Monday, August 31, 2015

350 Blocks Project 2015- August Report



I got started early this month. Finally I am getting things moving again. The groove is back I think. Hooray just in time as there is deadline to meet. I am cutting it a little fine. The quilts are designed and fabric selected but I still need to make the quilts and write the patterns. The pressure is on. Fingers crossed I can get it done. sometime I need that deadline hanging over my head to get moving a little quicker.
This month's total is 30. 

This month I have made some more Ohio Star blocks, 3 more.

 Finished my last 3 blocks for the Little Joys Quilt Along and sewn all the blocks together 3 rows and borders. So a total of 7. All done.


I made 2 test blocks 1 successful and 1 failure. A redo for the failed block. Done. So 2.

I have been working on 2 quilts that are one patch quilts, so I only counted the rows.
The first one I can't show a picture yet. It is a special secret project for my Fully Stacked event but I can tell you there is 8 across and 10 rows down. 10 for this quilt.

The second one patch quilt is my Leaders & Enders Project for this year. It is a tumbler quilt. So far the total is 3 rows.

Another test block it belongs with the red, white and blue test block.

Plus a stack 4 patch blocks from a Fully Stacked project. It stands at 30 blocks.

As I have been doing well this month the next Fully Stacked quilt has been started with 9 blocks completed and row joined and sewn together for a total 20.

My total for the month is 76.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia


Saturday, August 29, 2015

My Inklingo Star Quilt



It has been a while since I finished the quilt top. The poor quilt has been sitting in the To be Quilted pile for 3-4 months and at one stage I had a July deadline for the completion of it. Well July is gone and August is just about done. Finally I have pinned it ready for quilting. Another week goes by. Why can't I decide on how to quilt this one? I could easily have it finished if I just stitched it in the ditches but that just doesn't appeal to me. I think this top was waiting for me to rediscover FMQ again and after a couple tests with the rulers I purchased from Westalee Design I decided on a floral design using the 2' circle ruler from the Sampler set and on the plain blocks I followed the diagonal pattern of the fabric for a zigzag effect.

I used the Inklingo 9' Star collection to make the star blocks which I did by hand and when I quilted it I was easily able to use my seams to line the circle ruler quickly every time for perfect placement of the floral design. There is an Inklingo link in the Right hand side toolbar if you want to learn more about printing on to fabric for precision piecing every time.

So now I am up to the binding stage and I can see the completion of this quilt clearly which is fantastic. I am using the pink stripe that I used for the star centre for the binding.  All the fabric I have used in the quilt is from Sue Daley's To Norway with Love is still available in my shop.


Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Friday, August 28, 2015

Hot Bolt of the Week #4

This week's Hot Bolt of the Week is Sue Daley Designs To Norway with Love Floral Diamond fabric. It is only $12.00 a metre for this week. It is a bargain at this price and with 3 other bolts from the range still stock. There is possibilities for this fabric.

This fabric is strongly featured in my Inklingo Star quilt which I have been quilting this week.  So be quick to take advantage of this price. Visit Cynthia's Ark to purchase some.  My star quilt ready for quilting.
Until Next Time 
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Cynthia's Ark Fully Stacked


At Cynthia's Ark we have a special event in the works. Stay tuned for updates and sneak peaks over the next few weeks here on the blog, on Instagram @cynthiasark and my Facebook page.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Monday, August 24, 2015

Under the Pressure Foot #10


This weekend I pinned 2 quilt tops ready for some more quilt ruler testing.  So far I am loving the Westalee quilting rulers. I had gone back to doing more straight line free motion quilting as I have been struggling with curves and I had nearly given up on going further with my free motion quilting due to the lack of success. With some new advice on free motion quilting on my machine (and that was the key I needed someone who knew my brand of machine) I have been put back on track. It is true it is the little things the matter. Just having the wrong needle in my machine nearly ruined my free motion quilting adventure. The machine still doesn't like to go backwards but if I can avoid it I will.
 I watched a few more tutorials on the rulers during the week and they have inspired me to try a couple more rulers in the sampler set. First I tried the Spin-e-fex #4 ruler which creates a lovely floral design.

 I did want to use this ruler on my Star quilt but when I sewed the sample it was a little small for my 9' block. That is why I started with this quilt instead of my star quilt that I really wanted to quilt first because it has been sitting here the longest. Never mind it will be next.
 To see the whole front you have to wait a little longer as it is part of a special event coming soon. Keep your eyes open for Cynthia's Ark Fully Stacked for the big reveal. Here is a little bit of the back and a better look of my quilting.

The Westalee Design Ruler Foot  is available in the shop now and a range of their rulers will be available in my shop shortly. When ordering the quilting foot you need to tell me in the comment box as you go through the checkout which machine you plan to use it on as there is 4 sizes available. Once you know which foot you need that will also tell you which size rulers you use with your foot, as the rulers come in 2 sizes.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Forget Me Not Sew Along # 1

I could not resist starting a new project using hexagons. Sue Daley of Sue Daley Designs specialises in English Paper pieces and accessories. Recently I have added her products to my shop. So if English Paper piecing is a favourite of yours or you would like to try it, I now have the supplies for you on the webshop and in the shop.
Last week Sue Daley start her Forget Me Not Sew Along on her blog using her latest range which happens to be call Forget Me Not. It is a English Paper piecing hexagon project. Now I love hexagons and hand piecing so this is right up my alley. So I hit the shop and selected some Civil War Miniatures & Civil War Times fabrics that I have in stock and off I went fussy cutting hexagons to my heart's delight.  Luckily Step 1 and Step2 are easy enough I should able to complete both steps this week during the evenings and I will be ready for  Step 3 when Sue releases it.
 It's not too late to join us and if you are interested here is the link to Sue's blog.
 This is Step 1 which I did easily in an evening with a black cat in my lap.
Then the first part of Step 2 another night.

Now I am close to finishing Step 2, just a few more hexagons to go.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Friday, August 21, 2015

Hot Bolt of the Week #3

This week's Hot  Bolt of the Week is Kaffe's Collective 15 Pansy fabric. Now I know there are lots of pansy lovers out there, I am one of them. 

So this is a great buy and it is a recent arrival in store. It is a bargain to get 40% off a new one. Pop over to Cynthia's Ark to buy some now.  
If you have been following my blog you would of seen me make a plump cushion from this pansy fabric. The one thing I noticed with these fabrics from this range is how soft and silky the fabric feels.  
I think it would make a lovely summer skirt. Maybe it is something I should have a go at making. Push my skill boundaries a little. What do you think? 

Just reminding everyone the Free Gift Special Offer on the website runs out on the 31st August 2015.
Until Next Week
Keep Stitching 
Cynthia

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Scrap Dance Quilt Along #5

We are getting closer to our finish. This month I had to make  10 of these unit for my lap quilt. Nice easy sewing. It is what you need sometime. You want to sew but not wanting to do any brain straining. I know I do. It sometimes makes me feel better that I have managed something on the machine even if it is simple chain piecing for a project. To mark something off my To Do List brings me closer to completing a project. You are 1 base closer to a home run in my book.

Simply sewing can be satisfying.
Until Next Time
Keeping Stitching
Cynthia

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Little Joys Quilt Along #3

It is time to show you my latest finish. I have finished my Little Joys quilt. Fresh and zippy this quilt speak to me of Christmas in Summer. I played with my rulers again and I had a play with the small clamshell ruler, mainly because I was curious how it worked and it was the right size for my little border. You can just see it across the top of the quilt.
I used the stripe from the range to make the binding. Do you think I like stripe bindings or what? Second time this month I have used a stripe but they are my favourite going fabric for binding. If there is a stripe in the range I automatically get extra so I have enough for the binding.

Now I have completed all the binding, it is time to get back to  quilting, 2 more quilts to go. Luckily I left the Pfaff set up for quilting. Tomorrow I will pin my Inklingo star top and prepare a sample sandwich. I want to play with another ruler in the sampler set I got.

Until next time
Keeping Stitching
Cynthia

Friday, August 14, 2015

Hot Bolt of the Week #2

This week I have chosen Start the Party  for the Hot Bolt of the Week.

 This fabric is in our I Spy packs. Each pack has 30 x 6 1/2 inch novelty squares at $18 a pack. They are perfect for the little ones in your life.

 So this fabric would work well for borders or backing fabric for boys or girls. You won't believe the price for this one. So pop over to Cynthia's Ark to check it out.
 Until next time
Keeping Stitching
Cynthia

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Under the Pressure Foot #9


Here we are ready for some quilting. I recently purchase a new quilting foot and rulers for my Pfaff machine from Westalee Designs. I saw the rulers in action when we were A Quilters Odyssey retreat in June. So once I got home I did some research and I was impressed with what I saw. I went ahead and contacted Westalee Designs to work out which quilting foot would match my Pfaff and with some advise from them I purchase a quilting foot and the Sampler set of rulers to test and to consider stocking their products.
With the instructions included with the quilting foot it didn't take me long to set the foot up correctly on my Pfaff machine.


I started with a practise sandwich as suggested and straight away I was impress with the results. I started with the curve ruler that comes with the quilting foot.
Once I was happy and comfortable with using the ruler I set to quilting my Christmas table runner. I started on the blocks.
This one shows my quilting up the best I am using one of my favourite Aurifil colours 2000 50 wt. It could easily live in my machine all the time that is how often I use this colour.
Then I had to play in the border. I went a little crazy, I don't think I will quilt this close together soon and little bigger gap next time. Two things to remember for next time the Pfaff doesn't like to go backward and think what you are going to do in the corner before starting.
This is what I did in the corners and I am very happy how it turned out but it so easily could of be a disaster.
All quilted.

Binding on and my table runner is completed.

 This is the second finish this month. Yippy! My Little Joys Quilt is next to complete. Just the binding to go.
Until next time
Keeping Stitching
Cynthia





Monday, August 10, 2015

My Wishes Quilt is Completed.


Yes finally I have another finish to cross off my 2015 list. This quilt was from the Fat Quarter Shop blog. It was their Wishes Block of the Month last year. I was using some of my reproduction stash and  I only brought the meterage of the background fabric for it. Once again Valerie from the House of Valerie has done a wonderful job quilting it for me. I left it to her to select the quilting design and I loved it on sight.

During the week before I picked it up I was kicking myself over the fact I didn't keep all the leftover to make a scrappy matching binding but yesterday I was thinking I was already working from scraps so there wasn't a lot of pieces large enough for binding. I did have 3 fabrics in the stash that were in the quilt, 2 blue and a red. So after asking my LSH (long suffering husband) which one he liked. It was decided the red was the better choice.

Everything was going fine until I reached the last corner and I thought I had run out of bobbin thread but it turn out I was wrong but I was low. Was there enough to finish the binding? How high up did I start on this side? Then I noticed I was almost to the last binding strip. I hope my maths was correct.
I can tell you my maths was correct and I didn't run out of binding but I did run out of bobbin thread this close to the finish. What a bummer. I suppose it is better I run out of bobbin thread than binding. It is easier to slip in a full bobbin then add another strip of binding.
So here she is all finished. Sorry it isn't the best picture I was on a ladder to take this photo and not feeling too secure and it wasn't too bright.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia
PS Hopefully I will be writing a post on my Farmer's Wife Sampler sooner than later as I have change my mind again and left it with Valerie to quilt for me. I wanted to hand quilt it but realistic I knew it would take me years and I really want to use it. Just not enough time to sew all the projects I want to make.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

A New Hot Special on Offer.

If you have visited my shop or my Facebook page over the last couple of days you might of seen a new feature special and if you haven't let me tell everyone about it.
It is my

Each week I am going to select a bolt of fabric from the shop and it will be on special for just that week or until it sells out whichever comes first. You just never know what bolt will be on special. It may be a fabric that has been here for a while, maybe one I am working with or a new fabric that has just arrive.

This week's bolt is Civil War Times Daisy fabric from Penny Rose Fabrics and you can purchase now at www.cynthiasark.com.au  at a special price but I'm not going to tell you what the special price is. You need to visit the website to find that out.  This special is also available in my shop in Mallala so if you want to visit just me me a call.

On Thursday over at Penny Rose Fabrics blog they have their Traditional Block Thursday and this week they featured the Ohio Star block which I am currently working on a quilt featuring this block so I thought would make a block up with this week's fabric.
I paired it up with Riley Blake Designs Cream on Cream Floral which is also in stock and whipped this block up in no time.

Here is the link to the Penny Rose Fabrics post on the block if you need the instructions to make the block. It's not a hard block to make. This is my block made up. My block is a 6 inch block.


Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Little Joys Quilt Along #2

If you read my Little Joys Quilt Along post from last week, you would know I planned to finish the last block (the Christmas present) on Friday. Guess what! It didn't happen I had all these plans I was going to come home from a local craft store with some extra supplies and sew way into the night. I can say I did start but I didn't get far in and I hit the wall. As I knew I had a big day on Saturday I turn in. There is no point continuing when you are feeling headachy and tired. Some days I have enough trouble with making mistake when I am feeling good, so there is no point when I am feeling poorly.

Any way I did get the last 3 present block completed on Tuesday night so it was time to assemble the top.

I am going to have to plan a quilting day and starting a few of these projects to complete them.

Here is the top altogether without the last border but I can tell you that border is on. I just forgot to take another photo.
Now to baste it for quilting, I am going to use the Christmas tree fabric for the backing. It is my favourite in the range.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Friday, August 7, 2015

Cushion Time

Last week I shared an AQS tutorial on my Cynthia's Ark Facebook page on cushion making with a special tip for the corners. I was inspired to try it as there was some large scale Kaffe Collective 15 fabrics that had just arrived and I was wondering how to showcase them.

I choose 2 prints to start with.Though I want to make a cushion from each print. That may happen who knows! It didn't take me long to make the first one using the Chrysanthemum print. A long week and a little too tired to continue but I promised myself I will do the other one during the week.

 On Tuesday night I cut the second one out and had it sewn up in no time using the Pansy print this time. The only problem I had was the cushion insert was a little smaller than what the packet claimed so my first cover was a little loose. Not too hard to fix.

 I think I will find different cushion insert when I make some more, just not quite happy with the filling in these ones. The stuffing isn 't quite in the corners.
Visit my Cynthia's Ark Facebook page to find the tutorial.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Scrap Dance Quilt Along #4

We have had another clue for July and I am looking forward to how all these clues fit together. There has been a couple of times I thought I had it worked out but have I. I will have to wait and see what it really is. I am enjoying the pace of this quilt along. No pressure I have time to work on each clue.
For July's clue I only had to make 10 blocks and they were really simply. Not even I could stuff them up for a change. Here they are.

There is the Scrap Dance Link in the right hand side toolbar if you are interested.My blocks so far at least I am up to date.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Sunday, August 2, 2015

The Latest Additions to the Ark

We had two new members of the Ark to share with you this week. Meet Piper and Pete the pengiuns. These cuties are from another Melly & Me pattern and the pattern is available in store now. I am loving the Melly & Me patterns so far, all the ones I have made I have completed successfully which is great news for me and you. If I can make them then most of you out there can make them as well.

I know there is another member joining us soon. She is just busy on assignment at the moment. So as soon as she arrives I will introduce her.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia