One Monthly Goal- January's Finish

 Our first challenge of the year is over.  How did I do? I have started a Stitching Diary for this year called My Stitching Snapshot. A way to encourage myself to do a few stitches every day and to prove to myself I am making progress.  I am hoping I can complete more goals that I set myself. Even if I don't, a few stitches every day is good for the soul.

I started the year off with an English Paper pieced project that I started back in 2019. You can see my goal setting post here.  One block is all I had to do.

Here it is. Yes it is missing the centre but I am leaving all the centres to the end because I am think I may make all the centres the same.

I have linked my post with Elm Street Quilts post so pop over and check out how everyone did and maybe you will join us in February.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

My Stitching Snapshot #3

This week hasn't been the ideal sewing week. I put my back out on Monday at my day job, which has made thing harder to do. Though on Sunday I finished these sections for my Glacier Star quilt. Glacier Star is our Quiltworx  Technique of the month program starting February.

                                     

Diamonds for my Lakeshore Sunrise quilt nearly finish on Tuesday, if I had stuffed a couple up they would have been completed. I have to unpick a couple as my pinning wasn't good enough.

Wednesday was a rest day due to a bad back.

Thursday's stitching was a bit of evening hand sewing toward completing my January goal of completing this Abbie block.

Friday was a big day, I fixed my diamonds I upicked and with sewing time in the afternoon and a session of Zoom Project Uninterrupted with the girls in the evening, I nearly completed my pie wedges for my Lakeshore Sunrise.

So you know what Saturday picture is going to be?  

Yes two quarters now completed. I am loving, how this one is turning out. Even as I cut the fabric I had a few doubts and in the end fabric was cut so I went with it. I didn't want to waste the fabric. Glad I held my nerve to sew it, to prove to myself I was right from the start.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching Cynthia

My Stitching Snapshot #2

 

This week's stitching. It was a bit hit amd miss this week, but I think that will happen more times than I would like.

Sunday's night stitching saw me sew my ice cream cones together to finish half of my block. Now I have to make the rest of the ice cream cones for the other half.

Monday's evening stitching after a busy day preparing for Burra. Some English Paper piecing to relax with.

Tuesday's little bit of sewing. It was only a short session before our first Burra retreat started. With me teaching I had no time to sew myself on Wednesday and Thursday. Back in the shop on Friday had me putting everything I brought back away, so no sewing on Friday either.

Saturday did see me finally set my machine up and after lunch I got a session in.  I start my Glacier Star Sample.

I wonder what the next week of stitching will be.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

My Stitching Snapshot #1

 If you read My Stitching Resolution post from the end of the 2020, you know I want more sewing machine time this year. If you haven't it is here.  Anway one of the things I am going to do this year is try and stitch every day even if it is some hand work. Some day it's just not possible to get to the machine.

I am sharing my daily stitching over on Instagram which is shared on my Cynthia's Creating Ark Facebook page. In addition to that I thought I would share a round up  on my stitching with a bit more detail about once a week here. So I will share a weeks worth of pictures and the project details and maybe a few extra picture if I have taken them.

Tuesday's Sewing- Some English Paper piecing. It's been so long since I have done any.

Wednesday- No sewing was done but I did cut out Lucky Charms.

Monday's Sewing- I got out my One Monthly Goal project and started to piece some ice cream cones.

Thursday's Sewing- Half an hour on the machine for 10 more blocks.

Friday's sewing piecing the sections together for a quarter of Lakeshore Sunrise.

I am very happy how this is turning out.

Saturday's stitching involved ruler work a test sample for a workshop I am planning thats why you have the back view.

A close up view of two of the blocks.

Next week should be an interesting stitching week as I will be away in Burra teaching Lakeshore Sunrise at Sew Delightful.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

One Monthly Goal - January's Goal

 It's the beginning of a new year, so it's time to set our first monthly goal for 2021. So to start the year off I want to finish my third Abbie block. This is what the block looks like.

Each block will look a bit different as I move the fabrics around for each block. I still haven't decided on a background beside the fact it will most likely be dark.

As you can see this is a hand piecing project English Paper piecing actually, so it will take me a little bit of time to make one block. At least the parts are ready to sew together.

I have linked my post to Elm Street Quilts goal setting post, so pop over and check out what everyone is working on.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia..

One Monthly Goal- June's Goal

Here we are at the beginning of June. I haven't been much of a blogger this year, but I am trying to do some sewing.  It seems a never ending juggling act which something loses out. I have been trying my hardest to keep up with everything but it's not working. Now I have set myself a tiny goal for June, just because I am trying to find a balance.

I want to complete one block, in particularly this block. It is the first block of maybe nine blocks, we will see what happens.

It is from Sue Daley's Abbie pattern packs. It is #3 in a series of 9. It is a English Paper pieced pattern so it will take a little time. Another reason for only 1 block this month. It is a pieced dresden design and you can see what the spokes will look like from the 2 I have made up so far only 14 more to go. Then sew all them together, with finally appliquing to the background square. I will need to select a fabric for that, but I will wait until I get the dresden joined together before I decide what that will be.

I have linked this post with Elm Street Quilt goal setting post, so don't be shy, pop over and check out what everyone is working on.

Until Next Time

  Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Did you Hear Who is Visiting US?

I can now tell everyone as it is now official. We are having Sue Daley, the Queen of English Paper Piecing visiting us  at Cynthia's Ark as part of her Australian tour on the 19th October. Can you believe it! I organised it and I am still doing a happy dance she is coming here.

I can tell you it will be held at the Mallala Institute which is down the street from the shop. It will be $30 per person and there will be refreshments available, the shop will be the for some shopping and everyone will receive a special event show bag with some goodies in it.  I am just waiting on confirmation of the time. You are welcome to book a spot now if you are happy with those details.
Sue will be share with us her story and her quilts, which some of you may have seen some of  Sue's quilts already as I have had a few hanging in the shop over the last couple of years. Note: Sue's Evergreen quilt is currently hanging in the shop until 18th August so pop in and have a look before it heads off to join Sue on her tour. Also remember we will be running Evergreen as a block of the month in two versions one using Rustic Romance and the other one will be scrappy. Both are currently being stitched up for samples.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

A New Block of the Month Coming

I must be making a dent in my workload finally and catching up. Of course doing everything slowly and trying not to aggravate my back. It has improved but I can't say it is better. Anyway I am taking a break shortly and hopefully that will allow my back to get better. So I need a break project something that involves hand work as I will not have a machine to use.  So it is the perfect time to start work on the new Block of the Month I have planned for later this year. It will be using Riley Blake Design fabrics. You know how much I love them. This is the starting pile, a mix of Shades and basics.

I don't want to give away the project yet but it will be a multiply technique block of the month. There will be stages that will be able to be completed in more than one way. An example is you will be able to hand piece blocks or machine piece those blocks. Do you get where I am going? So while I take a break (Really! I am) I am going to make some of the blocks as I do need to be able to do some stitching. It is rare for me to go more than two days without stitching something, even if it is 5 minutes of hand stitching.  A little peak as I had to stitch a little.

More details to follow on this Block of the Month and another one  in the pipeline soon.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

Put a Little Love in your Quilt Day 3

We are up to day 3 of the Put a Little Love in your quilt blog hop.
Here are today bloggers you must visit. I have had a look before I wrote this post because I couldn't resist.

February 7

 Kris Loves Fabric

What About Rheema?

Bumbleberry Stitches

Selina Quilts

Quilt Quest

Hazel’s Daughter

Quilt in a not-Shell

Words & Stitches

Sunshine Reflections

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

There is only one more day left of this blog Hop. Now I do have a giveaway on my post and you have until Saturday to enter so if you haven't pop over and check out my blog post.make sure you do.

In the meantime I am preparing for  the Small, Smaller, Smallest Blog hop in March. I can't tell you much yet but I can tell you my project will be coming from my scrap tub. Yes there is a container under that pile of fabric.

 I found some fabric to used and I pulled all the batik fabrics out and put them in the batik box. Unfortunately the tub is still full. At least I can close the lid if I want to I may need more fabric.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

January's One Monthly Goal Finish

We have reached the end of January's One Monthly Goal challenge. Now is to link up and show off our finished goals. So I was aiming to finish my Dresden Plate table runner. Here are the details on what I was up to at the beginning of the month. This is what it looked like at the beginning of the month.

The plan was to get the borders on which was giving trouble. I can't decide on them. that is why the project had stalled. With that sorted I got stucking into quilting it with my Westalee Design Rulers. I am finding that adding the ruler work to my quilting has improved my free motion quilting and I am enjoying the quilting part more now I can be a bit more creative.

Now the quilting was completed I was able to get the binding on as it was ready to go. A couple of evening in front of the TV had me wrap up the hand sewing part and it was completed after I did go back and unpick a little bit of the binding to insert my label which I had forget originally.

I have linked this post up with Elm Street Quilts so pop over and check out all the finishes for January. You may want to consider joining us next month. Now to select February Project. I wonder what it will be.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Cushions and Ruler Quilting Together

We had the Zipper and Piped Cushion Workshop on in store. With only one student doing the workshop we took the opportunity to do some quilting  using the Westalee Rulers. It is something we have trying to schedule in. With the Beginner's class in a couple of weeks I can see a need for more of these sessions. Once you have your machine worked out you want to quilt quilts, not keep doing practise samples. There is a lot out there on using the rulers but not too much on how it use the rulers on pieced tops. So that is what I want to focus on. How to quilt pieced tops. So watch out for those workshops once you have done a Beginner's Class.

Joy's managed to finish her two cushions in the one session. They have worked out beautifully.

While Brenda  was quilting her Sands of Time Quilt from one of my workshops from last year.

I was quilting my table runner which was created from my Dresden plate English paper piecing demo pieces from last year fairs and shop demos. It is my project selected in our Project Uninterrupted challenge and One Monthly Goal for January.

It was a lovely day of sewing. There is always something to learn that makes life exciting.
Next weekend's Desert Sky workshop is going to be an exciting learning experience on foundation paper piecing. If there is a spot I plan to join the class myself , at the moment there is a couple of spot left. If you want more details click of the Event/Workshop page here on my blog.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Project Uninterrupted 2nd Birthday

It was two years today I started our Project Uninterrupted group in store and online here on my blog and a Facebook group. There is only one requirement from you to join in. If you have sewing projects that you want to finish/work on, you can join us.
Looking back on  my 2017 list I wasn't very successful at completing enough projects off my list. In fact my list got longer. Let alone the projects I want to make and this year's shop samples. It will no doubt be a busy year. I am thinking I will need some structure to keep me on target. I do love routine so in theory I should be able to slot some sewing time in to my schedule. Why haven't I done that already. Ok I know it won't be perfect with a day job as a machine operator and running Cynthia's Ark, trying to find sewing time will be tricky. What do I mean will be tricky! It is tricky! I know, this is not a new problem for me it is an ongoing problem that I need to address if I am going to have any chance of making my list smaller.
This is what I am going to do.
I am going to set myself a challenge each month and see if I can complete it. It may only be a part of a project if the project is large or it may be completing something so I can cross it off my list. You are welcome to join me. Leave me a comment  about something you want to complete or join us in the Project Uninterrupted Group. They are joining in and challenging themselves too.

Now what is my challenge. It is this Dresden Plate Table runner. It was my English paper piecing demo project from 2017. It needs borders and then quilting.  The centres have been added.

I have selected another EPP project that has been on my list from 2015 to use for this year's demos to help me complete that one over the course of the year. There is two project on my list that are suitable so I selected the one closest to being finished.

So I am do hexagons demo's until I have finished my Forget Me Not quilt. I am 3/4 the way through this one.
As well as my challenge piece I will continue working on other projects in the background. There are days where I don't have time to sit in front of the machine and sew but on those days if I can manage some hand piecing work it will count.. The key is to sewing every day even if it only turns out to be 10 minutes of hand sewing before bed. It gets a project that little closer to completion.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

A Bit under the Weather this week

A bit under the weather this week and last week if I am willing to admit it. Nothing major just this horrible dry cough that is making talking, sleeping and concentrating difficult.

So everything has been harder than normal. I keep putting thing down and then not been able to find them again. So frustrating when you need things to be as simple as possible.
Anyway I have received some new stock of fabrics,

Bambini Brights including a large panel featuring Gaby.

Lewis & Irene Autumn in Bluebell Wood and a couple of bolts of Bumbleberries blenders.
new Michele Hill patterns to us, plus don't forget we have Brenda's William De Morgan and William Morris Sampler #  2 currently hanging in the shop.

and English Paper piecing supplies -some top up stock plus some new Playing with Paper pack which are a great way to try a new design or shape.

Today I have the mystery Framed Up Quilt class on. It is a 2 1/2" strip pattern so it will be perfect for a jelly roll and some background fabric. It will be exciting to see what they turn out like.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia