Talk To The Animals

Today, I am back to share the fourth GO! Owl design I recently created for AccuQuilt...the "GO! Talk To The Animals Baby Quilt"...this fun, unique quilt has created quite a bit of excitement.  Just a note, before we get much further - to me this isn't necessarily a baby quilt - I think it is fun for all ages, and at 41" x 41", it is a great lap quilt, throw quilt, or wall hanging (don't let the word "baby" throw you off!).

A little bit about how this design was born...
If you have seen the packaging for the GO! Owl die, then you know there is an image on the back where the owl shapes are used to create a cow (I didn't design the cow and can't take credit for it...I'm not sure who did...). AccuQuilt asked me to come up with a small design that used the cow that was created with the owl shapes...but then that idea grew and they asked for another animal or two that could be made with the owl die....well, in usual Belinda fashion, I came up with not two, but SEVEN more animals. Each one is made using only shapes cut from the owl die, along with a few hand or machine stitches...making the owl die extremely versatile! Have I lost you yet?? Well here is an example (my favorite block)...my regular readers know "it's all about the squirrel", so of course, I used the owl shapes to make a squirrel holding an acorn. You can see I used the wing shape to help make the tail, ears, and arms...the beak is used for the feet and the acorn...and the eyes and mouth are machine or hand stitched - I machine stitched the mouth, then hand stitched French Knots for the eyes.

With my seven animals - a rabbit, a raccoon, a mouse, a frog, a pig, a koala, and the squirrel...plus the cow and the owl...we decided to put the smaller projects aside and use all the animals in one quilt. Each animal block is framed with sashing and cornerstones and a border was added. To me, what makes this project fun and extra special is: you can use only your favorite blocks, you can embellish each block, you can come up with your own animals, you can play with fabrics...you can truly make it "your own"! This model uses fabrics from Riley Blake Designs...and I finished it in time for AccuQuilt to take it to Quilt Market, where it caused a little bit of buzz (which made me smile).

The pattern gives images and instructions for each individual block, so you can make your own zoo...and you only need a few cutting dies - the owl and several squares and strip cutters...

• GO! Owl (55333)
• GO! Square-2" (55022)
• GO! Square-2 1/2" (55059 or 55018)
• GO! Square-3 1/2" (55006)
• GO! Square-6 1/2" (55000)
• GO! Strip Cutter-2" (55025 or 55164)
• GO! Strip Cutter-2 1/2" (55014 or 55017)
• GO! Strip Cutter-3 1/2" (55032)

....and, once again, the good news...for a very limited time, this pattern is available to download for FREE on the AccuQuilt website...simply visit: http://www.accuquilt.com/shop/go-talk-to-the-animals-baby-quilt-pattern.html.

It was quite creatively fulfilling for me to design and create this project and I hope it brings you as much joy as it brings me! I would love to hear about your owl projects and see your finishes!

You can read more about my four owl designs on the AccuQuilt Blog, where I recently did a guest post. I hope you have enjoyed seeing all four of my GO! Owl creations this week...and the many ways you can use one single cutting die. I will be back again tomorrow to share some needlework finishing...I have been very busy this week!