The *Great Horned Owl*

This is a paper pieced pattern by Selkirk Creations that I am doing for a friend of my dd as a wedding gift. Now...I don't *do* paper piecing. Okay, it isn't that I *cannot* do it, I don't *like* to do it. But I did it. :) And it has turned out really nicely. I have trapuntoed the owl with a few layers of poly batting, using water soluble thread. Then I batted it with Dream cotton Select and have outline quilted the owl and various lines inside him with smoke invisible thread. So far, I have meander quilted the background using Butter Toffee Maxilock Swirls and I was happy with the thread. Although the meandering did not turn out the shape I had planned on (what is it about meandering that is wonderful when you practice it but it changes to a mind of its own when you get down to the final project????) but it is effective enough. Today I will channel quilt the border, wet it (and hope against hope the water soluble thread dissolves!), and block it. Then I will put the hanging sleeve on it and bind it and call it done.

I did start my Orange Crush 4 patches and I THINK I have decided on my main colours as well as my accent but who knows if I will change my mind once I get into it. :)