What Thread was I Using this Time?

To continue with my little series on what threads I am using. I have been working to finish my Tilda Club cushion project. If you haven't heard about Tilda Club, it is a bi monthly club featuring Tilda fabrics and it comes with a pattern and kit to make the project featured. January's pack is just about to arrive so there is still time to join in the fun for this year.  Click here to my website for more details or to sign up.

I was part way through this project, the piecing done and flowers were fused in place. I was ready to do the applique and finish the cushion. Anyone that knows me, knows I am not a big fan on applique and I am not a fan of seeing my stitches.  I like them to disappear, blend in with the fabric. Here I am using multi coloured fabrics and what colour would blend and disappear. There was only one choice for me and that is Aurfil's Invisible thread.

I don't use it a lot as I feel you need good light to work with it as it does disappear. I have sewn whole rows of quilting, not realising the thread had come out of the eye of the needle on the machine.
But for me this is my preferred thread for invisible applique stitching. Then you can use you preferred stitch, like the buttonhole stitch or a satin stitch or a blind hem stitch. even a zig zag works if you machine doesn't have the other stitches. Once the applique is finished I go back to my favourite 50wt for the assembling of the cushion.

Here is the cushion finished.

Now if my husband ask where his lounge cushion is, don't tell him that I borrowed it for a while. The inserts I have in the shop are too small.

I will get some the right size and retake my photo and return his cushion.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia.

What thread would you use?

 What thread would you use? It is a question I get regularly from customers. What should I use?
So I thought I would do a few posts on what you would find me using.
So what thread was in my sewing machine this weekend?

 This is Aurifil 50wt cotton. It is my go to thread in the Aurifil range. I think the 50wt is my favourite for machine piecing and quilting that I want to blend in. If I want the quilting to stand out more I use the 40 wt.

This blue is a great match for this table runner for the quilting and top stitching around edge of the project.

I have a basic selection of colours that I always have a spool on hand depending on the project. Though I do have my favourite. I will not be without this colour. The logical colours may be a cream, off white, or even a grey. They are all great choices but I do think it is a personal choice. My absolute favourite is colour #2900. 

Yes this is my favourite colour. It blends so well with what I tend to be working with. I like to use a lot of colour especially batiks. Now if you work with lots of lights and pastels you may find my favourite is too dark for you and you would probably prefer #2000 a light cream. Now that would be the colour I would use if I am working on a light coloured project.
Don't forget you can start your own collection of Aurifil threads with our new Aurifil club here at Cynthia's Ark. More details on my website.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

New Aurifil Club at Cynthia's Ark

We have a new club starting very soon featuring Aurifil threads. It has been a while since we had a thread club.This will be an ongoing club, you will become a member which will get you a discount on your Aurifil threads when you need to stock up.

The first month you will receive your first spool of white with your case which holds 12 large spools of Aurifil threads at the special price of $20 plus postage if you need it. After the first month you can select the colours you want in your collection from our stock at 20% off our normal retail price. Now if there is a colour you want that is not in stock please let me know and I can add it to the next order. You can also choose between the 50 and 40 weights. This club is ideal for customers to pop in and select what they want from our new Aurifil stand, but if you are not able to do that you can still become a member and I am happy to ship your thread to you. What I will do, is with your first month I will include a list of colours in stock for you to choose from and then you just need to let me know your selection.  Plus with this club you don't have to limit yourself to just 1 spool of thread per month. You can if you want, let's say you have run out of your favourite piecing neutral but you want a special colour to quilt a quilt you can order both and as a Cynthia's Ark Aurifil Club Member you will receive 20% off both.

We are just waiting on the stock to arrive which shouldn't be too far away now. So I am now taking pre orders for this club. We have limited spots for this club and it is filling fast. You can visit my website, ring me or pop in to Cynthia's Ark to secure your spot in our exclusive Aurifil Thread Club. Plus the will be a few surprises along the way, exclusive to club members only. 

 Please note Paypal is not available for our clubs due to fees and people abusing the system. If you don't have a credit card and need to use Paypal there will be a small surcharge added. This is much to my disappointment that I have to do this. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Any questions let me know.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Places We Go- Aurifil's Designer of the Month 2018

Pat Sloan and Aurifil have released the details for 2018 Designer of the Month and the theme. I have participated in this sew along before but in 2018 I will be sew along and my shop Cynthia's Ark will be putting some fabric bundles and Aurifil thread deals together. The Theme is Places We Go and the fabrics are black and whites with one colour. I find this an exciting project and i can't wait to see what colour everyone will use with their black and whites. You will be able to come into the shop and select a black and white bundle and then select your colour to add to the bundle to complete your bundle for project.

You will be able to order the bundle online with a colour already added to the bundle. There will be a number of colour options for you to choose from.

Here is the Link to meet the design team  and more details for 2018. I will be share the post when it is released each month and sharing my blocks as I make them.

To top this off we will have some Friday evening sewing sessions especially to work on this project, starting in one of my Summer School sessions once the first block is released. So let me know if you are interested.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Gypsy Wife Quilt is the New Block of the Month

Over the last couple of months I have asked for your opinions on Block of the Months while I was arrange the latest batch of Block of the Months. I can  now announce the first one as it is all set up and it will start in the first week of June 2017.

It is the Gypsy Wife by Jen Kingwell. 

We will be making our using Riley Blake Design Fabrics. It is a machine piecing Block of the Month. I can tell you there is an English Paper Piecing Block of the Month and an applique/ English Paper piecing combination in the pipeline too.

Starting in June you will receive a full pattern with fabric for the top and binding over 12 months. It will be AU$30 plus postage over the 12 months. Now if you sign up before the 30th April you will receive a free spool of Aurifil 50wt cotton to sew with. It is my favourite cotton to sew with. I use it for 90% of my sewing from hand/machine pieced to quilting.

Now I will be sewing the sample over the next couple of months so you will see some previews of the quilt coming together in the fabrics we will be sew with. Hopefully by May I will be able do a full reveal (at least the top should be completed by then).
You can sign up on my website using a credit card or Paypal for our Block of the Months.

I hope you will join us sewing up a brand new masterpiece over the next 12 months.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

A Little Box of Thread.

I have been playing around with putting a new thread collection together and I would like to share the progress with everyone. There is a few questions I would like to ask and get some feedback on, so I can fine tune the collection before release. This is what it looks like.

There is 15 spools of Aurifil 50wt thread in this boxed collection and they will come in this box.There will be a label added to it once I have settled on the colours.

Now the questions I have for you. Would you change any of the colours? Is there a colour I have missed?

Would you want to purchase the whole collection at once? or Would you prefer it to be split up over 3 or 5 months to make it more affordable? 

Please share your thoughts with me so I can finish this collection off and prepare it for market.

Don't forget we already have the Cynthia's Ark Batik Bright Thread Club going if you prefer more colour variety. There is 72 small spools of  Aurifil 40wt  thread in this colourful collection for $39 per month plus postage for  12 months. I know I have used a number of colours from mine and when you use them you can order replacements from me  so you can keep box full.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia

Cynthia 's Ark Club News

Have you hear of our  Cynthia's Ark clubs?  If not let me tell you about them. We have 3 clubs for you to choose from at the moment.

There is our Batik Fabric Club which has been running this year with a Block of the Month December is the final month. So starting January we will have a new Batik Fabric Club which will running like our Stash Building Club. Each month you will receive 4 x 30 cm width of the fabric of 4 beautiful hand dyed batik fabric for $30 plus postage per month ( a total of 1.2 metres). Plus in January, April, July and October you will receive a bonus with your fabric. eg thread, pattern, notion etc.   Join today for a January start.

Next we have the Stash Building Club which features new fabric arrivals and themed packs. This one is the favourite because of the variety on offer and it guarantees you receive the latest fabrics in your hand from the leading fabric companies. Plus I am open to theme suggestions, so if you have a suggestion email me the theme and if I get enough interest I will arrange it but warning it may take up to 6 months depending on ordering time from my suppliers. Each month you will receive 5 x 30 cm width of the fabric (a total of 1.5 metres) for $38 plus postage each month. Plus in January, April, July and October you will receive a bonus with your fabric. eg thread, pattern, notion etc. This is November selection Always the Season.

Join now and you will receive these fabrics in your first shipment.  I can give you a little sneak peak of what is to come, we have Ardently Austen by Amanda Herring, Harrington by Leonie Bateman, Era of Jane by Sue Daley Designs and more planned. Note This may not be the order they come in, there may be a couple of others it all depends on when they arrive in stock.

Lastly we have the  Cynthia's Ark Batik Bright Thread Club. Collect 72 x 150m spools of hand selected Aurifil 40 wt cotton perfect for machine piecing and quilting. Each month you receive 6 spools over 12 months plus in your first month you receive a bonus personalised box to store them in for $39 plus postage each month. Join today and your first shipment will be next month.

There is a new thread club in the works. It will be a hand piecing thread club. Keep an eye out for more details in the new year.

Any questions email at sales@cynthiasark.com.au or put it in with the comments. These clubs can be shipped around the world if you are interest. I am happy to work the postage charge out before hand for overseas customers.

NOTE: Credit Card payment is the prefer payment option for these clubs. Just for the ease of processing all the monthly orders.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

My Sunny Table Runner

My Sunny Table Runner

Materials                                                                                                                  1 Cynthia’s Ark Fab Box or 5 x 2 ½’ strips of coordinating fabrics                           50 x 30 cm fabric for the backing                                                                                  50 x 30cm wadding/batting

   Piecing

Choose 2 strips with some contrast and sew them together lengthways. Press to the darker strip. Cross cut your strip set into 16 x 2 ½’ strips and 4 x 4 ½’ strips.

  

Arrange the 2 ½’ strip into 4 x four patch blocks (picture above), pin the centres if you need but the pressing of the seam and turning of one strip should interlock the centre. Sew your blocks together.

Arrange your blocks as per picture and sew each row together. Press 1 row seams to the left and the other row to the right. Then sew the 2 rows together.

Select another strip from your box and cut into a 1 ½’ strip and cut 2 x 16 1/2’ strips and 2 x 10’ strips. Sew the long strips on first and press to the border.

Then sew the short borders on and press towards the border. This completes the table runner top.

Quilting                                                                                                                      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 stitched in the ditch and through the border right to the edge.

Binding                                                                                                                     To make your binding use the last 2 strip and cut the strips into thirds. Join your 6 binding strips (alternately) end to end with a 45 degree seams, pressing them open. Press the binding strip in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together. (I joined my strips together with a straight seam rather than using the 45 degree mitre join and it made the binding joins really bulky.)

 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: 18 ½ x 10 ½’ (47 x 26 cm  approx.)  

                                                                                                                            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

                                                       

           All the tutorials can be found in PDF format under the tutorial tab so  you don't have to search the blog down the track.           

This is what a Cynthia's Ark Fab Box looks like. 5 x 2 1/2 inch strips in a cute box. There will be a variety to choose from. This one is My Sunshine Fab Box.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Scrappy Roads Quilt

I have finished my Scrappy Roads quilt. It is a simply quilt designed to used up your scrap stash. I have used the Oh Susanna block for this design. All you need is two main fabric 1 light and 1 dark and large of variety of colours for the rest of the block.

 I have done some simple free motion wave quilting using Aurifil #3817 variegated cotton for this quilt and added a multi coloured stripe binding to finish it off.

 There is a pattern and a batik kit available at www.cynthiasark.com.au if you are interested. Also I have designed this pattern around our Batik Mystery Sampler packs so you could order the pattern and 2 of our BMS packs and used your stash for the 2 main fabrics and binding. 

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia

Aurifil December Block of the Month

I finally got my last block from the Aurifil Block of the Month completed.

 I have been dragging my feet on this one as I am not sure what to do about the layout for these blocks. I have seen a couple of post on what others have done with their blocks but what to do with mine. My blocks are scrappy and I am struggling with what to use to make this a quilt looks like it was meant to be. I think this is why I struggle with scrappy quilts, if you are using a colour theme or fabric from a range it is easier.  What do you think?

I will use sashing between the blocks but what colour? I know I want to use a single colour for the sashing to tie the blocks together in a neutral colour or do I go dark for a different look? I ask this question because my photo was taken on my dark floor.

 Then I am thinking of a scrappy border made from scraps (fabrics in the blocks, plus some extra) from the stash.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Aurifil's November Block of the Month

This month block Tossed Salad has got me thinking. It is a modern block made with traditional parts. I have been looking at a lot of modern quilts lately and I have a few ideas I would like to try. So over the Christmas- New year break I will have to allocation some time to work on these ideas. Who knows what might become of an idea. I know this year I have had a number of success stories and a few flops. So I will have a play and see what I end up with. Maybe I will create a stunning piece of art. Lol We all need to have a dream. Even if it off on the land of fairy tales.

Anyway back to this months block here it is.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Aurifil's October Block of the Month

Here we are at the end of October and just in the nick of time I manage to get my Aurifil block done. It turned out to be an interesting block especially with the stripe in it. I didn't think about it when I cut the fabric but wow it sticks out and there was no plan for it to be there. With the stripe there and in the very corners of the block it would make an interesting quilt pattern with the right stripe fabric.

 This block of the month project has been a scrappy project, one of two projects (the other is my Leaders & Enders Challenge) where I was taking on my fear of scrappy quilts. I love to look at them but my fear of using lots of different fabrics in one project has held me back from doing one myself. I think I just don't know if I have the colour instinct to get the pattern to work out. We will see how things turn out when I piece the blocks together in both projects. 

All my Aurifil blocks so far, not sure how they will go together. When I laid them out I noticed two fabrics that have end up in 2 blocks. Interesting.

Until Next Time

Keep Sewing

Cynthia

Blogger's Quilt Festival - South Australian Stars

Over the weekend I made time to do some quilting. This star quilt has been ready for a while but there has been no time for quilting. There was a real need to get this quilt done in time for the Blogger's Quilt Festival. A deadline helps when you need to finish a project.

This is one of my UFO projects for this year and I am glad to tick it off the list. It has been a little while since I completed a project, I have starts some new ones though. I used 3 Aurifil 50 wt threads in red, blue and cream for the quilting and did lots of free motion quilting on it.

 It was good practise; now that I have a super slider mat on the machine it has made a huge difference to my quilting. It makes the quilt glide under the needle a lot easier. So I had a lot less trouble with my threads and my stitches are looking a lot more even. I did some echoes inside the blue stars; I did a stipple in the red stars and the red borders and a wavy zigzag in the plain blocks following the pattern on the fabric.

 Then it was a matter of binding, luckily there was enough blue fabric left for me to bind it with.  Now this quilt is finished I wonder how long it will be before the original pattern and the rest of the fabrics turn up. 

 This quilt is my entry into the Blogger's Quilt Festival
South Australian Stars
58 inches square(148cm square)
Category Small Quilts

 Don't forget to pop over and have a look at all the quilts and vote on your favourite. The link is in the toolbar on the right hand side.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Australian Machine Quilting Festival 2014 Round Up

Wow! What an event! Of course there was plenty of work done but there was fun along the way too. Now after the event there is even more work to be done. This was the first time we have traded at this event and at a venue we haven't dealt with before.  I am always nervous how things are going to work out. Setup went smoothly besides some silly woman (me) who forgot to put the ladder in when she loaded the car. Whoops but I always forget something and we always manage. My LSH (long suffering husband) won't let me live that down for a few events. 

Is that a sneak peak of one of the Batik Rainbow Sampler blocks on the wall? 

There was a full six days of classes and three and bit days of trading in the vendors hall. I did manage to sit in on a Squedge ruler demo from Joy's Craftworx and yes I did purchase one with a book. I have some ideas using batik fabrics I want to play with. I will share them when I get to it. That is why I got the book because it may be a few months before I get to play with it. If you saw my last post you would know I got to meet Jenny Doan from Missouri Star Quilt Co who was here teaching. I wish I had done one of her classes but it just wasn't possible.  I have promised myself I will do a class next time.

Of course, at an event like this, you must have a quilt show featuring Machine Quilting. I just love looking at all the work that went into creating these quilts. Even my LSH had a favourite.

My LSH favourite one. 
 Some of the quilts on display in the Quilt show.

Also at this event we launched our Aurifil Batik Bright Thread Club (starting December) which is now available to sign up for in the web shop. Here is the link to the post on the club.

October has started with a bang. With our Batik Rainbow Fabric Club launched on the 1st and now our Aurifil Thread Club launched, 2015 is shaping up to be a big year for us and to top things off I know there are some very exciting patterns using batik fabrics, more batik fabrics coming and some new tools I think as well.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Aurifil September"s Block of the Month

Here it is. All finished just in time and all caught up for a few days. I must start by saying this is my favourite block so far this year. 

This block really took my fancy from the first time I saw it and I can see this block enlarged and four blocks sewn together for a quilt. Just imagine it. Maybe one day I will make one along with all the other quilt ideas that pop in to my head. It won't be long before we are sewing all our blocks together to complete our quilts. 

Where has the year gone? October is knocking on the door (so to speak) and we are nearly halfway through Spring which means for us here in Australia Summer is just around the corner with Christmas. I better start on my Christmas presents. Oh Hang on a minute! I am waiting for the Christmas fabric to arrive. It should be here this week and will be available from us at Stand #12 at the Australian Machine Quilting Festival (AMQF) Adelaide, South Australia this long weekend or online at Cynthia's Ark hopefully by the end of the weekend, just depends how busy we are at the Festival.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Aurifil's August Block of the Month Part 2

I know it is September but I hadn't completed August's block let alone September block. As previously reported I had it cut, ready to sew and then I was side tracked from the sewing machine. Well I finally got it done. Yippy!

 Now I just have to complete September block and I will be up to date. I have picked the fabrics out for the block so it is just the cutting and sewing to go.

Until next time

Keep stitching

Cynthia

Aurifil August's Block of the Month

As you may have guessed, my August block didn't get made in time. I cut the fabric over a week ago and it was sitting on my cutting mat in order ready for the next step. Well the promise I made in my Where is my sewing machine post was to do some stitching in the next 24 hours. I didn't even get any hand piecing Castle Wall blocks in my lunch break done. To top the insult off I had to cut a kit for a customer urgently for pick up and I have messed my Aurifil block pieces up. I promise I will get August's block done maybe with September block. 

The one thing I did manage to do among the paperwork and computer work was to have a little session in EQ7 to work on a HST quilt that has been buzzing around in my head for the last couple of days. It will be a quick design to sew together so I will share it with everyone once I choose some fabrics. It will probably be after Australian Machine Quilting Festival (AMQF) which is at the beginning of October and preparing for this event is taking up most of my time at the moment. It is the first time we are trading at the Australian Machine Quilting Festival at a venue we have not traded at before. So this could be interesting.

Until next time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Aurifil July's Block of the Month

I have been making my Aurifil Blocks from my scrap box. It is an interesting concept for me as I like to be quite controlled with my fabrics. I rarely use more than 5-6 fabrics in a project. So I have no idea how this project is going to turn out or if I am going to like it with the mix of fabrics I have used. We will see what happens. I do like all the blocks but do they go together. Should I even be worried about this? What do you think?

Here is my block for July. I have finished this block just in time, as August's block is just around the corner.

Here is all seven blocks so far.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia