or bag I made for an owl swap some time ago but didn't show a photo because it had not arrived in The Netherlands, yet? The pattern is Amy Butler's smaller Frenchy Bag. I decided to make that for my partner Helen aka Kitty because when I think of The Netherlands I think of economy: Small, smart purses and not big honking ones like we carry in the USA. I also imagined subdued, subtle colors, not like what I normally would pick or use for a project (the inside is more colorful). She liked green, too, so I made the base from dark green linen. I love that owl fabric, but really, how likely is THAT gonna stay unsoiled?
I fell in love with this owl fabric; it's Alexander Henry. Bought a few yards, and may return for more, if there's any left. I'm not the only one, I've seen it on other blogs. But I saw it at my quilt shop before ever glimpsing it online. Also bought two "companion" prints. One is a kitty, which I don't like, but I bought with a project for my sister in mind; she's a cat lover. And the other is a floral print, which I used to line the bag.
What else... Oh, those owls again. They are owlways on my mind. I used the fabric a second time for the mobile swap. Had a difficult time finding a base from which to hang my owls. I bought dowels and dowels and dowels from every store I visited over several weeks' time, trying to visualize how to hang these owls. But then, it came to me. Sort of. I didn't find the embroidery hoop or quilting hoop I wanted, but I thought this purse handle hoop might do.
The most wretched thing about making this mobile was that I broke three needle eyes in a row. How, you ask? I used waxed linen thread, which I normally used to make beaded jewelry, probably of the more earthy-hippy type that appeal to youngsters and the young at heart. It was thick. And waxy. And I suppose that pulling it through the fabric was a bit too much for the needles. Since I stuffed each bird with fabric, rather than "poly stuffing," perhaps that made it tough to go through, as well, though I tried bypassing most of the fabric with my needle. The problem, of course, was that I used cheaply made and bought needles. When I found a better quality needle to use--finally--I was successful. No more cheap needles for me.
There's a lesson to learn in every project. Another I learned in this one is this: Should I ever make another mobile, I'll likely not permanently attach the hanging objects to the hoop. I'll make a--oh, what's it called?--nevermind. I'll attach it some other way that allows the pieces to be moved and adjusted. I didn't tie the owls' tethers too tightly so that they could be adjusted, but finding balance with your mobile is so very tricky!
