Not for the Faint-Hearted!

Over the last few weeks, I have asked a lot of people what birds I should add to my Birds of New Zealand paper piecing series.

A recurring answer has been the Morepork. 

I must admit that I've been resisting the idea as there are so many amazing paper pieced owl patterns out there, but the other night I decided to have a wee play and see what the pattern would turn out like. 

Before I knew it, I had a complete pattern staring at me.

The only thing was that the pattern had some teensy tiny itty bitty little pieces and I thought I'd better try it out myself before giving it to my pattern testers. Its not fair to expect them to do an impossible pattern if I'm not prepared to try it out myself first!

I have to say that there are many tiny pieces, but they all have a purpose and they all work! 

This is a pattern which SHOULD NOT be reduced in size- it may actually be sensible to increase the size! (Or if you really must reduce the pattern, then I recommend using a single piece of fabric for the yellows of the eyes and embroidering in the pupils in the eyes)

I did make one mistake. I used the wrong fabric for the beak and by the time that I realised, it was too late and I wasn't changing it! Its not the end of the world, but something with a bit more contrast would probably have been better.

Mr Tartankiwi's reaction when he saw the block was "well you wouldn't have been able to do that a year ago!"- He's right! I am really excited to see how exact my piecing is becoming and how much better I am at getting the sections to line up.

If anyone is brave enough to give this pattern a test, they are more than welcome but just remember that you have been warned!