Ticker Tape Owl Quilt

Ticker Tape Owl Quilt If you have fabric scraps laying around, chances are you are all set to make this Ticker Tape style Owl project. What do I mean by ticker tape? Heck, I’m not sure. I think it stems from those “Ticker Tape Parades” where all the small pieces of confetti paper fly through the air. Let’s say that’s what it is… and those little pieces landed on a quilt and are arranged by color and machine stitched in place. Sure. Yes. This is sounding good. Are you with me? Ticker Tape Quilts are perfect projects for folks who save all sizes of fabric scraps. You know who you are… you’ll save those tiny tiny tiny pieces. This is your our project! Scroll to the bottom to see how insanely fast you can create half-square triangles

used in the border of this project by simply using a Seamingly Accurate Seam Guide. Finished size: 18″ x 18″ – project sizes can vary depending on how you use your sweet owlie block.

Supplies Elmer’s School Glue Sulky Monofilament Thread Water Soluble Marker Seamingly Accurate Seam Guide Fusible Woven Interfacing 1/2 yard linen (I used a recycled garment from the thrift store.) Assorted fabric scraps Owl Template PDF

Prep I used a shirt back from a thrift store garment. After measuring, a 14-1/2″ square will be as big as I can cut.

Apply the fusible woven interfacing to the wrong side of the linen.

If you are using the 1/2 yard linen for your background, you can cut to any size

you prefer. For my project, the background fabric is 14-1/2″ x 14-1/2″ and is cut after the interfacing is applied. Mark the center of the linen square. Print the 3-page owl template. Overlap the images and tape the pages together to create one chubby little owl. Fold the large page to find the center of the owl.

Use a window pane as a light box by taping the owl to the glass.

Tape the linen background over the template, matching the marked centers.

Use the water soluble marker to trace the image onto the right side of the linen

background square.

Fabric Scraps I lucked into a bag of Cotton and Steel Fabrics selvage scraps from Quilt Market. (Thank you, Cotton and Steel!) I used these coordinated pieces in my owl design. Any scraps will work. All scraps will take a moment or two to sort and organize.

My ticker tape owl uses pieces ranging from 3/8″ to 2″ in size. I cut the tiny pieces as I needed them. Work on a surface that will allow for ironing. By that I mean, a towel, portable ironing pad, or ironing board. Starting with the belly, arrange fabric scraps leaving a small space between each shape. Using sharp scissors, trim the pieces as needed. (see below)

Before moving onto another section, add a tiny dot of glue behind each fabric scrap to secure it in place. Use an iron to set the glue. See the dark blue and pale fabrics in the picture below? Those are there as a guide to remind me which color I assigned to which section.

Continue to add fabric scraps, trim as needed and glue baste them in place.

Ok, the little guy just needs eyes. Little ovals are included on the paper template, but you can change his personality quite a bit by changing the shape of his eyes.

Don’t glue these down yet.

Secure the Scraps Use Sulky Monofilament Thread and a free motion quilting foot to stitch around each shape. Why clear monofilament thread and not a coordinated color? Using the monofilament on the ticker tape fabric scraps will allow you to “travel” from shape to shape without needing to trim threads. Simply stitch on over to your next shape. No one will ever know.

Stitch around each shape. The edges will start to look a little ragged. Be sure to press the owl really well.

Make a Half-Square Triangle Border Select fabrics to “frame” little Ticker Tape Owlie. I selected four solids.

Cut a total of 32 squares 2-7/8″ each.

Sew pairs of squares to create half-square triangles. Check out how fast you can

make them using the Seamingly Accurate Seam Guide. Position your square pair with the point aligned with the 1/4″ line on the Seamingly Accurate Seam Guide. The “top point” is aligned with the edge of a 1/4″ wide presser foot. Note: This is not a traditional quarter inch presser foot.

Sew, dragging that “bottom point” along the 1/4″ line. When you flip the square to sew the other side, you’ll see the first stitching line now matches with the 1/2″ line on the seam guide.

Stitch again. And again. And again. Chain-pieces as many squares as you like.

Cut the squares apart from each other and then cut them in half, equidistant between the two stitching lines.

Open and press. Arrange the half-square triangle units around the ticker tape owl. 7 blocks will be on the right and left sides of the 14-1/2″ square. 9 blocks will be across the top and bottom edges.

Use a water spray bottle to remove the blue marked lines.

What Will You Make? The block I’ve created finishes at 18″ square, which is a great size for a pillow.

You could add a border to him, though and create a Ticker Tape Wallhanging size quilt.

I don’t know your scrap situation, but lets say you are swimming in scraps… You could make a whole bunch of owlie buddies to create a large quilt. In this picture, the quilt would be 82″ x 82″ with the sashing pieces measuring 2-1/2″ wide before they are stitched into the quilt.

Ok, maybe that would be FAR too many tiny scrap pieces to create 16 owls. But I bet you have enough scraps for four owls.

I cannot wait to see how your Ticker Tape Owls turn out!