Fairy Owl Playful Pillow – An Island Batik Challenge

Did you know that owls have a penchant for dressing-up after dark? No?! Well, check out Whoo’s Whoo at Clever Chameleon this month!

For May the Island Batik Ambassador challenge is to create a “Playful Pillow” with some of the fabric they gave us back in February. And for me, today had “sewing day” written all over it…. the weather has turned…. it is cold, and finally (thank goodness) raining. Time to come up with something playfully pillowesque for Island Batik. 

So, how about…… a Fairy Owl? A playmate for the Pirate Owl pillow. Is that playful enough? I think so!

Fairy Owl cushion pillow by Clever Chameleon

The backstory

Long before the Beary Colourful Bears there were other cheeky characters in my sewing room, including the Pirate Owl. His appearance on the blog was brief and pre-dates most Clever Chameleon followers, so there is a good chance you’ve never met him. He was the direct result of a project I did to learn raw edge appliqué with free-motion stitching. He is not made with Island Batik fabric, but he is comfortable whit whoo he is.

Pirate Owl Cushion by Clever Chameleon

In fact, designing the Pirate Owl was so much fun, that when I saw the Playful Pillows challenge on the Island Batik Ambassador schedule, I knew immediately what I was going to make….. a girly mate for the piratey owl. At the risk of allowing too many stereotypes to creep in….. Pirate Boy is now stepping out with Fairy Girl.

Island Batik Playful Pillows

A brief look at the Fairy Owl in production

The fabric and batting used in the Fairy Owl pillow project were given to me by Island Batik. I started with this 1/2 yd of dark purple batik.

Purple batik fabric

In the middle of this piece of fabric I fused a raw-edge appliqué Fairy Owl. I was able to re-use much of my Pirate Owl pattern as the basis for Fairy Owl, as you can see. Fairy Owl’s body is made from a pink-on-pink triangles batik from the Elementz line from Island Batik, and the remaining fabrics you can see are scraps of the 5″ strips and yardage I used to make “Shadows of Auntie Green” last month and Valentines bundle of fabrics I used on the “Year of the Dog” mini quilt in February.

Fairy Owl raw edge appliqué ready to sew.

My fur-baby kept me company and made sure I didn’t overheat by absorbing as much of the heat from my desk lamp as felinely possible. I guess he didn’t get the memo to grow a winter coat in time……

cat under desk lamp
Mew, sitting on my bobbin winder in a desperate attempt to soak up more desk lamp rays….

I used HOBBS Thermore as the batting for this project and predominantly Madeira rayon embroidery threads for the appliqué. I also used a rainbow metallic Madeira thread for a bit of fairy sparkle…..

Fairy Owl detail

This particular thread worked first time without issue on my Sweet Sixteen, which pleased me immensely, as I have plans to use it on a much bigger Island Batik project a bit later in the year. 

Once my appliqué was done, I finished the 1/2 yd piece into a wrap-around envelope-style cushion cover. Here is the back.

back of envelope cushion cover

A closer look at our new gal

Fairy Owl by Clever Chameleon

My kids were highly amused that Fairy Owl has two sets of wings. Of course, how incongruous. The magic wand, on the other hand, was completely taken for granted.

Pirate Owl and Fairy Owl at Clever Chameleon

Aren’t they a cute couple?! Awwww.

Fairy Owl appliqué by Clever Chameleon

I hope you have enjoyed the Fairy Owl cushion (pillow) brought to you by Island Batik. Please stay one moment longer, she has an important message for you…..

If you like stars on quilts….. or magic wishes….. meet us back here on Monday for the beginning of the Wish Upon A Star Blog Hop with Just Let Me Quilt. Forty-five bloggers, five huge days of stars on quilts! See you then!

Wish Upon a Star blog Hop

purple Clever ChameleonAnd while you wait impatiently for that…… show us your quilting colours!

The Chameleon has his own weekly linky party now and he wants to know what colours you are quilting with this week. Anything from a quilt plan to a quilt finish goes!  You can find the link up here – it’s for non-bloggers and bloggers alike. If you quilt, you are welcome! Don’t forget to also peruse everyone else’s links….. you might just find your next quilt inspiration waiting for you!

P.S. Sharing on Cooking Up Quilts, Love Laugh Quilt, Freemotion by the River, My Quilt InfatuationThe Inquiring Quilter, Quilt Fabrication,  Powered by Quilting, Busy Hands Quilts, Crazy Mom Quilts.


Would you like to keep in touch with Clever Chameleon and the fun quilty ideas I design as well as find all over the internet? You can follow directly for email updates, or through Bloglovin’, Pinterest or FB. All your follow options can be found here. And don’t forget to link up all your current quilting projects on Tuesdays at our Colour Inspiration Linky parties!

26 Replies to “Fairy Owl Playful Pillow – An Island Batik Challenge”

  1. I’m so pleased that I found your blog. Your owls are so much fun. Your comment about your children’s perception about the wings and the wand brought back such great memories for me. Love the way kids think. Did you draft the owl pattern yourself? Certainly is oh, too cute!

  2. Hello! I am so glad that you shared your Owls! They are both so adorable and being they are on a pillow means you can squeeze them. LOL. Such a spectacular artistic gift you have! If you ever decide to make a pattern, I would love to know. I have a couple of Nieces that these would be perfect gifts for, plus for myself also! Thank you for sharing and have a great day!

  3. Oh Dione, they are both adorable. Such fun you must have had creating them.I know one predates the other, but they are such a sweet couple. They are probably cousins. It is noon here, and I have just left the sewing room to make some breakfast. I get so caught up playing when I have the time, I can be there al day and forget to stop for meals unless hubby reminds me, or if I start feeling a bit weak from a low blood sugar. Your post today blended perfectly with this break. BTW, the triangle fabric is purrfect for the feathers. Makes me smile even a bit more. Have a great day. Hugs from Nova Scotia

  4. Absolutely love these pillows. Can you please make the patterns available? Would love to make them for a little girl in my congregation.

  5. Hi Dione,
    Oh, she is so sweeeeeeet! You really have a knack for creating characters with such friendly features. I wonder if those two are just dating?? Because Ms. Fairy Owl may not have made a full commitment to Mr. Pirate, and there just might be other owls in her future. Just saying – you have to shop around so to speak. I think these two make an ADORABLE couple, and could even join in with the Bears in a fun quilt. You know, instead of the pink Bear, substitute the Fairy Owl . . . I love these. ~smile~ Roseanne

  6. Owls, they are so cute, and will there be an owl series, after the Rainbow Bears are all done? You are a whizz at the way one pattern evolves into others, and the Fairy Girl is stunning. Not to mention Pirate Boy, he is stunning too, Would not want to upset his sensitive feelings.

  7. That’s as cute as anything! I just love her, and she’s a great match for the pirate. I like that the pirate is on a daytime background, while the owl looks like a night background. Great work!

  8. Dione, I love your owl! My sweet little granddaughter is really into owls. She had an owl painting party in February for her 9th birthday and her pic hangs in her room! I need to try something like this to go on her bed! And the twins would love the pirate owl! They are all about pirates and swords! LOL (6 year olds!!) Will you be selling these patterns?

  9. They are both sooo cute!!! Any kid would love to have them on their bed! xx

  10. That fairy owl is destined to reach new heights, so she needs the back up wings. She’s adorable, and is guaranteed to bring smiles to anyone she meets. Great job!

  11. So creative! It is funny how kids can pick out some things to comment on and skip others. She is a perfect mate for her pirate-y mate.

  12. I’m so impressed with the design of your owls – they are adorable. And the sparkle on Ms. Fairy Owl is oh so perfect! I think you met the criteria of ‘playful pillow’ wonderfully!

  13. Oh those are just too darn cute! I would have been all over that pirate guy when my boys were younger – we had a lot of pirate costumes in the house, including me!

Comments are closed.