350 Block Project 2015- May's Report

This Month's goal is 30 Blocks.
Prairie Moon Quilts runs the 350 Blocks Project: 2015. It is a great challenge to record the year's quilting journey. It is like a monthly quilting diary and I wonder if I can collate the 12 monthly post for myself  for future reminiscing.  May's report for the 350 Blocks Project: 2105. Here we go.
What a slow start to May.  In the first 10 days on May I had managed 8 Four patch blocks.

Working at putting my Inklingo Stars together. 5 for the blocks going together into rows and 5 more for the rows being joined. Now for the borders. So that is 4 more for a total of 14.

Next I joined my lozenge quilt rows together so there is another 8 to the total and another quilt top for the quilting pile. I better plan a quilting weekend and finish a few of these or get them to my longarm quilting expert so she can quilt for me.

Sewing rows together has allow me to make some more Idaho Square Dance blocks as leaders and enders.       4 blocks completed this month.

 A couple more hexagon flowers completed for my black and white hexagon quilt.

May Vacation Time block is completed.

 3 x RSC Green blocks have also completed.

Plus I joined Christa's Paper Piecing Quilt Along to expand my paper piecing skills. A technique I really want to work on. So 1 more block to the total.

Plus 2 Windmill blocks from my Rainbow Batik Sampler.

 I am happy to get this much done after such a slow start. Maybe June will have more sewing time in it.

The Month's total is 43.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Unfinished Projects- I need to finish something.

This week I have been working on ........................ It turns out not a lot on the sewing machine. I am hoping June will provide me with some more sewing time. I have a number of new projects I want to start on, plus I want to finish half a dozen projects they are either ready for quilting or just need borders.
So what I have done is selected 3 quilts that I am going to try finishing during June.
I just need to do the binding on my Pies & Tarts quilt now that I have finished the hand quilting.

My Lozenge quilt is ready for quilting and I have decided on the quilting so lets get the quilt basted so I can do.

Lastly my Inklingo star quilt is ready for quilting I am still haven't decided on how I am going to quilt it but then again I can't think what to call this star quilt but at least I can get it basted ready for quilting.

So let's see how I go during June. I know there are other deadlines I need to meet in June so I can't promise all three will get finished but at least I have made the commitment to try.

 Join us in finishing something in June.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Rainbow Scrap Challenge #6

This month's colour is green. So I know there is plenty in my stash for these blocks. Here are a few I pulled for this month's blocks. Yes there is a little bit of blue  peeking out  amongst the green. It is part of a green stripe, I will cut around it if I have to.

There is 3 blocks this month and with the shortage of time on my hands I cut the centres of the blocks one night. Then the next night I pieced the blocks.

Then cut and sewed the sawtooth star part of the blocks to complete them the following night,  just enough time to write this post and squeeze it in before the month finished.

 The second block is my favourite this month. As I write this post next month's colour has just been released it is Light Blue.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

2015 To Do List Update.

I think it is time to check in on my 2015 To Do List and see if I have made any progress or have I wander way off my path.

UFO's from 2014

1. My Pies & Tarts quilt. I am 3/4 through hand quilting this one.
I have made some progress on this one, the quilting is finally completed last night. I am hoping to bind it over the weekend.
2.My Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt. I have finished the top in 2014 so it is ready for quilting. I just have to decide hand quilt it or machine quilt it.

Still haven't made my decision on this one. I keep changing my mind.
3. My Double Wedding Ring quilt which has become a bed runner. I have lots to go on this one.
No progress at all but this is going to be my retreat project at the end of June.
4. My Disappearing Hourglass quilt. I only have made 6 blocks so far.
Completed.

5. My Wishes quilt. Ready for quilting.
I must drop this one to my long arm quilting friend, as I had decided not to quilt this one myself.
6. My Pink Dahlia quilt. I need to find the templates so I can continue.
Templates found so I will be able to do some more of this one soon.
7. My Inklingo Castle Wall quilt. I am working on the 2nd pieced border.

Completed.

8. My Inklingo star quilt. All printed and 2 blocks completed out of 12.

Ready for quilting.
9. Grand Illusion Mystery quilt. I am currently working on the blocks.
Blocks all joined together, ready to do the borders when I have time.
10. My Lozenge scrap quilt. All ready for blocks to be assembled, if I don't change my mind and want to make it bigger.
Ready for quilting.
11. My Aurifil Block of the Month quilt.  I am ready to arrange and piece the top ready for quilting.
Still sitting waiting to be sewn together.

12. My Crossroad Quilt. I am still working on the blocks, 12 done and 13 to go if I settle on 25 blocks. I am undecided about a border I may just make some more block to make it bigger.
Completed now called Scrappy Roads.

New things to do for 2015.

Pat Sloan's Vacation Time Block of the month.
Up to date we are 5 blocks in.
Quiltmaker's New Year Mystery Quilt
Blocks made ready to be sewn together.
So Scrappy Rainbow Scrap Challenge 15
Working on May's Blocks

Added to this list is
Scrappy Dance Quilt Along
We are up to clue 3 on this one.
Quiltmaker Bitty Blocks
Starting to fall behind I think I am still working on April's blocks
Just started Christa's Quilts Paper Piecing Quilt Along
We have sewn the first block
Addicted to Scrap Idaho Square Dance has become my Leader & Ender project for this year.
3 blocks completed with lots of sub units made to make more blocks.
Still a lot here to work on. Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Paper Piecing Quilt Along #2

This week we got to sew our first block in the Paper Piecing Quilt Along from Christa's Quilts. I don't have a lot of experience with paper piecing so I was a little unsure how I was going to go with the block. I love the block so I had to try. I discovered it isn't too hard as long as you follow the numbers on the papers and the excellent instructions that came with it.

 I got it completed but I need to do my next blocks a little differently as I wasn't set up well enough as my cutting table was too far away from the sewing machine and the iron was closer but not close enough and going back and forwards all the time will drive me crazy. So when I do the next batch of block I will set up better like Christa's suggested. It isn't a hard technique to learn once I got my head around it. So I am looking forward to explore this technique a little deeper, sooner than later.

I am very happy with my first block so close to perfect that I impressed myself. Lets just say my finished block was just fraction undersized, not enough that I have to redo it. I just need to take a little more care as I make the next blocks. I think when I folded the paper on the over my flat edge it could of been flatter.
It's not too late to join in,  here is the link Christa's Quilts.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Vacation Time Block of the Month #5

This month block from Pat Sloan Vacation Time Quilt is Beach Bag. I am enjoying using these bright batiks in this project.

It is like a colour fest when I cut the fabrics and sew them together. It has a wow effect on me. I just love these reds, greens and blues together. My fabrics for this project just to tease you. Most of these are still available in my webshop if any of them take your fancy.

 When I was laying out the block pieces to sew them together I noticed a different block in the block so I had to lay it out and take a picture of it so I can play with it at a later date.

So here is May's block completed how it is really meant to be.

The layout for this quilt is very interesting I can't wait to see the final quilt.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Scrap Dance Quilt Along #2

We are up to our third clue in this mystery quilt in the Scrap Dance Quilt Along by From My Carolina Home.  As all my fabric is cut and my HST units are made, this allowed me to sew Clue #2 strips together in a hour or so and being time poor this month it has helped me feel I have completed something even if it not a whole block or quilt. I completed this clue ready for the next clue ahead of time. Here is what they look like.

Now it is time to do some challenging sewing I think.

Looking forward to the next clue.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Free Post Friday

Just thought I would share with everyone Today is  FREE POST FRIDAY over in the shop. So pop over to Cynthia's Ark to do some fabric shopping today. 

This promotion can be used to join our Stash Building Fabric Club if you have been thinking of joining our newest club. It starts in June, so if you sign up today and enter this postage coupon you will save.  But remember you have to put FREE in the discount coupon box to get the free postage. How good is that.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Under The Pressure Foot #2

Welcome to Under The Pressure Foot this week. This week I have been focusing on finishing borders and tops, so some quilt tops get completed, ready for quilting. There are a few too many unfinished projects here and I really feel I need to complete some as I start new ones or at least looking at starting new ones.

The first one doesn't have any borders but the rows needed to be joined together on my leaders and enders Challenge from last year.  A great experience with scrappy. I still can't bring myself to be totally cool with completely scrappy but I am happy with what I refer to as controlled scrappy. On my lozenge quilt I was able to control the quilt with matching corners on each block. So the light pair matched and the dark pair matched. I think this is my happy scrappy place. You can just see my matching corners on these block, the dark corners really show it.

My Lozenge blocks altogether finally. So it is ready for quilting. I am thinking of some matchstick quilting in a black and white variegated thread.

Last week I shared the progress on my latest Inklingo quilt with joining the blocks together. So now I am up to the borders. In the end I decided on 1 border in the darker pink. It was an easy finish  once I had the cutting worked out as it is a directional print.

A close up that could've been closer  below.

Not sure how I'm quilting this one but I know it needs to be finished by the end of June so I can use it as one of my Inklingo display quilts on my stall at the Adelaide Sewing Stitching and Handcraft Show in July.

I will let you know what I do.

Until Next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Paper Pieced Quilt Along # 1

How you seen Christa Watson new quilt along? If not here is the link Christa's Quilts. This quilt along appealed to me from the first post I saw of the block she was working with. Even better when I discovered it is paper pieced. This is a technique I really want to explore. I have done a little bit with paper piecing but not enough. So I made the decision to join this quilt along and expanse my paper piecing knowledge.
These are the fabrics I have selected for this quilt along.

This is the layout that I really liked so that is where I am going. If this is a winner I am thinking matching cushions. I am getting ahead of myself now.

Papers all printed ready to go on the 20th May when we get to sew our first block. I checked the scale after the first one and adjusted my printer setting accordingly but I did keep it for a reference guide and to take down any notes I may need to remember as I piece the block.

So I am now already to start. This is going to be exciting stuff hopefully and I will take a few more steps along my paper piecing journey.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching.

Cynthia

Blogger's Quilt Festival 2015

It is that time of the year when Amy runs the Blogger Quilt Festival over at AmysCreativeSide.com. She does this twice a year. So this time I have selected my last completed quilt for the Small Quilt category. This is 1 block out of 9 I made.

It is my Castle Wall Quilt. I still haven't thought of a proper name for this quilt. The range of fabric I used was Twice as Nice by The Quilted Fish for Riley Blake Designs. Any suggestions for a name would be considered! Anyway I used the Inklingo Castle Wall collection to help me piece this quilt. Printing the block shapes on the back of the fabric help out heaps when I am hand piecing. I suggest you have a look if you haven't heard of Inklingo before. There is a link in the right hand side toolbar. This project has been everywhere with me over the last 12 months as I pieced the blocks followed by the triangle borders.  I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Don't forget to vote for your favourites in each category starting the 22nd May 2015.

Here is the main link to the Blogger's Quilt Festival 

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

New Series - Under the Pressure Foot #1

Welcome to my new series Under the Pressure Foot. In these posts I am going to share with everyone what I am working on at the sewing machine. It may be a new design, a sample for the shop using one of patterns we stock, learning something new, sewing a pattern that I just want to make or just some scrap busting. You just never know what might be under my pressure foot. So here is what I am working on today.

My Inklingo Star project using Riley Blake Designs To Norway With Love, a Sue Daley range and yes there is a little bit left in the shop if you like what you see.  The shop tab is at the top of my blog. With all the block completed I am up to sewing the blocks into row. Yes I did hand piece the star blocks if you have seen earlier post on this project. This is one of the great things about Inklingo - Hybrid piecing as Linda calls it. Hand piecing and machine piecing in the same project and often in the same block. This time I am only machine piecing the quilt top together. I have set the star blocks with an alternate plain block between them. You can see the fabric at the top of the picture below.

Now the rows are done you can see my layout better. As I sew these rows together I better decide if I am doing borders. I am considering the light pink stripe(the inner star fabric) for a small inner border and binding but not sure if I use the outer star points fabric for the outer border or there is a cream with the same little motif on fabric or may be I will only do one border in the dark pink.

I am amazed I don't twist any of the solid blocks around and ended up with them on the wrong way. 

Yippy all the blocks sewn together.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fab Box #2 Project- Evening Bloom Table Runner Tutorial

Evening Blooms Table Runner

Materials                                                                                    1 x Evening Blooms Fab Box or 5 x 2 1/2’ co-ordinating strips (WOF)                13 x 27' Batting                                                                            13 x 27’ Backing Fabric                                                                General sewing supplies (sewing machine, thread, pins etc)                    

 Easy Angle Ruler                            

Let’s start. Choose one strip for your binding and put aside. (I selected the black strip). Lay out your 4 strips as per picture.

Take the 2 middle strips out and pair them together right sides together. Use an Easy Angle Ruler and cut 8 sets of triangles.

Sew your triangles together creating 8 half square triangle units. Press to the darker fabric. Layout your HST units as per picture.

Sew your row of squares together. This is the centre of your table runner.

Measure and cut 1 strip x 16’ each from your HST strips to go either side of your HST strip. Sew them on and press seams to the outer strips.

                   

Cut 1 x 6 ½’ each strips from your HST strips and sew them on to the sides. Press to the outer fabrics.

Cut 1 x 20’ strip of each from the next 2 fabrics and sew them on. Press toward the outer border.

Cut 1 x 10 ½’ of each of second strips and sew them on the sides. Press towards the outer border.

This completes the top of your table runner. Cut your backing fabric and batting/wadding approx. 27 x 13’. Lay your backing fabric out (right side down) secure it with clamps or tape, then the batting goes on top followed by your table runner top. Make sure you smooth each layer as you go so you don’t have any lumps. Baste with safety pins or for small project you can use baste spray glue and quilt as you like. I used the diagonal lines of the HST units to guide my diagonal quilting line across the whole table runner.

Now for the binding I randomly cut the black strip and sewed  the remaining strips alternately with the black strip. You will not be able to mitre your joins as there is not quite enough fabric left to mitre all your joins. Trust me I started and quickly realised I was going to be short.  Stitch the binding to the front of your quilt (folded edge facing in), mitring the corners and join. Trim the backing and batting to ½ inch from your binding stitching line. Fold the binding over the raw edges enclosing them hold in place with binding clips and stitch it in place on the back of your quilt with a matching thread. Finish your quilt with a label.

Finished size: 24 x 10 ½’                     

  Care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this pattern. However the designer has no control over the choice of materials or procedures used, no responsibility will be taken or results guaranteed.                                                                    This table runner was designed by Cynthia Woodham for Cynthia’s Ark. This pattern is personal use only, not to be copied in any form unless you have permission from the designer. Copyright © Cynthia’s Ark 2015

                                              

        

This is all the fabric I had left from the Fab Box.