Slash and stitch owls

I fell in love with these little owls about 9 months ago and bought the fabric and 5 lovely bold complementary colours.

Now remember that 9 months ago I had never made a quilt, so it's not really a surprise that it's taken me this long to work out how to use this material. I've been playing with different patterns and trying to work out how I could make these little owls pop. I realised last night that I needed to do strips of the owls otherwise it looked too match-y match-y. The colours were tricky too. I had too many for some patterns and not enough for others. I could not find a single thing that worked. And then I thought of slash and stitch. I've been surfing the interwebs and reading lots of amazing blogs by extraordinary quilters and had seen this improve technique for blocks. Well why not do a block that runs the length of the quilt? So I very tentatively cut the fabric and started slashing through it with my fingers crossed hoping it would work.

I don't know how other people do it! I have never been so paranoid to cut fabric in my life! I just love these owls and these colours and I desperately didn't want to waste this fabric. Didn't help that hubby was in the background saying he just wasn't sure...

All my fears aside, I think it's coming out really well.

I love the kind of hectic colours and busyness around these coloured owls. I think it draws attention to all the colours in the owls.

I can picture it wrapped around a little girl. I was planning on keeping it for when A and I have bubies, but I'm toying with giving it to one of my little nieces for Christmas. My sister has pointed out that this may not be the most popular present :-( It's a shame, but I think she's right.

I think I'll finish this one and see if I can find inspiration for one for my other niece. If I can get a second one done by Christmas, they'll be gifts, if not it'll be for us! Lol.