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‘tiny happy’ was a journal of my handmade life from 2006-2025.

sleepy moreporks

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I've been thinking about making some moreporks for a while now, and finding my old book about NZ birds was a good prompt. A morepork is a small owl native to NZ- (Maori name ruru), so called because its call sounds like it wants more pork. I used to hear them from my bed as a child but I've not heard any morepork calls since living in town. They're beautiful little owls- especially when chicks! (see here and scroll down for a picture of the babies.)

My sewn morepork are not at all anatomically correct or even similar- they're just little fabric owls with patchwork wings and embroidered sleepy eyes. I filled them with carded wool from a nearby farm. Goodnight, little morepork.

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51 responses to “sleepy moreporks”

  1. Margaret Oomen Avatar
    Margaret Oomen

    Those are truly adorable little moreporks. The patchwork wings are priceless. I bet your children have instantly fallen in love with them.

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  2. sarah s Avatar
    sarah s

    I absolutely love your little moreporks!

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  3. louana Avatar
    louana

    oh melissa, they are just too cute! I love their sleepy eyes and patchwork wings.

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  4. Yana Avatar
    Yana

    aww, how cute!

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  5. Susan Petersen Avatar
    Susan Petersen

    Their sleepy eyes are my favorite. Super cute.

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  6. gretchen/juneatnoon Avatar
    gretchen/juneatnoon

    They are very sweet. I love that they’re sleepy, and I love the wings.

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  7. Ramona Avatar
    Ramona

    Tutorial? Template? PLEASE!?!?! My 3yo son is obssessed with owls, and would go nuts for these!!!

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  8. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    I love, love, love the sound of moreporks at night! It’s especially cool when we’re away camping in our tent – last place I heard them was Ashley Gorge. Hope there’s some at this year’s Xmas tenting holiday spot (Dansey’s Pass). love the owls you made – I’d also be keen on a tutorial/template…

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  9. Liz Jury Avatar
    Liz Jury

    they are adorable little moreporks. My little Kiwi’s I made for our two Japanese boys didn’t look much like Kiwi’s either, but they loved them!

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  10. Rowyn Avatar
    Rowyn

    Your Moreporks are gorgeous! I hear them quite often where I live, even though I am close to town there is also a lot of bush. My DH actually saw one, one night sitting on our roof (lucky!).

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  11. Hilda May Avatar
    Hilda May

    I love them…they are so cute!
    Rachel x

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  12. fiona Avatar
    fiona

    morepork? (chuckles)
    your moreporks look so at home on that cupboard. sweet things they are!

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  13. Rattling On Avatar
    Rattling On

    We have owls outside, but they’re the big ones that screech- not nearly so cute as yours.

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  14. fleur Avatar
    fleur

    So sweat with these funny wings!

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  15. Lies Avatar
    Lies

    Gorgeous beings! Hey what a nice new banner. And love your mystery laces!

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  16. karin Avatar
    karin

    I never heard of moreporks before, but have to say they look incredibly cute!

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  17. nath Avatar
    nath

    oh! moreporks! i though it was a typo when i first saw this post! i was typing away last night listening to owls that go hoot.
    these moreporks are delightful. i’d love to make one!

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  18. Emily Moss Avatar
    Emily Moss

    Oh, my goodness these are sweet as can be! It is wonderful to see how very happy and creative you are lately! I am sure it is pure delight to be at home. Forgive me my not writing for so long. I really took a long break over the summer as we had visitors or were visiting for most of it. I always peek in at what you are up to though. As always your blog is full of the most lovely handmade things are nice sentiment.
    Hugs from Emily

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  19. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    oh, that is lucky! i saw one once when i was camping, but that was a long
    time ago. 🙂

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  20. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    thanks, ramona- not sure if i will post a pattern because i’m so bad at
    organising pdfs, etc. have no idea how!
    but will let you know here if i do work it out.

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  21. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    thank you!

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  22. katylou Avatar
    katylou

    I’ve always been too shy to leave a comment but seeing the little moreporks has just made me so happy I had to tell you. Thank you!

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  23. briar Avatar
    briar

    enchanting!

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  24. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    I love these! I had an ookpik when I was a little girl but I didn’t know until I saw your moreporks, remembered the shape, and looked them up that they represent owls too! Yours are much more cuddly though, esp. with wool inside. So, so cute :^)

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  25. Kari of Writing Up A Storm Avatar
    Kari of Writing Up A Storm

    Without having any idea of what a “morepork” is, I still instantly thought those were owls, so you have definitely captured the very essence of “owlet” in your design! And those Ruru babies you sent us to are precious little things ~ thank you. xo Kari

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  26. kaylovesvintage Avatar
    kaylovesvintage

    the eyes – very cute
    nice to learn more about NZ

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  27. Francesca Avatar
    Francesca

    They are so sweet and pefect. I love how you made the little ears. Nice changes to your layout and banner!

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  28. Denise @ A Bun Can Dance Avatar
    Denise @ A Bun Can Dance

    Ah they are delightful! What a great name they have, I’ve never heard it before. To me they look like delightful little owls,
    Happy sewing

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  29. jessica Avatar
    jessica

    They are so dreamy Melissa! I love the name morepork…I had never heard of them.
    We have tiny screech owls that we catch hanging out in our pear tree once in awhile (although it seems to be more Black Bears these days)…they are so fun to see outside the kitchen window!
    Love the new banner!

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  30. Celine Avatar
    Celine

    yours a re sooo sweet. There will be little owl (of a different kind) appearing on my blog too this autaumn…

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  31. chez danisse Avatar
    chez danisse

    so sweet!

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  32. Jennifer Avatar
    Jennifer

    I LOVE them! sweet little things 🙂

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  33. Maz Avatar
    Maz

    That is such a cute little creature! You are so talented melissa. I’m planning to make a little favourite animal too. Getting the materials soon. As I’m planning to sell them at the creative flea market near my place in Malaysia. 🙂 Every day is so interesting with your blog 😀

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  34. Audrey Avatar
    Audrey

    Thanks for the inspiration Melissa! I was just thinking of sewing travel pillows for my boys. I’ve decided to sew little chick and a duckling and filling the pillows with the feathers. I look forward to ‘coffee’ as I check your blog each day. Thank’s for sharing your creativity and joy each day.
    http://lifeinevverybreath.blogspot.com/
    blessings, Audrey

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  35. hadley Avatar
    hadley

    Hello little moreporks!

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  36. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    checked out the baby owl – hysterical! lol! great work…especially love the patchwork!

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  37. Alison Avatar
    Alison

    I visited NZ in 1998 and was lucky enough to hear a morepork one night by a campfire whilst gazing up at the southern stars – I had heard about this little owl and was so chuffed to actually hear one! So I love your sleepy-eyed moreporks, and not just for taking me straight back to that magical night in 1998 – they are lovely little cuddly-cuteys, and the patchwork wings are brill! 🙂

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  38. Florence Avatar
    Florence

    I love these they are so cute! You are really gifted Melissa!

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  39. rachelle Avatar
    rachelle

    put it in your projects folder for that special project you have on the back burner. this is a winner. in my whanau, us night-people are called ‘ruru’s’ because we like to stay up late. the sighting of an ruru is an omen, and if you capture one, ur in trouble! these are precious. clever you.

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  40. domesticscene Avatar
    domesticscene

    weird! my facebook status tonight is: “Louise…can hear a morepork morepork… the perks of hanging laundry in the dark” then I tune into Tiny Happy and look what is here waiting for me! I can still here them now as I sit here writing this…

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  41. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    oh, lucky you- hearing a morepork while hanging washing! you must be an
    organised mum (and/or have a good forecast for tomorrow.!)

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  42. Leah Avatar
    Leah

    these are very sweet. especially the beaks and ears!
    on another note…my hubby and i are big fans of smog too! if you don’t know it already then check out little wings “little green leaves” and james jackson toth. often times music shows up in your sidebar that i like too.
    good night.
    (errr rather…good morning!)

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  43. andrea gutierrez Avatar
    andrea gutierrez

    oh, i am completely completely in love….

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  44. Hege Avatar
    Hege

    They are very cute!

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  45. perches Avatar
    perches

    So adorable!

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  46. Kielz Avatar
    Kielz

    Cute! http://www.kiwi-wildlife.co.nz/Sounds/morepork.mp3

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  47. Kristina Avatar
    Kristina

    they are so lovely! do they wake up and sneak out at night? 😉

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  48. Stacey Avatar
    Stacey

    I love your moreporks.
    I hadn’t heard them for years until we moved a couple of years back to this place in Orakei. We have some pines across the road where they roost at night. My little one loves to hear them at night.

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  49. Theresia Avatar
    Theresia

    love love these owls, what a beautiful blog!!

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  50. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    thank you, theresia!

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