Homemade Fall Decorations; Owl Ornament

I got this craft book out of a bargain bin at Barnes & Nobel a while ago called I Made it Myself: Make It... Wear It... Love It! and, in the process of attempting to make an Owl Coin Purse, I arrive at this creation -- a re-purposed Owl Ornament made from extra fabric and discarded clothes.

I think he's quite charming, and I hope you do too. It's pretty easy to make, so here's what you'll need:

- 3 pieces of fabric (preferably two solid & one patterned)


- 2 pieces of felt (one for the eyes & one for the nose)
- 2 Buttons
- A needle & thread, or sewing machine (optional)
- Fabric, or hot, glue
- Yarn & a large needle
- Scissors
- And, a stick (about 6.5" long)

1. Gather your materials, feel free to use store bought fabric, but I used an old coat and some scraps I had laying around my craft room as the body. I also recommend a stick that has already fallen from your tree of choice, and as always organic yarn; which can be found at nearly any craft store.

 2. Prepare your materials, this step is mainly for cutting out the pieces that make up the owl's body, but you can also use this time to strip the bark off your stick. (the body should end up being about 4.5" wide)
For a larger version of the outline Click Here

3. Assemble the body by sewing, or gluing, the pieces of the body together including: body, belly, left wing, right wing, eye, and beak.

4. Attach the stick by creating feet with the yarn. To do this, pierce two holes equidistant away on the owl's lower abdomen. Knot a piece of yarn about 3" long and thread it through the back of the hole, with a large needle. Bringing the needle through the back of the hole again to form a loop at the bottom of the owl. Slide the stick through the loop and tighten the yarn around it. Continue to loop the yarn around two more times. Then, thread the yarn through the crevasse created between the stick and the yarn. Wrap the yarn around the section where the owl and stick adjoin, knot it, and trim away the excess. Now, one foot is done. Continue from "Knot a piece of yarn" for the second hole; then move on to step 5.

5. Make it hang by piercing two holes at the top of each ear. Knot a piece of yarn, and thread it through the back of the hole, so the knot can be seen on the back of the owl. Continue through the front of the hole on the second ear; be sure to leave some slack so the owl will hang. Then knot off the second piece of yarn.

Voila -- You've made an Owl Ornament! This craft is a creative and fun way to dress-up a basket or package, and you can hang it in your window or on a tree. Whatever you choose, you can feel good knowing you've reused thing you already have.

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