Under the Pressure Foot #21

It has been a while since I have done a Under the Pressure Foot post. Why I don't know. Maybe I haven't felt like I have been under too much pressure to finish things off until this last week. With deadlines loaming it is time to bring a few things to a close before starting some new projects including a couple of large quilts that will test my skills in needle turn applique and machine applique. Two techniques I have used a little but not too successful at. Somehow this year is turning into a year of improving my applique skills. I have done a few projects and have improved my skills by adapted new ways of doing hand applique. I don't think what I am doing is new but being left handed in a right handed world sometimes things don't work out as easily as they should, I feel. So hopefully I have found my way with hand applique and I may learn to enjoy do it.

Are you curious about the two projects I about to start? The first one is Pemberleyhas. I have been plastering all over my Facebook page for the last couple of month as I will be running it as a Block of the Month starting June.

There is still time to join us if you are tempted. All the details are on my website. Plus you may have seen I have the Pemberley quilt on loan hanging in the shop. So Saturday being the first Saturday of the month the shop is open as it is Project Uninterrupted day. Perfect to come and have a close look at it.  No touching allow but you can have a close up look. It is so much better in person. My pictures don't do it justice.

The second one is Michele Hill's William De Morgan Sampler.  I have admired her work for quite a while and getting the chance to hear her speak about William Morris(A big fan of his work too) last year at our annual retreat inspired me to have a go. I have had the pattern nearly a year and a couple of my friends have already started their. So I am a little behind but at least the decision has been made to do it and I can look at pulling fabrics for it.

So I think I am up for a challenging time making these two beauties. When I get them finished I am sure they will became treasured pieces in my collection. I will be sharing my progress especially on the Pemberley quilt as there is a group of us stitching at the same time.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Some Free Motion Quilting Time

It has been a while since I have try something new on the quilting front with my main machine out of action for 8 weeks.  My quilting pile has grown.  So it was time to tackle some of the projects, as some have deadlines that needed to be met. Luckily they are all small projects so I was able to get 2 of the small projects with deadlines quilted. My second colour way of my Tea Party Table Topper  (picture above top right)which is a retreat workshop next month and my contribution to Kate's Scrap Crazy workshop samples. Nothing fancy but nicely done.

Then there was two cat quilts that got pinned. I did manage to start on one of the cat quilts and this is where I get to play. I saw a wavy check tutorial by Leah Day last week and I wanted to try it. So this was the perfect piece to try it on. Not too big so it would take me all day, but not too small that it would be over before I got the hang of it. I got halfway through quilting it before I ran out of time but the effects were brilliant for the first time doing it. I think I will be using this one again and again in different sizes. I hope you can see it. Excuse little Miss Pochee she loves to walk through photos.

You can see it better on the back.

When I finish it I will share it  with everyone. I am sharing this post with the Free Motion Mavericks. Take a look at what others are up to.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Bringing some Projects to a close

After a busy morning cutting retreat kits I treated myself to some sewing time. Admitly these projects needed to be finished. All three projects are ready for quilting. So I pressed backings, pieced batting, yes pieced batting. Perfect to use small leftovers cuts that are too big to throw out but a little small be themselves. I like to use them for small projects.
First I pinned my alternate colour way for my retreat workshop kit.

My sample for Kate's workshop was next on my list. She would like it by the end of next week.

Lastly the second of my trio of cat quilts, which is on my Project Uninterrupted list.

All three pinned ready for quilting.

I may have trouble quilting this one. Some little cat of mine is trying to claim for herself. It is the wrong one but try and tell her that.

I think Winter is here and all the cats are looking for warm places to sleep. Hopefully I can get them quilted tomorrow.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia 

Testing the Scrap Crazy 6 Rulers

We had a testing day in the shop this week. All three of us had purchased the Crazy Scrap 6' Ruler set and had planned a day to play with them. We saw a number of samples made up and Kate had brought the book to go with it. Now that is a good idea to help you remember what you saw.

Kate runs A Quilters Odyssey and is thinking of creating a workshop around these rulers. So Kate,  Maureen and myself are playing with some ideas that have popped into our heads and testing the rulers for ease of use. We need to know any issues that may arise beforehand.

My choice of fabric was a little sample bundle I liked. Maybe a little more challenging as the fabric pieces are different sizes. So this was my first block.

Playing with the fabric and rulers is very interesting. There is many block possibilities that there is easily 4-5 quilt ideas forming. So watch out. In the end I made 4 blocks and sewed them together to create a larger block.  Then I make 3 more larger blocks. Throw in some sashing strips and look what I ended up with. This was me just playing. It's not in the book, so it is great stuff.

I have some more ideas on this block and I have cut some more fabric for another go at the same block so we will see how that turns out. Afterwards we can compare the two and see which way I like more. Also Kate will have 2 samples for her possible workshop to entice the students to do the workshop, not just one from me.
I can get these ruler sets in if anyone is interested. Tune for more about this soon

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

All Over the Octagon Month #1

It has officially started. All Over the Octagon Fussy Cutting  Fabric Club is in motion.  So the last couple  of nights has seen me cut and packing the first months shapes, templates, fabric and starter pack for the ladies who have joined me on this English Paper Piecing adventure. I will share my blocks and few others each  month here on my blog.

 The exciting thing about this club is we have the same starting point of that months shapes, templates and fabric but how we  use the fabrics and how will we cut that fabric out even if we choose the same fabric will be the exciting party. It is going to be lots of fun seeing what results we end up with.

This is Kate first Octagon.

This is mine.

And Maureen first Octagon.

There will be more to come I can assure you.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia 

Sometimes you have to do the Boring Stuff

What does tell you about the last week here? Nothing real exciting happened and no sewing. The high light was receiving the latest fabric shipment from Millhouse Collections with some Sue Daley's current range Beaujolais for Penny Rose Fabrics and the All Over the Octagon patterns and fabric so we can start our 12 month Octagon adventure.

So besides unpacking the shipment I have been spending a lot of time on the computer doing the book work, designing my row for the "Road Home" Row Along, pattern writing and stuff totally unrelated to the business. The pattern writing has deadlines I need to meet and I seem to struggle with this part of the process, leaving it to the end. The last couple of times I have written the pattern as I have sewn the sample which seemed to help me get things done. The problem I have at the moment is I need to submit a draft of a pattern  by a certain date which won't allow me to sew and write the pattern as one. To add to my dilemma I have push myself out of my comfort zone and used techniques I don't use often. 

So I am trying to write the pattern first this time.  Let's hope I don't make a totally fool of myself.

If you write patterns which way do you prefer to create your latest designs? If you have any tips please share them with us. You never know who you will help.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia 

Cynthia's Garden - Art with Fabric Blog Hop.

This was an exciting project to be invited to do. Select a famous work of art and interpreted in fabric. I had big ideas, maybe a little too big.  Vincent Van Gogh's Irises painting was my choice in the end as I love Irises.

 Taking on this challenge really push me out of my comfort zone, way outside my square so to speak. I am not a painter or drawer so doing an art quilt is something I only try once before using a pattern.  Now trying to use a famous painting for my inspiration  and starting from scratch was somewhat daunting. Plus throw in the fact I am using applique techniques to create it, left me on a few occasions thinking what the hell am I do.

Cynthia's Garden

Here is how my piece went together. A lot of hours of cutting and stitching. The background was first and I started with the quilt sandwich with my background fabrics on top. Next was all the leaves on top of the background. Followed by a long day of stitching all of this in place.

Then came the flowers. It was interesting trying to cut the right sort of shapes. Admittedly there was a lot of scrappy waste at the start but once I got going things moved along..

Lastly I  trimmed and backed my work with a fresh piece of fabric to hide the mess of threads and  I added some extra quilting to join the layers together.
I will never be a world class artist but I am happy with it. It was worth it in the end.
Here are the links to the other participates in this blog hop. I hope you will visit them and enjoy their creations too.

, May 9th, 2016

• Maartje (http://quiltinginamsterdam.blogspot.com)
• Lee Anna (http://lapaylor.blogspot.com/)
• Andrée (http://quiltinglearningcombo.blogspot.com)
• Renee (http://www.quiltsofafeather.com/)

Tuesday, May 10th, 2016

• Kathy (http://qreativequilts.blogspot.com/)
• Yvonne (http://quiltingjetgirl.com/)
• Chris (http://chrissquiltinguniverse.blogspot.com/)
• DeAnna (http://southernbellessewcreative.blogspot.com/)

Wednesday, May 11th, 2016

• Alida (http://tweloquilting.blogspot.com/)
• Yanicka (http://yanickahachez.blogspot.com/)
• Heather (http://www.heatherquilts.blogspot.com/)
• Sarah (http://georgiagirlquilts.blogspot.com/)

Thursday, May 12th, 2016

• Cynthia (http://cynthiasark.blogspot.com.au/)
• Janeen (http://quiltartdesigns.blogspot.com/)
• Wendy (http://www.kwiltkrazy.com)
• Afton (http://www.quiltingmod.blogspot.com/)

Friday, May 13th, 2016

• Carol (http://www.quiltedfabricart.com/)
• Jennifer (http://www.inquiringquilter.com)
• Nina-Marie (http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/)
• Joan (http://www.moosestashquilting.blogspot.com/)
• 
  

 A big Thank you to Alida for the invite to join Art with Fabric Blog hop and her support along the way.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Scrappy Table Runners

I have been piecing these Idaho Square Dance blocks in my spare time just for the fun of it. I just wanted to piece something for no reason. The scrap bin is overflowing and I do have a scrap quilt drawn up in EQ7 to use some of it up but I can't decide if I want to use my batik scraps or the main stream fabrics. At one time I thought I could make two quilts and that would be interesting at the end to compare the two but do I have time to make two quilts. Who knows! It may happen. So in the meantime I sewed these blocks together and finished them off with some simply straight line quilting and this is what I ended up with.

Now do you see the difference in size. I only noticed it when I took the photo. There was an accident with the top one and I had to wash it after the cat bump me while have a cup of tea making me spill some on it while I was binding it. It shrunk a little. I may have to wash the other to match it up. Here is a snapshot of the culprit  misbehaving when I am trying to take a progress shot on another project. I don't know why cats love quilts but they do in my household anyway even when they are not finished.

That is Denim the Menace our blue oriental boy.

I am linking up with Scraptastic Tuesday and Let's Bee Social  so pop over and see what others are working on.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

English Paper Piecing and Needle Turn Applique Extravaganza

Over the coming months we are going to work on our English Paper piecing and needle turn applique skills. Come into store and see one of the English paper piecing  or needle turn applique demonstrations to get yourself ready or started on the Pemberley Block of the Month or All Over the Octagon Fussy Cutting Fabric Club. Stock up your English Paper piecing supplies, enjoy a cuppa and biscuit, we may include a few rounds of calendar bingo if there is suitable numbers in store at the same time. Who know what other surprises may happen? I have a couple more ideas that may just happen.

Pemberley Block of the Month is a 12 month program involving needle turn applique and English paper piecing. It is $42 per month plus postage and includes a free Cynthia's Ark Fussy Cutting Pack to get you started with your first month.

All Over the Octagon Fussy Cutting Fabric Club is a 12 month fabric club featuring English Paper Piecing octagons in many different ways. It includes papers, templates and 6 x Fat 8's of modern bright fabrics each month. We are going to brighten up the world with our octagons.  It is $36 per month plus postage only on the first month which includes your  FREE Cynthia's Ark starter pack of needles, glue pen and thread. Then it is a flat $36 per month.

So if you are interested pop over to Cynthia's Ark and join up online or pop into the shop on Saturday 14th May to sign up. Only a few spots left in both clubs. Don't wait or you may miss out.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

The Stitches & Craft Show Round up

In a blink of an eye the Stitches and Craft Show is over for this year.

The view of the stand as you brought your ticket to get in.

Some close up of the stand.

It was an interesting event with lots of different crafts. It was great to team up with Kate from A Quilter's Odyssey to help her clear some of her excess stock and she helped me so I wasn't manning the stand by myself.

Also we have nearly fill our block of the month which starts next month so be quick if you want to join us sewing the stunning Pemberley quilt. Pop over to Cynthia's Ark to sign up.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Art with Fabric Blog Hop

                                          
I just thought I would give everyone a heads up about the Art with Fabric Blog Hop is about to start this week. I am participating in it and you will see my post on Thursday the 12th May but in the meantime enjoy some great work from a group of talented quilters. Here is the link to the warm up post by our great hostess Alida.  She has done a wonderful job organising all this.
http://tweloquilting.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/art-with-fabric-blog-hop-day-0.html

I am sure we are all in for a treat over the next week. I can't wait to see what everyone has been working on. I know myself I pushed myself way out of my comfort zone with this challenge of an art quilt and using a technique I don't use very often. Make sure you pop in on the 12th May to see what I have made and don't forget the others. I will post the list up once the blog hop has been started.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Wandering Camera Post # 4

I didn't know what to do for this month's Wandering Camera post after the last two months I had a plan in mind for the blog post but this month I have been a bit overloaded. Things just haven't quite worked out the way I planned but how often do plans work out exactly as planned.
So what I did was take some photos of display at The Stitches and Craft Show that I was attending.
It was the 50 Years of Flower Power Display.

I had to take 3 pictures to get the whole display as it was set of 3 walls set in a U shape. It really took my eye. The work that has gone into it was amazing alonf with the time invested in it.

A couple of close up shot for you. I love seeing works of art in different mediums and there is a special love in my heart for yarn, though I can't crochet and you should see me knit. It is a spectacle, so  I have been told. The colours are so delicious.
If you want to have a look at what others have been up to here is the link.  http://www.whimsandfancies.com/wandering-camera-may/

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

The Stitches and Craft Show-Day 1

Today was the first day at The Stitches and Craft Show in Adelaide and this year I have teamed up with Kate from A Quilter's Odyssey. A case of helping each other out. We started the day both running late due to traffic problems and two different problems. So we had to hit the ground running, no time for our planned coffee. We did get it just a little later than planned. A very interesting day and there is going to be some great projects being made by very crafty people out there.
Here is a couple pictures of the stand.

I will take a few more pictures tomorrow. Hopefully the start of the day will go more smoothly and I can get in and snap a few more pictures for you.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia