Test video on how I do machine applique.

I bought this little tripod and start stop button to go on my phone. I thought it would make it so easy to show skills with little videos.

It turns out it isn't so simple. First problem is the back of the holder for the phone covers up much of the screen so it isn't easy to put it in without adjusting something unwanted.  The 2nd problem is I wanted to have it pointing from above the needle and if you tilt it too far then it falls over. I couldn't place it on the sewing machine extension table itself as it picked up too much of the machine noise.

I sort of got it right by placing the tripod on a box beside the extension table. It might have been better had I been working on a block so the fabric didn't obscure the view at some points.

So I made my little test video, it looks OK on the phone. I tried to upload to Youtube but for reasons I cannot fathom the uploads fails over and over again using wifi. I tried to email it to my pc but that failed as the file is too big.... However I was able to upload it to Facebook (perhaps FB compresses it somehow? I didn't record it in HD so my little un-savvy internet experience has no answers. If you do, please comment and tell me what to try next.)

My next thought was to download it from Facebook, foiled again.  BUT Facebook has given me a link which means you can see it without joining Facebook.
So please try and see it here.

When you live near the top of the hill

and the sun shines, you really should go to the top. We had a glorious dry sunny day on Sunday.

This stone is known as the Buckstone and is one of the local stones with myths and legends that come with it. One story which is true, is it used to rock but never roll over. A group of drunken Victorian lads put it to the test and undid that particular myth. It was put back in place with concrete and no longer rocks.

After such a wet winter the moss is almost dayglo  green in the sunshine.

 One of the myths suggest this is where virgins were sacrificed by our neolithic ancestors and their blood caught in the bowl of this stone near the Buckstone.

 So much of it looks like a set from the Lord of the Rings films. Though this might not be such a stretch as J R R Tolkien was known to have visited the Forest of Dean.

Frank is still with us (sorry about my shadow). He still loves going out.

The 2nd instalment of the Quiltmania Di Ford mystery quilt has arrived and it involves 48 fussy cut circles to be appliquéd. Eight each of six different fabrics. That should keep me out of trouble for a while.  I prepared these with starch over three layers of freezer paper. Luckily they are not like tiny berries but one and an eighth inch diameter.

Border three done (and how I got there in photos)

 First the zig zag border, then the stems and the leaves.

 Then cut the 'eyebrow' shape off the freezer aper templates.

 Place them with some glue stick.

 Outer petal.

 Inner petal and so on.

And then it is done. Never let me do four borders the same again please. Just stop me!

I always find it interesting to see things in black and white to see the true value of the colours I have used.