Triangle Quilt Along # 2

This week we are cutting our fabric into triangles. This is always exciting when starting a new project. I'm a little time poor this week as I prepare for the Laura Folk Fair next week. So I cut my fabric into strips but I have only cut 1 strip of each colour to get started. I ended up with 10 triangles from each strip with little wastage. It is always a bonus when I get extra units from a strip and I often do from the batik fabrics. So I may make my quilt a little larger if I chose.

Oops! What happened here. I think I'm short 1 fabric. How did I miss one fabric. Back to the cutting table.

That is better all fabrics account for now. So I'm ready for the next step.

Here is a link to what others are doing in this quilt along.

/http://www.sassyquilter.com/cutting-triangles/

Until next time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Building Blocks Quilt - FMQ Along # 9

This week block was cursive words. It was a disaster block for me. So I am not happy. The only thing that was ok was the first row of loops that I traced and followed. I was hopeless with the writing and it shows. I don't know if I will tackle words again too soon. I just couldn't see what I was doing to get it all lined up. LSH ( my long suffering husband) suggested an extra light to help with the shadows. It did help a bit so I will set it up on the next blocks too. I almost didn't do this post as I am a little embarrassed with the results. I think I am at the bottom of the class this week.

To see some better looking blocks follow this link.

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/fmq-project-link-up_28.html

Until next time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

March's Bulletin 2014

Here is the link for our latest newsletter.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3R8F6cX001EUGR4Q1h3ZWZ1Q0U/edit  I hope this works. This is another learning curve for me. I will set up a page where you can source all the bulletins for easy reference if this works.

Until next time.

Cynthia

Triangle Quilt Along #1

Yes it is true if you heard the rumour I have started another new project. The Triangle Quilt Along started on the 21st March on The Sassy Quilter's Blog, with sign up and fabric selection to get us started. A triangle quilt has been on my must do list list for quite awhile so this was the perfect project to tackle it. Here is my fabric selection, 10 prints and 3 solids.

 I have picked these out of the new shipment of batik fabric that arrive for our shop Cynthia's Ark I love getting to work with the new fabrics that arrive and often I don't get the chance. So I am glad to have a project to use some of them. 

There is still time to join us and have a look at what others have selected for their project.

http://www.sassyquilter.com/triangle-quilt-along-fabric/

Until next time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Building Blocks Quilt - FMQ Along # 8

This weeks quilting lesson was focused on wiggles and teeth. I manage to do this one early in the week rather than at the end of the week. After watching the tutorial I was a little worried when Leah suggested not to trace the second wiggly pattern and second teeth pattern. Just trace the beginning to get you going. Well I did what she said but in my head I was thinking I can always trace it if it was a disaster.  So imagine my surprise  when I was able to copy the line next to it free hand and had less trouble than following the traced lines. Not perfect but if I was doing more on a quilt border I think I would improve 10 fold. I may have to use these patterns in upcoming projects so I can practise. Again I snapped my thread a couple of times.

Follow this link to see what other quilters have achieved.

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/fmq-project-link-up_21.html

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

My Quilt Along Addiction

 When I saw the Layer Cake Sampler Quilt Along on the Material Girl Quilts blog, how could I resist. I may have a problem.  I may have become addicted to these Quilt Alongs this year. Last year  I participated in my first Quilt Along which was  the Inklingo The Case of the Secret Garden quilt, which I hand pieced. I enjoyed it and I have finished my quilt. One of only a handful of projects finished last year. It was a lean year sewing wise.

 So late last year when I came across Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt I jumped in using the Inklingo method. I am still working on it. I learnt a lot with Celtic Solstice including posting progress pictures online and adding links back to my blog. It has started me on a big adventure I discovered and I am really enjoying it.  One of the best things is sharing my progress on the quilt alongs with others doing the same project and see what others are doing and where they are up to.

A little sneak peak at what my Celtic Solstice quilt layed out.

So as we entered 2014 I was on the look out for new Quilt Alongs I could join and I may have gone overboard but I how could I resist these beautiful quilts and I was looking to improve my skills. So here are the Quilt Alongs I am  currently involved in.
1. Globetrotting  1 block a month with Pat Sloan.and freequiltpatterns.com
2. Building Blocks Quilt- Free Motion Quilt Along- This one has weekly lessons with Leah Day teaching the piecing and the free motion quilting.  The pattern is available at www.leahday.com  to purchase. This one is to improve my free motion quilting.
3. Aurifil Block of the Month- 1 block a month from different designers with an interview with the designer for added interest.
4. Wishes Quilt Along- 1 block a month  with the Fat Quarter Shop 
5.Layer Cake Sampler Quilt Along- 2 blocks a week with Amanda from the Material Girl Quilts.blog. This one uses layer cakes in its construction for something different.
6. This one is the newest on my list Triangle Quilt Along from Paula at The Sassy Quilter blog. This is a short 5 week Quilt Along and should be fun. I alway wanted to make a triangle quilt. It starts on the 21st March. So this one is about to start.

Have you joined any Quilt Alongs? I would love to hear what ones are being done out there. Or is it just me with this addiction. I am posting my progress on my blog on all the ones I am doing.
                                                          Until next time
                                                          Keep stitching
                                                               Cynthia

Layer Cake Sampler Quilt Along # 2

This sampler quilt along by Amanda from Material Girl Quilts started on the 21st February and 2 blocks are released each week. Getting the first 2 blocks under my belt I was eager to get stuck into the other blocks that had been released. Here are the other blocks I have done, I didn't quite catch up 2 more to go. At this stage I don't think I will get there before this week blocks are released. Block 3 is my favourite at the moment.

                                                                   Block 3

Block 4

Block 5

Block 6.

 Oh no! Not again. Last seam of the afternoon I stitched it together wrong. What is wrong with me? Beside being slightly crazy.

That is better.  All fixed. This is what it is suppose to look like.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Layer Cake Sampler Quilt Along #1

This sampler quilt along by Amanda from Material Girl Quilts started on the 21st February and 2 blocks are released each week. The difference between this quilt along and the others is it features layer cakes (10 inch squares) in its construction. I made the first 2 blocks a couple weeks ago and was pleased with my efforts and I like the size of these large blocks. I am using 1862 Battle Hymn and I cut some background fabric from my stash into 10 inch squares for the solid layer cake as I didn't have one.

                                                           Block 1

                                                       Block 2

I look forward to sewing the next lot of blocks when I have some more sewing time.
                                                       Until next time
                                                        Keep Stitching
                                                         Cynthia

Building Blocks Quilt- FMQ Along #7

This month block is rail fence blocks. A nice easy block to piece. With that done it is time for the marking and quilting of this month's first block Lines.

 I'm still having trouble with marking my blocks and seeing the lines to follow. So I have traced over my pattern for this block with a black Sharpie marker to make them stand out more. It was an improvement, I could now see the lines to trace them. Now I was ready to quilt, next time I should check my bobbin as I ran out part way through my block, another end to sew in.  At least my hands and machine seem to be working together better as I had no broken threads this time. My  lines got a little wobbly at stages but I enjoy the zig zag sections. My travel stitching is still a bit off, I need to practise that a bit more trying to stick to the previous line. After I finished the quilting and looked at the back I noticed I missed 1 stitch in the ditch line. I was going to leave it as I had travelled stitched through it but it had gaps. So I just went back to the machine and stitched it. Just need to sew in my threads. Here is my block.

 I will ask the question To stitch or not to stitch  the ditch line? Does it matter or not?  To me when I looked at the back it look uncompleted as I had stitched in the other ditch lines but there is plenty of quilting on this block so if I was using a busier background fabric it won't stand out as much so it might be ok to leave it. Share your thoughts with me in the comments section. I would love to know what others think  for future reference.

To see what other quilters have achieved follow this link. 

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/fmq-project-link-up_14.html

Until next time

Keep stitching

Cynthia

Worldwide Quilting Day

To celebrate Worldwide Quilting Day on the 15th March we are having a giveaway at www.cynthiasark.com.au  Just place an order between now and the 17th March and enter WQ DAY in the discount coupon box to receive your free gift. How easy is that.

These are the new batik fabrics that have arrived. I will posted some close up soon.

Until next time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Aurifil Block of the Month # 1

I have started this project late. As a big fan of Aurifil threads, I follow their blog and stock their cotton in our shop. I use it for all my sewing(machine and hand sewing). I have four shades in the Cotton Mako 50/2 range that are my favourite go to colours. They are 2000- light cream for all my light value piecing work, 2900- a khaki green and 2600- light grey for the middle value piecing and 2620- dark grey for the darker value piecing work. Of course there are other colours in the range I use but these four are the one's I use the most.

 I had collected the first 3 blocks thinking if things slowed down later in the year I could tackle this challenge. As I was sewing on Sunday, I thought what the hell it is only 1 block a month. So I dived into my scrap box for some larger scraps and set to it. I have no idea how this is going to come out by the end, just working from my scrap box.  It is going to be an adventure.

January's Block

 February's Block

March's Block

As you can see  the fabrics in each block are totally different. March's block is a little too busy but we will see what happens. I wonder what April's block is going to be!

Don't forget you can purchase your Aurifil cotton from our web shop- Cynthia's Ark

Until next time

Keep stitching

Cynthia

Globetrotting Block of the Month #3

Chicago is March's block for the Globetrotting Block of the Month. This is a city my husband and I have actually visited twice in the last 4 years. I had wondered if there would be any cities I have visited. It didn't take long to answer that question. The first time we were there was October 2010 and we had wonderful weather. This time we were there in May and we had totally the opposite weather. It was the coldest leg of our trip and we experienced daytime temperture well below what we were use to.

The view of Chicago from the planetarium. It was cold and windy not what we expected a couple weeks before summer.

So here is this month's block all finished.

So here is the first 3 blocks completed. I look forward to April's block I wonder where we are going.

Until next time

Keep stitching

Cynthia

Wishes Quilt Along- March Block

After getting side tracked last month and only just finishing my block before the month run out. I got my act together and did the March block early so I can focus on a project I designed that is waiting to be stitched (which I will share another time). March's block was a breeze to stitch no mistakes this time. So here it is.

                           I really like this block and will most likely make a quilt featuring this block in the near future.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia