What do you prefer a fat quarter or a strip off the bolt?

Do you still buy fat quarters?  I was doing a fabric stash tidy up only because I was looking for a certain piece of fabric and noticed over the last couple of years I have tended to buy a strip off the bolt rather than buy fat quarters. So this got me thinking what is everyone else doing.

Fat quarters are just easy you just pick the ones you like and buy them. You don't have to put too much thought in to it.
When you buy off the bolt this brings up a number of questions you have to process.
Do I have a project in mind? Is it just for my stash? How much should I buy? How much is that going to cost? and the list goes on.
Thinking of the projects I have been piecing over the last year, strip piecing has played a big roll in my need to purchase off the bolt. I didn't realise I was doing it most of the time. I would go into a quilt shop and just purchase 30cm off the bolt unless I needed more for a project. (Yes I still shop at other quilt shops because I can't stock every fabric range out there in my shop.) Looking at what I have used. If there was any left over fabric it has found it way into my Farmer Wife Sampler project.

30cm piece off the bolt.

Fat Quarter

What do you prefer I would love to know?
Leave us a comment and the most interesting comment will receive a fabric bundle in their preference. This will help me decide if I should stock more fat quarter options or stick to the 30cm strip bundles.
Until next time keep stitching
Cynthia
 

Did someone say owls?

Welcome.  I just thought I would share what has arrived this week at www.cynthiasark.com.au Even though I have been sick all week I managed a few things this week like ordering more new batik fabrics from my regular supplier  (due in April 2014) and some from a new supplier from their current stock so I look forward to sharing them with you when they arrive.
Back to this week we have receive a top up shipment from Sally at The Rivendale Collection so Esme Owl, Hiccups and Hoot Together are now back in stock plus 1 new table runner pattern named Dottie. They are $12.00 each and available at www.cynthiasark.com.au

Dottie

Esme Owl

Hiccups

                                                                Hoot Together
Plus a special thank you to Sally Giblin (The Rivendale Collection) for these wonderful photos.


The only other item to arrive this week was the 2014 Quilters Diary. Full of wonderful quilts for us to enjoy over the upcoming year.  They are only $17.50 but there is limited stock so be early.

 

 

I Nearly forgot to tell everyone for the next week we are have a pattern clearance sale, a lot of patterns up to 50% off so don't forget to have a look in the Patchwork Pattern section.              

 

              Until next time keep stitching

Cynthia

Have you seen our Lucky Draw Strip packs?

New in stock Lucky Draw Strip Packs. We have created these interesting packs from the end of bolt pieces. Each pack contains 4 x 5 inch width of the fabric strips with no repeats in the pack.  These are a lucky dip product so it will be a surprise what you receive, but they are from our hand dyed batik fabric stock.
You can cut them up into 5 inch squares (32 x 5inch squares), just perfect for charm square patterns or you can cut them into 2 1/2 inch strips(8 x 2 1/2 inch strips), perfect for jelly roll patterns. You just need to work out how many squares or strips you need and then how many pack that works out to be and order what you need. These pack are now available at www.cynthiasark.com.au. at a super special price of $5.50 per pack. That is half price. We all love a bargain. There is limited stock so don't wait too long to order.

Packs wrapped ready for sale.

 

 

One of the packs before I wrapped it.

 

Keep stitching and I will stitch a few more log cabin blocks until next time we catch up.

Cynthia

Log Cabin Fever

Some of my log cabin blocks.

I have been bitten by the log cabin bug. I just can't help myself making more these blocks. Really how many blocks do I need? I haven't even worked out how big this quilt is going to be. I like a good lap quilt but I'm sure that won't make a dent into my 1 inch batik strip pile. The only pile that is decreasing is my blue pile because it is in every block.
Maybe I need to make more than 1 quilt. How about some green and red blocks that I can fashion into Christmas presents. Table runners, place mats, a tree skirt, an apron. Oh my god! When am I going to fit all that in. I might have to machine piece the Christmas ones or I might not make it.

To top all this off I am starting a new project next week. A project I have been wanting to tackle for a couple of years. A double wedding ring quilt. Kate at A Quilters Odyssey is having a workshop on the 26th October, so I booked myself in for it. It is always good to have some expert help on hand to bale me out if I get in to deep. (Not a strong swimmer you see. Ask some my friends. Lol!)         These are the fabrics I am considering.  Just not sure if I have it quite right yet.

Fabrics for my double wedding quilt.
 

I want to use similar colours to my lone star quilt that I made a few years ago. That was done in blues and greens. I may need to get a few opinions so I can refine my selection. Don't be shy.

Keep Stitching Cynthia.

 

What's new!

We received a parcel with Riley Blake Designs fabrics in it. So here they are. All available at www.cynthiasark.com.au at $21.00 a metre. They are featured on the home page under New Products in stock.

Evening Blooms

Zoofari

Just a  note on ordering fabric on the website to help anyone that needs it. All fabric is measured in 10cm increments and price that way. Let say you want 40cm of the Zoofari stripe you would type in 4 in the quantity box and you will receive a 40cm piece.  That is why the price is $2.10. That is for 10cm. It is the small grading this shop allow. Minimum cut is 20cm. You will find fat quarters in the fat quarter section.
Keep stitching
Cynthia

What's Happening at Cynthia's Ark!

We had a lovely group visit us on Thursday afternoon. So Wednesday afternoon was spent setting up the afternoon tea area and finishing off the last of fabric treats the ladies received. They got to browse through our current stock and clearance stock, see the new kids quilts up close, enjoy afternoon tea and hopefully they enjoy themselves as much as we enjoy their visit. A special thank you to Cathy for her help on Thursday. I really appreciated it.
Then Friday saw me sorting out a variety of bolts of fabrics for our weekend sale at www.cynthiasark.com.au That is only $5.00 a metre Sale! The floor is being finished and we have to clear the main room out shortly, so I thought it would be a good time for a sale. So you will find a variety fabrics on special for $5.00 a metre across the web shop. Some bolts don't have a lot left on them and some still have plenty. Just remember minimum cut for these fabric is 50cm. That isn't much really. It is great way to top up your stash, or if you need fabric for backing, or for your current project. To top Friday off  a shipment of fabric arrived.  I look forward to uploading the pictures here and on the  web shop shortly.
Keep Stitching (and I will continue with my log cabin batik scrap blocks)
Cynthia

See the floor, just concrete. Once it is done shop furniture will be next.

Some of the fabrics included in our That is only $5.00 a metre Sale!

Fabric Scraps! What to do with them?

Fabric Scraps! Do you keep all  your scraps of fabric or Do you give them away or Do you throw them out?  Everyone is different. I have been collecting my scraps for a while. You should see all my batik scraps. When I come to the end of a project I go through the left overs and anything smaller then 2 1/2 x 1 inch goes into the bin and the rest get sorted eventually. They then get sorted into different categories depending on the fabric. eg batik, reproduction, kids, modern, etc. Back in July I went on a quilting retreat with a great group of ladies courtesy of A Quilter's Odyssey. Over the weekend Sue share with us her scrap secrets, showing us what we could do with scraps and they should never put in the rubbish if you can do something else with it. Plus she showed us a number of completed projects she had done with scraps. 




Batik Scraps I have start to sort out.



My Scrap Box

This got me thinking about my growing pile of scraps. There was a box full that I hadn't sorted and what the hell am I going to do with them anyway.
My batik scraps I cut into 1 inch strips and colour sort them, but a new pile is forming. I have been making log cabin blocks with the strips(hand piecing) I start October  2010 while on holiday. It is an easy travel project.  Now I can see a layout developing from the pile of block I have completed. (I can thank Kate from A Quilters' Odyssey for my hand piecing addiction)

4 Pink log cabin blocks sewn together.



4 Farmers Wife Sampler blocks featuring scraps.

My reproduction scraps have found their way in to my Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt(still in progress, as I am hand piecing these blocks too.)
The rest I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them. Maybe I will have to try some scrappy quilts, though I'm not very good with the scrappy look. The last one I made didn't turn out too scrappy looking, though I used up some ofmy larger batik scraps.

Who knows I may dream something up.

I'm open to suggestions.

In the mean time Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Our New Kids Quilt Kits have arrived.

There is four new Kids quilt kits in stock created by your truly. These kits contain pattern with instructions, fabric for the quilt top, binding and backing. So you need to add is your batting(wadding).
These kits are easy strip quilts, so they can be made in a weekend by a beginner or quicker for a experienced quilter.  Once you have the pattern you can use any range of fabric that has a border print included in the range. They measure approx. 108cm x 127cm(42 1/2 x 50 inch). You can purchase the kits at www.cynthiasark.com.au now at a special  price for a limited time,

The kits are Critter Magic Strip Quilt Kit, Fairy Magic Strip Quilt Kit, Tractor Time Strip Quilt Kit and When I Grow Up Strip Kit.

Critter Magic Strip Quilt Kit

Fairy Magic Strip Quilt Kit

Tractor Time Strip Quilt Kit

When I Grow Up Strip Kit


Keep Stitching
Cynthia