Hourglass Block Fun

I have been work on a hourglass project. I saw Missouri Star Quilt Company Jenny Doan's Super easy hourglass block and had to try it. As it is done with 10" pre cut squares I thought this would be a great  quilt as a shop sample for what to do with layer cakes and Stacker packs.  As I am often asked what can you make with 10" squares and what size quilt do they make. So I went from having a go at a block to making a quilt. Imagine that! The way I do things around here, some of you will not be surprised. I do get carried away and jump from project to project.

So I was using a Riley Blake Designs Stacker pack Unforgettable as I have some yardage in stock for borders and teamed it up with Riley Blake Design  Grey Swiss Dots for the neutral.

This technique requires no triangles to be cut which is perfect for those who don't like triangles.
If you haven't seen it here is the link to Jenny's tutorial.

This is the final pile of finished blocks all 70 blocks as I used 20 stacker pack squares and 20 grey Swiss dots. I left one light square out only because I didn't want to cut another 10" strip for on 1 square.

Now the funny starts how to layout these blocks. Here are a few layout ideas I am playing with.

I will share the final layout with you all once I settle on my favourite. What is your favourite layout for hourglass block?

Also we are going to be stocking some of Missouri Star Quilt Company speciality rulers and products. The first order of rulers are on their way. You will be able to but them online and in store.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Sew It Together Lucky-Handmade Sew Along # 4

After cutting all the block fabrics we are ready to sew.

Lots of half square triangle units to make. So this calls for a chain piecing session. I set myself up with a cuppa early Friday morning after I set the dishwasher and washing machine going and off I went to see how far I could get through these piles of squares. I did draw my diagonally line on my grey squares earlier this week while watching TV.

I finished off the coloured squares and there was some grey squares leftover.

What did I do wrong? Did I cut too many grey squares or not enough coloured squares. On a recount the grey squares reached the 96 squares I needed but I was 20 coloured squares short.  Found them! I accidently put them with the 4" squares I cut as they came from the same fabrics.(See the first picture I took, right hand side pile the missing squares under the 4 " squares.)  They now have been sewn together and I cut them apart in front of the TV.

There will be a pressing and squaring up session some time soon.

                                       Until Next Time
                                        Keep Stitching
                                           Cynthia

Pemberley Block of the Month Update #4

I have been working on the four corner blocks from the centre panel which is  Month #2 mail out.  I have wandered off the path for these block and changed the fabrics for the hexagon flowers as three fabric are not yet in our kit and I can't wait. Plus I would like a more balanced look to my quilt, so I have done 2 of each flowers.

That way I have 2 matching pairs of blocks that will sit diagonally opposite each other in the quilt.
Progress has been really slow as there hasn't been a lot of stitching time available.
At least there is a little progress but I have misplaced 4 of my hexagon flowers in my slowness. If I had been a little quicker they may already been sewn on. I know I moved them but where did I put them! In that safe place.

After some time the hexagon flowers have not appeared so I have made them again so I can finish the blocks and move on to the next step. Here is the first one completes. Now to finish the other 3.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia

Sew It Together- Lucky- Handmade Sew Along #2

This week we were given our cutting instructions by a video tutorial. I don't know about everyone else but I do like to see instructions sometimes rather than just written instructions.
First job was to select the squares we wanted to use. Two piles one to by cut one way and the other to be cut differently.

 I must say I'm glad we didn't need all the squares in the layer cake as this is what I found when I was selecting my squares for my quilt.

One square that is not a 10"square.  Now I have heard this sometimes happens but this is the first time I have actually seen it. It is disappointing but at least I don't need it.

Next to cut all the squares and my neutrals. Stacking them up and cutting multiple squares made it easy going and before I knew it I was done cutting for the blocks.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Crazy Cat Panel Quilt

This is one of those panels that need a little work to make it work. You could buy 2 panels and sew a border around them to make a simple quilt but I only wanted to use one. It is from the Kool Kats fabric range.

1. I cut it up as the picture below show, just centreing the ruler evenly as you can between the frames.

2. Removed the centre row.

3.Then sewed the next two strips together.

4.Next I took the border print which looks like this.

And cut the cat strips and licorice strips apart.

So I ended up with 4 of each strip.

5. Then I cut 2 licorice stripes off strip.

6. Measure your panel from top to bottom and cut 2 licorice strip to that length and use them to sash your 3 sections of panel together. I pressed to the panel sections.

7. Measure centre panel side to side and cut 2 full licorice strips and 2 cat strips to that measurement and sew them together along the long sides off the strips. Press.

8.  Sew a strip to the top and the other to bottom of your centre. Press.

9. Cut 2  single licorice strip to the same measurement and sew to the top and bottom. I pressed to the cat strip as it is a wider strip.

10. Measure your quilt from top to bottom and cut 2 cat border strips to that length. and sew them to the sides of your quilt.

11. Measure side to side this time and cut the last 2 border strips and sew them to the top and bottom of your quilt. Press to the borders.

12. Now you are ready for quilting. Pin your three layers together with safety pins or baste with basting spray, whatever you prefer. Quilt it as you like. I stitched in the ditch for this one as I didn't want to sew through any of the cats. So no cats were harmed in the making of this quilt but two black cats did get told off for their block re arranging and standing on the quilt when I was trying to quilt it. Cisco behaving himself as I finish the binding off in my lap.

13. Then all you have to do is bind it. I used this Swizzle Stix diagonal stripe for my binding.

Panel and fabrics are all available from Cynthia's Ark online.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

2016 Finish Along Q4 List

Last quarter was a total disaster. I added a couple extra projects to my list and only completed one project on the list. With that said I did get one quilt quilted ready for binding and I made some progress on another one. So this quarter's list looks like this.
1. To quilt and bind my 2015 Quiltmaker Mystery quilt. Auld Lang Stitches Quilt.

 2.  This one is quilted ready for the binding to go on.

3. My Victorian Fling is now ready for quilting, so I got all the blocks together last quarter with borders.That is good. I need to select the backing still and pin it..

4. My Forget Me Not quilt has seen progress in the last quarter but as I am English paper piecing it is taking time. 12 blue blocks to go around in this step after I fix my mistake. 3 on 9 more to go and then it is the last step to do.

5. My Crazy Cat  Panel Quilt just need it's border added and it will be ready for quilting.

6. Lastly my Allietare quilt no progress in the last quarter but the blocks are all made ready to be sewn together.

Let's see if I can make some real progress on this list this quarter. Pop over to She Can Quilt  and check out what everyone else has on their list. You may be inspired to finish some of your  own projects off with us.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Sew It Together- Handmade-Lucky Sew Along

My friend Alix from Alize Fabrics is running a Sew Along starting next week. I decided to join in for some fun. The pattern is Thimble Blossoms Lucky and we are using Bonnie and Camille Homemade layer cake. With that set in place all I had to do was select the neutral needed for the blocks and sashing.
I am not a fan of white so straight away I wanted to see what other colour I could use. This is what I selected. A grey from Riley Blake Designs Solid range which I carry in stock at Cynthia's Ark. As we don't need all the layer cake squares I an going to leave out some of the dark squares so I keep a good contrast between the fabrics.

Tune in next week when we start.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Wandering Camera # 9

I don't believe it is October already. I spent the first weekend of October at the Festival of Quilts.

While the Festival was on, South Australia was hit with a couple of major storm fronts starting on Wednesday. take out the electricity, dumping rain, gale force winds which caused major flooding around the state. Below is a picture taken two weeks earlier, the distance tree line is where the river flows through.

This is what it looked liked after all the rain and the river broke it's banks of Friday. The Light River crosses all three roads into our area. So in turn cutting us off from the city.

A view of the damage to the roads as the water goes.

As of Friday our main road to Adelaide is still closed but we are able to get in to the city via the other two roads. The flood waters didn't reach our town. It has effected lots of farms through the district.

On a lighter note here is Denim one of our blue Oriental cats enjoying my lap.

So comfortable now.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Festival of Quilts Round up

Over this last weekend I was trading at the Quilter's Guild of SA annual exhibition. This year's event was held at Morphettville Racecourse. Considering how bad the weather was it was a great event. The guild did a great job. I had a great spot. Lots of natural light from the large windows facing  the race track.

Fabric was the big seller over the event. Image that. Quilter's buying fabric.
With a range of shops from across the state plus a couple from interstate. There was something for all the Quilter's that visited, even I found some goodies for myself. So I treated myself, something I don't do often.

Even with all the bad weather, storms, wind, flooding I am sure it will be an event I won't forget. Though I wasn't happy at the time when they closed all the roads home on me. I had to stay with a friend overnight. They did open one road the next day so I could go home the Saturday night. As I type this post our normal route in to Adelaide is still closed, though the water has gone the road is severely damaged. Hopefully it will be open by the end of the week.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia