Moving on with the Di Ford Mystery Quilt and my new favourite tool

I haven't changed it as much as I thought I would. Mainly because I have been a bit lazy and it was easier to go with what has been given. So this round is finished except for appliquéing the hexagons in the corners of round 2.

I have no idea where this came from. I thought I might have bought it at one of the Maltings sales but it has an Australian sticker on the end so it might have come from one of my friends who lived out there. I haven't used it before this last week or two. Heaven knows why, it is wonderful. The side with the green sticker is slightly lower than the other side. And the ruler doesn't move, not even a tiny bit. I was using a 36" ruler here, the sort that is normally guaranteed to slip, but it doesn't and I didn't even have to reposition it.

I just wish I had started using it years ago....

My card reader didn't work so I got a new one.

Now I can show you how I prepped that horse.

 I did the mane and hooves first as they are behind or under the main body pieces.

 Each shape was traced onto freezer paper, then I ironed that piece onto two more layers (three in all) before ironing it to the wrong side of the fabric before cutting out with a scant 1/4" allowance.

I painted starch on the turn under allowance and used the tip of the iron to fold it over and iron the starch dry. I clipped the inner corners and any concave curves. I use an old bit of linen under the iron whilst I do this as it gets scorched and excess starch burns. It mostly washes out but it is easier than ruining your ironing board cover. I pulled the freezer paper out before using a glue stick to hold it in place.

It was easy to stitch down, with the exception of those ears....... I am getting better at hand work but it is taking it's time. As always put Perfect Marking pen in the little search box at the top left to find a pen you can use to mark your own background fabric.

THE ART OF MACHINE PIECING

 I bought The Art of Machine Piecing when it was first released years ago. I opened it, saw a few blocks were done with English paper piecing and felt a little cheated. It went on the shelf and not looked at again until this week. Stupid me! What I hadn't realised is that Sally Collins pieced all these blocks at three inches square. They are incredible and I am not sure I could ever reproduce them. I am in awe.

 Remember this is just 3"

And this. I bow down to her.

Hand sewing with 100# YLI silk

I know some people give up stitching with this very fine thread because it so easily slips of the needle. Click on this photo to bring it up to full size so you can see I've tied a knot in it. The thread is so fine you can't even feel the knot going through the fabric. The needle is a size 10 betweens.
Use it for hand appliqué and however bad you think you are, your stitches will improve 400%. It's as fine as fine hair. The only warning I give is if you have used it, NEVER wash your work with biological/enzyme washing products. They dissolve silk, you might not notice it on a shirt, but these threads are just too fine to risk it.

And Sinclair does his best every morning to try and stop me making the bed....