350 Block Project- March's Report

This month total is 30 blocks.

More work on the Stash Bash projects. I finished Breezy Baskets off by sewing up the last  2 rows them joining the last 3 rows together with 2 borders, making it 7 for this one.

Some more work on Diamonds in the Breeze so for 14 more Windmill blocks and 14 diamond blocks. 5 rows sewn with 4 sashing strips and 2 borders for a total of 39.

The last eight Scrap Dance block finished. Now I have to sew all the blocks together and sewn into 5 rows, a total 13.

I also finished the last 8 blocks from February clue on the Scrap Dance Tango. Plus the 10 blocks for March are done. No Picture I swear I took the photos but I can't find them.

2 very large wonky blocks.

From Cotton Carnivale 2016 I have completed 2 octagon blocks, and a basket block.

Yes they are staples in my basket block. It is Leonie way of securing the basket to the background. I still need to remove them.

In the end I did all right for March with a total of 82.

Until next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Cotton Carnival Round Up #2

In this Cotton Carnivale roundup I want to focus on another workshop we did on the Saturday morning with Janet from Wildcraft Farm. It is not the first time I have seen her products but it was the first time I had met her and had a closer look at her products. In the workshop we got to work with the Penny Rose woven wool fabrics. It is a fantastic product.  There is 7 gorgeous colours and I am thinking we may need some in stock.

We made a  pouch in the workshop from our pack. Janet promises there will be a pattern available shortly. So once they are available I will order some pattern. Also I changed the bottom of my pouch as Janet had a scallop edge to it and I was in a zig zag mood for mine.  Mine isn't finished yet but it will be shortly.

 In the meantime I have placed a small order to get the ball rolling.  Janet has created beautiful Kit in a Card range and do havea beautiful gift with envelope included. They are perfect to give as a gift for a stitching friend or two as is or for little projects. They are very affordable. I think they would be perfect for those little gifts you need for Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day and so on.
 Then there is the next size up which are the Quilt Cards which have a larger card and envelope in it with a larger stitching pattern in it. These stitching projects would suit a mini quilt wall hanging, bag, book cover etc.

There is some stitchery/patchwork quilt patterns as well if you love stitchery quilts. If you see any Wildcraft Farm products I haven't in stock I am happy to order it in for you. Just ask.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Cotton Carnivale 2016 Round Up #1

Heading home from Cotton Carnivale 2016, my head is full of ideas and plans. I hope everyone is going join in in the fun we are going to have over the next 12 months.
This year Carnivale was held on the cruise ship Carnival Spirit on a three day cruise to nowhere.

We had lectures and workshops. Lots to learn and try. We had a play with  some fussy cutting octagons with Sue. We are going to run the All Over the Octagon club. It is a 10 month English paper piecing program with fabric, template and papers each month that make octagons when pieced together.  $38 per month plus postage. Starting in May.

This club is perfect if you love fussy cutting or if you haven't done fussy cutting before. With the first month you will receive a Cynthia's Ark fussy cutting bonus pack to get you to start. It will include the Sue Daley glue pen, needles, thread and a fussy cutting mirror. To sign up pop over to Cynthia's Ark today to reserve your spot and your Cynthia's Ark Fussy Cutting bonus pack. (Valued at $36.50) 

Join us today for some fussy cutting fun.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Quilting my Spiral Shells and Tea Party Table Topper

It is time for some quilting. I have been hanging off in hope I would get my Pfaff back but it hasn't happened. So it is time for some quilting on my little Janome which I like to piece on.
I pinned the 2 projects so I was ready and once I started I could just quilt.
The Tea Party Table topper was priority as it has a deadline. It is my workshop sample for the A Quilters Odyssey retreat in June. So I need to get it done and photos across to Sue and Kate for next month newsletter. The original plan was to use one of the Westalee rulers to create a lovely quilted design but without my Pfaff I can't do it as the foot doesn't fit the Janome. So I just did some straight line quilting instead and I was very happy with the results. It has giving me a couple of ideas for quilting the dresden plate quilt I am working on which is nearly to sashing the blocks together. I may quilt to myself. The binding was added and it was done.

A better view of my quilting.

It will be available in kit form in two colour ways on my webshop soon if you are interested.
After lunch I got stuck into the Spiral Shell reversible quilt which started my Straight Curve Experiment. I decide some free motion stippling for this one. It have been a while since I have done some. Off I went, stopped briefly to checked the stitching tension and continued once I was happy. I got two third through the quilt and I stopped for a break and I noticed a couple dodgy stitches and once I looked on the back I could of cried. My tension was gone. All the stitches were loose expected for the corner where I started from. Not happy I started unpicking it all under some cat supervision. That is Ponchee. She loves to road test my creations.

It wasn't hard to do as the bobbin thread was loose. It was that fact there was a lot to do. In the end I unpicked all the quilting and started from scratch and totally changed my mind on how I was going to quilt it. Some free motion straight line quilting that weren't totally straight or evenly spaced. I did enjoy this type of quilting as I wasn't worrying that I wobble a little and I did have to mark the quilt to keep the spacing even. I can see me doing free form straight lines again.

Now for the binding to finish it off. They look pretty straight and even to me.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Quick Quilts

If you have seen the latest patchwork and quilting magazines from Australia hopefully you would of seen my latest ad featuring my Quick Quilts- Polka Dot Pond Friends and Surprise Birthday. Plus there is now the Busy Builders, Fast Friends- Thomas and Ladybug Madness to add to the mix. All these quilts are for quilters looking for a quick  childrens project and you have to know the basic of patchwork and quilting as the pattern instructions are very basic.

Today I am going to share a little extra on the making of Polka Dot Pond Friend quilt.

Polka Dot Pond Friends

 This little pattern will work with any skinny panel you have. I have kept it simply but you can fancy it up with a four patch block like I did with the Photo Safari panel I had in stock awhile a go.

I cut 2 x 4 inch strips from the green swirl. Pinned them in place and sewed them on.

Press to the border strips.

Lay the backing fabric out, right side down; lay your wadding/batting on top. Lastly centre the quilt top in the centre. Make sure you smooth out any creases as you lay out each layer. Pin bastes the layer together.

Quilt as you like but I kept it simply and quilted around some of the motifs and some of the straight parts including stitching in the ditch between the panel and borders.

Cut 4 x 2 1/2 inch strips from the striped fabric for your binding and join the strips end to end for a very long 2 1/2 inch strip. Sew the binding on the quilt using your preferred binding method.

Quilt finishes approx. 30 x 43 inches (76 x 110 cm.)

These instructions are written for a quilter who has quilting and piecing knowledge.  Kits for this quilt and other quilts from the Quick Quilt series are available at www.cynthiasark.com.au

Polka Dot Pond Friends Quick Quilt Printer Friendly PDF

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Spiral Shells Curves.

On the 3rd March I attend a lecture by Kaffe Fassett when he was visiting Adelaide, South Australia. I knew a little bit about him through a friend who had attended his workshop last time he was here. It turned out to be a very inspiring evening learning more about him and how he see things. It also gave me a new appreciation for his fabrics. I have a very limited range of the Kaffe Collective fabrics in the shop as I couldn't work out the best way of using these fabrics. I have made a few cushions as shop samples but nothing really inspiring.

Something Kaffe said regarding what to do with such large prints- "cut it up." It stuck in my head. How to cut such prints is now sparking ideas in my head. I am still playing with ideas but I start on a reversal quilt using the 2 Spiral Shell and the zig zag fabrics in stock. What would happen if I cut the zig zag at a slight angle. What effects could I create?
Experiment #1
My straight borders don't look very straight now do they? It has created bent borders though I have straight seams.

Now to continue to playing with the ideas forming since I now have some ideas of what can happen. I may go a little cross eyed playing with these bent zig zags.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Vintage Sew Machine Quilt Tutorial

I finally got around to writing up my notes for this tutorial for my Vintage Sewing Machine Quilt for those of you that were interested in the pattern. It matches the table runner I did late last year.

Cynthia's Ark Vintage Sewing Machine Quilt

Materials                                                                   1 Thimble Pleasures Sewing Machine Panel                           15 cm Tape Measure fabric                                           15 cm scissors fabric                                            65 cm Thimble fabric                                        80 cm black fabric                                       50cm cream fabric    

Cutting                                                                   Cut your sewing machine panel into 2 equal strips.              Cut a 5 ½’ strip from each of the tape measure, scissor and thimble fabrics and cut 5 x 5 ½’ from each strip for a total of 15 squares.                                                                Cut 10 x 1 ½’ strips from the black fabric and cross cut 30 x 5 ½’ strips and 30 x 7 ½’ strips.                                            Cut 3 x 1 ¾’ strips from the cream and cross cut 12 x 7 ½’ strips for the blocks and cut another 8 x 1 ¾’ strips for sashing strips.   Cut 5 x 4’ strips from the thimble fabric.                                Cut 5 x 2 ½’ strips from the black fabric for your binding.

Piecing                                                                   To make the blocks sew a 5 ½’ black strip to both side of your 15 x 5 ½’ squares. Press seam to the square.

Sew a 7 ½’ black strip to the top and bottom of your block.  Press to the black strip this time.

 Make 15 blocks.

Arrange the blocks into 3 rows of 5. Refer to quilt picture if you want to the same arrangement as I did but you can arrange them how you like them. Sew a cream 7 1/2 ‘strip in between the blocks as per picture below. Repeat with your other 2 rows.

Measure your pieced strips and cut 6 x 1 ¾’ cream strips to that measurement and sew one to the top and one to the bottom of your row of blocks. Press to the cream strip.

Trim your 2 machine panel’s strip to the same measurement of your block rows.  Arrange your rows as per pictures and sew the 5 rows together. Press towards the sewing machine panel.

Sew your remaining 3 x 1 ¾’ cream strip together in to a long strip for your side borders. Press seams open.  Measure your quilt through the middle top to bottom and cut 2 cream strips to that length and sew them to the sides of your quilt.

Next is the border and sew 3 x 4’ border strips together lengthwise.  Press seams open.  Now cut 2 strips the same length as you cut for your cream side sashing strips.  Sew your border strips to the sides of your quilt.  Press to the border. Sew the remaining part strip to your last 2 border strips. Press seams open. Measure your quilt through the middle sideway this time and cut 2 strips to that measurement. Sew them to the top and bottom of the quilt. Press toward the border. This completes your top.

Quilting                                                                                              Layer your backing fabric out (wrong side up) then the batting goes on top followed by the quilt top (right side up). Make sure you smooth out any lumps and baste with safety pins or use your preferred method. Quilt as you wish. I just stitched in the ditch for this one.  There a lots of options for you.

Backing

For the backing I have used a piece of Thimble Pleasures Sewing Sayings 155cm cut it off centre so I have 2 pieces x 155 cm and cut 2 x 12’ strips of scissor fabric joined them lengthwise and sewing the 3 pieces together with the scissor material in the middle. (Not included in the materials list)

 Binding                                                                                                   To make the binding join the strips end to end with a 45 degree mitred seam, press the seams open. Press the binding strip in half lengthwise with the wrong sides facing. Stitch the binding the front of the quilt, mitring the corners as you go and mitre the binding ends together to complete and sew in place. Trim the backing and batting to ½’ from your binding stitching line. Fold the binding over the edge to the back of the quilt and slip stitch it in place with a matching coloured thread. Don’t forget to finish your quilt with a label on the back.

Finished size: 49 1/2'  x 58’ (126 x 148 cm)

This quilt was designed by Cynthia Woodham for Cynthia’s Ark. This pattern is for personal use only, not to be copied in any form without the permission from the designer. Copyright © Cynthia’s Ark 2016

All the fabrics used in the pattern are available at www.cynthiasark.com.au and there is a kit available (Kit includes all the fabric for the quilt top and binding only) to purchase while stocks last. You will need to purchase backing fabrics separately.

Printer friendly version (PDF) 

Cynthia's Ark VSM quilt Pattern

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Stash Bash Sewing Party

We had our first ever Stash Bash Sewing Party on Saturday. The workshop is based around one block that make four different quilts. The quilt  that everyone decided to make was the Catch Me if you Dare quilt which features on the cover of the booklet.

The pattern booklet and fabric pack are available at a special price until midnight Monday 14th March (Adelaide time). The pattern booklet is available in PDF format and Paper format. This way everyone is covered.

The Sewing Party went down a treat. Everyone was eager to learn and sew. That made my job easier.

I was really nervous about how the workshop was going to go but in the end it was a party with lots of fun. Lots of blocks were made. Mandy and Lisa completed their 72 blocks each and pieced together in their windmill blocks with Julie at 35 blocks getting her half way through her blocks. 

Julie's Block

Mandy's Block

Lisa's Block

Lisa and Julie are make theirs with the La Vie Boheme fabric pack and Mandy is using the Dazzling Blues fabric range which she has been looking for a special project, so she could cut into it. Now there is some Dazzling Blue fabrics left in store and I can make up some Stash Bash Sewing Party fabric packs up if everyone is interested. Just let me know. 

                                                       

Plus we even had some fun playing a few hands of Calendar Bingo after lunch. A customer favourite these days and there was prizes for the winners.

On Sunday I have the Diamonds in the Breeze quilt been made in the workshop. This is a slightly harder project, only in in the fact it has two blocks in it but still they are made from the same block but the fabrics are in different places in one block. Plus a lot more blocks to be made. Now this one hasn't been made yet, so I am looking forward to seeing this one come together.

I will try and take a few more photos today. I was too busy in Saturday workshop teaching and helping that taking photos didn't cross my mind but at least I did get a picture of their first completed windmill block.
I will run this workshop again later in the year so if you couldn't make this weekend workshops,  let me know what dates would suit and I will see if I can arrange another Stash Bash Sewing Party sooner than later.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Stash Bash Sewing Party Update #3

On Saturday our first Stash Bash Sewing Party is happening in store. Plus you can buy the pattern booklet and fabric pack online if you can't make one of the in store workshop. I will reschedule this workshop again a little later in the year for those who were interested but the dates did not suit this time. Fabric requirements can be found on this post if you just want to buy the pattern booklet and make your version. If you do I would love to see it via our Facebook page  
Today I want to share Project #3 The Breezy Basket Quilt. This is the hardest of the four projects in the booklet as there 2 blocks and the basket block has a left and right handed blocks to be made. It is still achievable but you have to take a little more care when piecing.

I am looking forward to Saturday workshop, everything is nearly ready. Just need to take care of morning/afternoon tea. Plus remember the shop is open on Saturday and Sunday if you want to pop in for some shopping. It is a long weekend here in South Australia so it is the perfect time to pay us a visit.

Until Next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia