The finished project!

After teasing you last time with a few little sneak peeks of one of my latest projects, I now have my camera back (my son came home from holiday but has gone again now... back to university) and I can show you the finished cushion!

As some of you guessed, it features a cute little owl.  

Just before my youngest daughter also returned to university last week, she picked out some fabrics for a couple of things that she wanted me to make for her. Firstly, she wanted a new cushion for her room at university (and one for a friend) so I actually made two.

I used fused applique finished with hand worked blanket stitch throughout. The 'tendrils' were stitched using stem stitch on one pillow and chain stitch on the other.  I added some tummy feathers to the owls using fly stitch.  I also used fly stitch to quilt the cushion fronts to some batting before constructing them.

The owl applique design came from a book called 'Buttons and Blooms' by Terri Degenkolb of Whimsicals Designs.  I scaled my owl down in size a little from the original pattern and, added some borders to the cushion.  

Secondly, my daughter also needed a shoulder bag to carry a few bits and pieces with her when she is on placement during this coming term.  So, I made this little bag for her to put across her body so that she has her hands free to take notes, etc if she needs to.

I appliqued a cute little heart to the flap which I embroidered with a lazy daisy flower and added a little ribbon message inside.  

It also has a couple of useful pockets, so I think it will be ideal for it's purpose.

The bag is a bigger version of the bag I made for my sister at the end of last year following a tutorial I found on a blog called 'Susie's Country Garden'.  This bag will be posted off on Monday all ready for my daughter to use it when she needs it.

The house feels very quiet now both my son and daughter have gone again!