Sunday, July 29, 2018

Freestyling Rulerwork Quilting

I had the pleasure of Beth's company as we got the machines, rulers and quilts out for some ruler work quilting.
I finished off my table runner and quilted my Christmas Tree wallhanging just with the 12" arc ruler. Both are now ready for binding.
After some lunch I prepared a sample placemat for Sunday workshop. So I have another demo piece half stitched.

Then I started quilting the largest quilt to date with rulers. This quilt will be a shop sample to show the customers what you can do with the Westalee rulers.



There is a long way to go, but I have made a start. To get anything finished you need to start.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia



Monday, July 23, 2018

Christmas in July Blog Hop

Here we are in July and somehow I found myself with two Christmas in July celebrations within days of each other. Saturday was spend with the Jubilee Quilters for their marathon Christmas In July celebrations. Today is our first day of the Christmas in July Blog Hop hosted by Carol from Just let me quilt.
Here is the schedule, so you can follow along.

July 23

Cynthia's Creating Ark- You are here

July 24


July 25


July 26


July 27

 I have to admit I was still working on my project on Saturday as I had a restart on my project. The original project which is all cut ready to sew didn't get to the sewing machine. So that project will get put aside to be used for a project later this year. The benefits of celebrating Christmas twice a year.       

So what did I make for this Blog hop. When it comes to Christmas I love Christmas trees and you all know how much I love stars. Now what happens when you mix trees and stars together, you end up with a Christmas Star tree.

With the tree stitched in place and added my borders for my wallhanging. Cut my backing fabric you can just see it sticking out in the picture below, than run into a wall and ran out of time to finish my wall hanging off.



But at least you can see where I am going with this and I will finish it later this week and share with everyone.
Don't forget to visit everyone and enjoy their blog post because I know there is lots of great projects to see.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Monday, July 16, 2018

Quilting Day

Finally some time at the sewing machine.There is a lot of work to do and I need to get a move along with it.
After some reverse stitching on this project. I was able to re pin it and set to quilting it.
I was aiming for a full day quilting but as always other jobs meant I didn't get to start until 11.30.




The back view is easier to see the pattern.
I have linked this post up with the Free Motion Mavericks, pop over and check out what has been happening lately. It has been a while since I have had something to share here.

Now for the binding.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

2018- Finish Along Q3

It is time to set our project goals for the three quarter of the 2018 Finish Along. I have to say this may look familiar. The projects from last quarter are here topping the list.

Project #1 - I have my Hearts and Soul sampler quilt to complete. I want to say this is a sure bet as it has a deadline which is just before the end of the third quarter. It is ready for quilting. I have special plans for it using the Westalee Rulers.

Project #2 - Then we get to my Allietare quilt ready for pinning and quilting and the other left over from last quarter.

Project #3 - This table runner that has been missing for nearly 12 months. It is pinned ready for quilting. I may do this one first as I know what I am quilting on it already. I plan to use the Westalee honeycomb ruler on it.

Project #4 - This is where I may fall down a hole but the pile of quilting is growing. How I am not sure as I haven't ready had time to do much piecing but here is another one ready for quilting. This Water Garden Quilt needs quilting. Now I didn't pieced it my friend Shelly did and I said I would quilt, as she pieced it for me. So more Westalee ruler work planned for this one.

I have linked this post up with She Can Quilt link up post, so pop over and check out all the projects we are planning to work on.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

A Project Missing in Action

This table runner project has been missing for nearly twelve months.

I know I had it at the Sewing Stitching and Handicraft show last year. It was pinned on the wall of my stand. I have the photos that prove it was there.
We got to November and I am wondering what happened to it. Oh well the Tanunda fair is just around the corner I will set up and find it in one of the craft fair boxes. Guess what I didn't find it.

Fast forward to the week before the same Show twelve months later, as I was preparing to classroom so some repairs could be done while I was out of the shop. I pulled a couple of quilts off a shelf in the classroom and what do I find. The missing table runner pinned ready for quilting. When did I do that! Why don't I remember doing it?  Oh well it is found.

Looking at it I remember the problem I had with it. One of my blocks is not set in it block like the other two. If it had been the middle block maybe I could of got away with it, but on the end it is bugging me. It is probably why it got put to one side.
So close but too noticable to leave as is. So my plan is unpicking the circle section out of the block and sewing it back correctly, without unpicking the borders. I don't know if I can do it but I will try it. The worse that could happen is I have to unpicking the borders. I will let you know how I go.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Monday, July 9, 2018

Adelaide Sewing, Stitching and Handcraft Show

What a weekend we had at the Adelaide Sewing, Stitching and Handcraft Show with the Festival of Quilts. It is one of our two big events of this year. It was 3 days in crafty heaven all sorts of crafts where there something for everyone I think. Plus the South Australian Quilt Guild annual quilt show. You could easily spend the day there.


Some shots of the my Stand.
I can tell you as I write this I am so tired I just want to go back to bed. The days are long when we do events like this. I am up around 5 am  and am leaving home by 7.30 am and not getting home until 7 pm except the last day which is later as we have to pack up the stand and take it all back to the shop. This is when I am glad our home is behind the shop. I stopped long enough for a bite to eat before unloading the cars. Normally there is only one car as hubby is normally with me all day of the last day of events but this year with me out of the shop two weekend in a row we decided to repair the wall in the classroom and paint the room. With the cold weather things took longer to dry and he needed to continue on Sunday to finish it all. The room just needs it hangers put up and the furniture needs to be put back. It nice to have the classroom so close to being finished.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Friday, July 6, 2018

Sweetheart's Playground Thread Club


It has been a while since we have had a thread club. This new club comes to us  from Cottage Garden Threads.
The club runs over 12 months and includes the last 72 thread colours in the signature range. Each month containing 6 threads a free table runner pattern and sampler pattern. Each of the 6 parts of the table runner are stitched over 2 months.


The table runner does not use up all of the thread, leaving lots to add to your thread stash.
An added bonus is a pattern for a sampler with small pictures to use as a stitched reference for thread colours and numbers. This is the perfect practise project if you are new to embroidery.
If you don’t want to stitch the runner, but you want to collect the last 72 threads from the signature range, you can because the table runner and sampler patterns are completely free.
White background with pale grey geometric print fabric and woven stabiliser kits are available as well as Iron on transfers.

Here are the options for you and you can order online at Cynthia's Ark . ring or in store.

Option 1 - Each month will be $41 plus postage over 12 months. Just the threads and patterns.

Option 2 - You get Option #1 and includes the Iron on transfers for the table runner in month 1, 3, 5,7,9 and 11. For this option it is $46 plus postage over 12 months. It is perfect if you want to get stitching quicker.

You can just select either  of the above package plus we do have a fabric kit and the Sampler transfer for you to take advantage of as an optional extra.

The Fabric and woven stabiliser kit and Sampler transfer $36.00 (once off purchase at the beginning) if you want to purchase it.
Any questions just ask me.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

2018 Finish Along Quarter #2 Projects

It's time to report in on our finishes for this quarter. With limited sewing time over the last two month has only seen me finish one of my three projects this quarter.You can see my original post here.

I have managed to finished my Desert Sky quilt. Considering the other two projects on my list were ready for quilting and my Desert Sky still had work on the top to be done before it could be quilted, it's not the project I would have said at the beginner of the quarter it would be finished. It is finished and that is what counts. It can be crossed off the list and I can move on to something else.

I have linked this post to  Leanne's  post so pop over and see how everyone else did this quarter.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

July's One Monthly Goal

What do I want to work on this month. I have a secret project I have to work on but that's no fun for you. I know you want to see what is going on, though there hasn't been much happening sewing wise lately but that is going to change. I am going to run Evergreen as a block of the month and I need to get stitching our version.
                          Sue Daley's original version, our version will be made using different fabrics.
 So far I have made 1 block so I better use this opportunity, give myself a deadline and set myself to complete 7 of the 13 blocks. Considering I have completed 1 block that leaves me 6 blocks to complete over July.

 So fingers crossed that I can do it. There is a lot to catch up on.
I have linked my post up with Elm Street Quilts so pop over and check out what everyone is going to be working on this month.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Monday, July 2, 2018

2018 - 350 Block Report June


This month total is 32.
Now that I am home again. It's time to do some sewing. That is what I thought at the beginning of June.

In the end there was
4 test HST to check the sizing for a pattern. They will not even up in my final block but will end up in the scrap block box that one day I will make some more cat quilts.

1 pieced backing for a quilt . To me it is one giant block. Does it count? I think so. I need all the blocks I can to even make it look like I did some sewing this month.

1 English paper pieced flower.

3 Folk Flower blocks from a Anna Maria Horner workshop.

This month's total is 9. Nowhere near June's goal.

Until Next Time 
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

A Weekend Workshop with Anna Maria Horner

Everything has been crazy here.  I have been suffering from the up the creek without a paddle feeling which is not good. So it was time for me to have some fun and be a student in Anna Maria Horner two day workshop at Hettie's Patch. I booked this workshop 5 months ago, not knowing what the project was going to be. Really the only details I had were who was teaching and where the workshop was being held. When the details came through on the project and what we were doing I was very pleased.
I picked some fabrics out, packed my supplies and off I went Saturday morning for the first day of the workshop focusing on Anna's Folk Flower block and my chance to really have a go at some reverse applique.

A fantastic day was had by all of us. We had plenty of her quilts on show for inspiration. The best thing with this project was how many different ways we could make the block, by machine, by hand or a bit of both.
 One of the versions on display.

A close up of one of the blocks.



My first folk flower block using the hand stitched reverse applique technique.
Day 2 saw us having a stitching session with Anna. So much inspiration what do you try. Embroidery, hand quilting, fabric collage and more.



In the end I had a go at some embriodery stitches before going back to my Folk Flower blocks which I managed to finish 3 blocks. In theory only 29 blocks to go in my layout. I don't think mine will be as big as Anna. It was a great two day workshop and if you ever get the chance to do one of her workshop do it you won't be disappointed. I know if I get the chance again I would jump at it.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia