These are my first original stuffies. They are tiny - ranging from 1.5 inches to 2.5 inches tall. I made them out of felt and stuffed them with polyfill and plastic beads.

I named the littlest one Bukowski because his colors remind me of a Post Office uniform and the writer Charles Bukowski worked for the Post Office for many years. Plus, he looks kinda cranky and ornery, just like Bukowski. He also reminds me of Meatwad from Aquateen Hunger Force.

The medium one is named Blaze.  All his points make me think of flames.  I like flames.

The tallest owl made me think of an evil professor with hypnotic eyes, so he was named Bucky after Buckminster Fuller.  Buckminster wasn't evil, but he was odd, which is close.

The road to my owl trio

My husband bought me a coffee mug with owls scratched into the glaze. One night, inspired by the mug, I made a quick small felt owl based on one of the mug-owls (the cream and brown owl). It came out looking great, but it couldn't stand up. I decided to make an owl that would stand up on it's own.

I scanned my pattern pieces into the computer (they were pencil drawings) and redrew them in Illustrator making changes to the design. I also incorporated a round bottom piece into the pattern and made owl number two. This one stood up, but I wasn't satisfied with it's owl-i-ness yet (the orange and black owl).

I did a Google image search and spent time looking at owls. There are all sorts of owls! I was totally fascinated. I decided I was going to make a set of three owls. I drew the pattern pieces for each of them in Illustrator, cut out the felt, and then sewed them together.

I enjoy making the stitches a part of the design, as well as adding embroidered embellishments. This started with Monsieur Kitty where I added my own tummy embroidery to the Japanese stuffie. Bukowski has the outline of his wings from front to back, blanket stitching around his eyes, and a tiny three-stitch beak. Blaze has french knots holding on this purple beak on the front and the violet flame on his back, stitched eyes, and stitches outlining his body. Bucky has fabulous asterisk eyes and v-stitched feathers.

Now I need to make a set of owls with sequin eyes!