Wood Quilt Square

[Irish]

I got my little owl done last evening and thought I would share it here. It's worked on 4/4 basswood and is on a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square. I am hoping to get two or three more squares done to create a mini-quilt. I have a hen and quail pattern that use the same stylized look that I think will be nice compliments to this one.

I heavily undercut just everything on this poor owl. The photos don't really show it well but the background depth is around 1/4" and his feet really stick out Smile . He ended up with lots and lots of shadowing.

Here the pattern I was working from. You are welcome to print a copy for yourself and for your own use. Please, don't post this to any other site. If you do have a buddy that wants a printed copy send them over here to the forum ... That way they not only get a copy but also get to browse through the threads here. Thanks!!!!

If you carve an owl from the pattern I hope you will share it here. I think it would be fun to if the forum created a Virtual Wood Quilt ... we could all summit quilt squares that we carved then see what they would look like put together in one digital image .

Thanks for looking, Susan

[GaryMc]

Great carving Susan, he's a cute little bugger! I also like the idea of a quilt, I have never done one! Ps are you going to color your owL?
GaryMc

[Irish]

No, I don't think I am going to color the squares. This one has a couple of coats of paste wax so the basswood has that pale gilded-golden look.

Color, I think, would brighten the form and shape of the owl but it would take away from the shadows made by the undercutting. I really worked hard on creating those shadows and don't want to lose them.

Besides, doing a small quilt sampler gives me an excuse to play with several different styles of carving and different subjects. By keeping them all in the wood, unpainted, I think they will hold together better as one work instead of a bunch of individual works just stuck together.

Susan

[Thor]

Wow, Susan,
The depth you got out of that little piece of wood is more than I could imagine. You sure make basswood look its best.

I think the little quilt idea is a good one. Do they have to be that owl? or an owl at all? or an animal? or carved in that size? or just square? I would like to participate if you give more info. Sounds like a challenge and would really make me work hard to include my work along with others even digitally.

note to self:::dig deeper into wood.
Thor

[Irish]

Hi Thor, My thoughts were just that if anyone else was going to do a quilt square of any theme, topic or style they might post it here. Then we could take all of the images and create a virtual quilt digitally of everyone's work. Since each carver here seems to have their own feel and look to their carvings I think it would make a delightful creation.

So, if you want to join in go pick something you really like to carve and get to work Talking Personnally I think a whole square of odd but cute owls would be boring ... so whatever subject you like goes.

Susan

Thanks for the note about the depth ... I am working on two acorns for my next square ... I'll wait on the quail a bit.

[Mottles]

Hi Susan, looking forward to following your quilt thread love the owl. After seeing the works of the woodworker's on WCI there could be some fantasic quilt created. Thor and Gary hope you will contribute to the quilt.
I'll be checking back to see the progress.
Kathy

[GaryMc]

I llike that Idea, count me in, one 5-1/2"x5-1/2" square coming up, I think I will do some kind of relief also. Hm... maybe this is something that bob could put in the magazine, or maybe we could auction it off for some worhty cause!
Sounds like fun to me, I need a change of pace~
GaryMc Bouncing S

[Ron D]

count me into i think its a good Idea

[Irish]

Oh! So cool! With mine, Thor, Gary and Viperstooth that would be our first four patch!!! If we do get enough to join in I'll talk with BobD about offering it as an article about all the great things that happen here on the forum. The quilt squares could be the photo sample for the article.

Now, if BobD joined in too well we might really have a foot in the door at WCI as well as a start on the next four patch . If they can't use it we will still have the fun of making a virtual quilt!

5 1/2" x 5 1/2" whatever design you want to carve in whatever wood you want to use!

Susan

[Thor]

If the quilt pieces wind up being gathered, connected, and auctioned or donated to a charity, count me in for that as well. It might be hard for us, who are so tactile to imagine it in it's final stages as simply virtual.
My image will be an oak tree that I've used before to symbolize strength and longevity. Stickin with that woodland theme.

Thor