Fully Stacked Round Up

Our Fully Stacked Weekend is over and I am suffering from a bit of a fun hangover. Just a little tired and flat from all the work that went into putting this event together for the weekend and then all the fun  we had over the weekend and now it is over. I am a little sad. From the feedback so far it looks like we will be doing this again with some sewing involved next time. I already have a few ideas running around in my head. So if you have an idea, theme, when you would like to have it, etc I am happy for some extra input.

 Calendar Bingo was a hit and I have already penciled that in for next time as I still have lots of 2015 calendars to use up.  Plus a special February edition of Calendar Bingo will be included after February got banned because there wasn't enough days in the month.
The quiz was interesting online, we only had a few hand in their answers but in store we gave away what I had allocated for the in store quiz prize pool.  Some work to be done on this one for next time. I am think shorter. It started too early this time. Maybe people lost interest.

 Lots of Riley Blake Design and Penny Rose Fabric Stacker packs were sold at the discounted price. People love a discount and it helps when the 2 new released patterns and the revamp pattern featured stacker packs.
Also I need to arrange someone else to take some photos I was too busy to take many.
It is time to have a rest maybe do a little sewing on my Ohio Star quilt which is suppose to be finished by the end of the month. I just love a deadline to give me a good swift kick to the rear end to get me going. I am 2/3 of the way through the blocks. All the large blocks are done just need to finish the 6 inch blocks and piece them altogether.
 Then it is time to start sewing 2016 Block of the Month. We are doing a more traditional Block of the Month next year. We will be use the Riley Blake Designs Shades range and there will be 2 colour ways for you to choose from.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked - All Bricked Up #2

We have reached the last day of our Fully Stacked weekend. It has been a blast online and in store. We have had a lot of new visitors to the shopfront which has been great. So for today the quilt release is a pattern I had updated. All Bricked Up #2.

 It was one of my earliest patterns I wrote and it used a couple of charm square pack. This time I have use a 10' Stacker pack The Quilted Fish Madhuri Stacker pack and cut it up to create a more random look to the final design.

 By updating the pattern it is now available in PDF format and paper copy and they are full colour instructions. The original pattern is still available if you prefer a more structural layout to your quilt. Remember all the patterns I have release this weekend are on special until midnight tonight at Cynthia's Ark and to 4pm in store in Mallala.

Plus place an order to get a ticket in the raffle and to enter your quiz answers in the comments box to win. Visit in store(7 Wasleys Rd Mallala South Australia 5502 and make a purchase to get a ticket in the raffle and to hand in your quiz answers to win. At the moment in store visitors are leading as quiz winners.

Until Next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked - Floral Extravaganza Quilt Pattern Release

Day two has arrived in our Fully Stacked weekend and that means another new release quilt pattern and some more baking. I do enjoy the baking as much as the designing new quilt patterns but try to control my baking time or I would be the size of an elephant. So I am happy to share my baking with others this weekend.  Today's pattern is Floral Extravaganza.

It features the range of Extravaganza by Lila Tueller for Riley Blake Designs. One 10 inch Stacker pack, a little bit of coordinating fabric from the range and a few matching colours from Riley Blakes Shades range. It is another easy project but slightly harder the Butterfly Courtyard as you have the diagonal rows. Once again it is an easy to change the look of the quilt with a change of stacker pack. Here is the block, with a different stacker pack just change the colours of the borders to match some colours in the stacker pack and select a fabric for the corner stones.

There you go. Floral Extravaganza is available in store and online now at Cynthia's Ark. It is on special for the weekend.

Fully Stacked weekend details can be found on this blog post. 

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked - Butterfly Courtyard Quilt Pattern Release

Welcome to our Fully Stacked weekend. It is our first special event and won't be our last. Plans for the next one has started.Day 1 has started online and in store I am just finishing the final touches. Let me introduce the first new pattern for this weekend. It is Butterfly Courtyard.

I have used Riley Blake Designs A French Courtyard by Sue Daley Designs 10 inch Stacker Pack and some extra yardage for the blocks and borders. Don't Forget all Stacker packs are 15% off the marked price only this weekend.

We have stock of A French Courtyard 10' Stacker Packs and yardage from the range in store. The beauty of this design is you can pick your favourite Stacker pack and co-ordinated yardage and your Butterfly Courtyard could look totally different from mine. I would love to see it.
The  full colour pattern is available in two formats- the normal paper version which is on special for $10 (Normally $15) and the PDF downloadable pattern which will arrive in your inbox once we process your order, on special for $6 (Normally $10).
I will post some pictures from the shop during the day so if you can't get to the shop you can see a little of what is happening. More details of the specials from the weekend is here in yesterday post.

Don't forget your Fully Stacked quiz answers when you place your order online put them in the comments box for your chance to win a Riley Blake Designs fabric pack from us and with that order you automatically get a ticket in our Fully Stacked Raffle.

Fully Stacked Raffle Prize.

Fully Stacked Quiz prizes.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Welcome to the Cynthia's Ark Fully Stacked Weekend

I would like to welcome everyone to our first special themed event. Fully Stacked is all about 10' Stacker packs from Riley Blake Designs and Penny Rose Fabrics.
All 10' Stacker packs are 15% off this weekend only.
 There is 2 completely brand new patterns, Butterfly Courtyard and Floral Extravaganza and an updated version of my All Bricked Up pattern. The original pattern is still available if you prefer that one. All four patterns are on special this weekend. Plus all new patterns are available in 2 formats, as downloadable PDF files. They are in their own section so people can't confuse the two. To order it is just a matter of placing an order and once we process your order you will receive another email with the PDF file ready for you to download. Click on the link to download it and then save it to your computer. There is a second place to get your downloaded patterns from. Next time you are logged in to the webshop  on the right hand side of the page under  your My Profile tab you will find  download tab and all your downloaded patterns are kept there for you. So if you lose the emailed links you can always get your patterns again.

For in store customers there is 10% off the bolt price.
For online customers there is Free postage for the 3 days. All you have to do to claim it as you go through the checkout put FREE in the discount coupon box. Easy.


All orders placed online and in store over the 3 days will get you entered into the Fully Stacked Raffle. To be drawn on the 5th October at 4pm. Raffle basket prize valued at $90.

If you follow our blog/ or Facebook page you would have seen the Fully Stacked Quiz running leading up to this event. You need to collect all 10 answers to be in the running to win 1 of the 30 Riley Blake Design fabric bundles(10 each day). Not hard to tracked back on the blog to collect any you have missed. If placing an order online put your answers in the comments box as you go through the checkout or if you are visiting the shop front bring your answers in and hand them in when you make a purchase for your chance to win
.
Also we have some Free patterns on offer with all purchases from Riley Blake Designs and Penny Rose Fabrics.

If you are visiting the shop( 7 Wasleys Rd Mallala Sa 55020 there will be morning/afternoon tea on offer, along with some games of Calendar Bingo during the day with prizes for the winners. Opening hours Saturday 9.30am - 4pm and Sunday and Monday 10am- 4pm.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked Quiz #10

We are up to our last quiz question. You know what that means Fully Stacked starts in under 24 hour online as you will be able to place an order with your quiz answers from Midnight. Just put your quiz answers in the comment box as you go through the checkout eg 1-answer 2-answer etc. In store visitors will have to wait to Saturday 9.30 am before they get to make a purchase and hand their quiz answers in for their chance to win.
So here is the last question Ouch is the polite term used when this item gets you. What am I?

Look out for my blog post later today with all the details for this weekend. There is lots happening online and in store.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

 

Fully Stacked Quiz #9

Here is the second to last question in our Fully Stacked Quiz.

Without us you cannot sew. What are we? 

Collect all ten answers and when you place an order online or make a purchase in store between the 3rd-5th October 2015 you will have a chance of winning a Riley Blake Designs fabric bundle. Each bundle has 2 x 30 cm of Riley Blake Designs fabric from the same range. Valued at $14. There is 30 bundles to win over the weekend.
Online put your answers in the comment box as you go through the checkout for your chance to win. In store bring your written answers for your chance to win. It is easy.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked Quiz #8

Question #8 of our Fully Stacked Quiz for everyone.

Most of my kind use electricity to light up your pattern so you can see through it.

We are only 3 days away from the start of our Fully Stacked Weekend there has been lots of preparation happen here. Fabric bundles for the quiz prizes are all ready, new patterns all done, morning/afternoon teas are arranged. So now I have to finish wrapping the raffle prize and Calendar Bingo prizes, hang the new quilts up for display, load all the new stacker packs that arrived especially for this event on the website, blow up some balloons and I am nearly done. I am so looking forward to the weekend. We are going to have lots of fun. Please join us in store or online.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

English Paper Piecing Sew Along #1

Over on Instagram the Fat Quarter Shop has been running their EPP Sew Along (English Paper Piecing) and you may of notice I now have a nice selection of these papers, templates and accessories for this technique.  I need to make a few samples for the shop, so I thought I would join in. I have selected the fabrics from Katagami which is in stock at $26 per metre because of it fussy cutting potential.

This is only a mini quilt so it won't take long to make and in between working on the Fully Stacked projects I slipped in  a few minutes here and there to work on it. I cut all the shapes and glue basted them to the papers. Then it was time to play with the layout.

Then last Saturday night  I sewed the star together. I know I should of been finishing the binding on the last Fully Stacked project but I couldn't help myself. The binding did get done on the Fully Stacked project on Sunday. I just need to finish off the lose threads from quilting and it will be ready for it pictures to be taken and I only have to add the pictures to the pattern and it will be finished, ready for printing. Now I have to cut the background fabric so I am ready to applique my star onto it, when time permits me.

If you want to try English Paper piecing I have a little coaster kit on the shop you can purchase with full instructions in it and you will need a glue pen which you will find under the English Paper piecing Supplies tab in the Patchwork section of the shop but if you are already familiar with the technique we have lots of different shapes for you to experiment with.

Fully Stacked is on this weekend so if you want to find out more about English Paper Piecing stop in for a cuppa and I am happy to show you some of the basics.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked Quiz #6.

Now for the 6th question in our Fully Stacked Quiz.

I come in a number of sizes and you need different ones for different jobs. I can be left handed or right handed. What am I?

Only 5 more days and Fully Stacked will start will start on Saturday 3rd October 2015. Full details very soon.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked Quiz #5

We have reached the halfway point of our quiz. So here is question 5 for you.

Make sure you line me up correctly or you block may not come out the size it is meant to be. What am I?

I hope you are collecting the answers for next weekend Fully Stacked Event.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked Quiz #4 & Hot Bolt of the Week #7

Here we are with our fourth quiz question in our Fully Stacked Quiz. I hope  you are collecting the answers ready for next weekend Fully  Stacked weekend.

Question 4 is
What does WIP stand for?

Also while I am here this week's Hot Bolt of the Week is Flowers on the Green Batik fabric which is $13.00 a metre this week so you save $10.00 per metre. You can purchase some at Cynthia's Ark

 I will share a blog post on Sunday featuring this fabric in a new design that is ready for quilting.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked Quiz #3

We are up to question #3 today of our Fully Stacked quiz.

 

You need me to un-sew if you make a mistake. What am I?

Collect all 10 answers and place an order online over the Fully Stacked weekend and put your answers in the comment box for your chance to win a Riley Blake Designs fabric pack or visit the store in person 7 Wasleys Rd Mallala South Australia over that weekend and hand in your answers with a purchase for a chance to win. There is 30 Riley Blake Designs fabric packs to win over the weekend.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fully Stacked Quiz #2.

Here is Question 2 of the Fully Stacked Quiz.

I am an essential piece of your sewing equipment but you can still make a quilt without me if you choose. What am I?

You can share your answers or keep them to yourself as you need to give me all 10 correct answers when you make a purchase over the Fully Stacked weekend to claim your prize  either in person in the shop or in the comments box as you go through the checkout.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Back to Quilting

I have pieced the second Fully Stacked project and it is ready for quilting. So it is time to play with my new quilting rulers. I pieced the backing as I like to do. Is that my favourite Extravaganza fabric?

  Pinning it didn't take too long as this project is smaller than Fully Stacked project #1. I also pinned a test sandwich so I can check the measurement of the design I want to quilt. I am testing  Westalee Designs Circles on Quilts Spinning Wheel #36 template ruler I was thinking it is the wrong size but doing a test and seeing what it looks like stitched is the key.

 I was happy with the results. Full steam ahead. Bring on the quilting. I had 18 blocks to quilt and once I worked out a plan of action and not trying to turn the quilt and working in an orderly fashion. I was powering my way through the quilting. It did take me a few hours. Lol

This allowed me to get the binding on the next day ready for the hand sewing which means project #2 is nearly finished and it is time to proofread the pattern and double check the numbers. so there will be 2 new patterns available over the Fully Stacked Weekend and they will be available in print format and in downloadable PDF format. All my new patterns I create will be available in the 2 formats for now on make it easier to purchase. The big reveal is just over a week away. So make sure you pop back to my blog between the 3rd-5th October 2015 to see how these two projects turned out plus there will be more on offer as part of the Fully Stacked Weekend.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia

Fully Stacked Quiz #1

Welcome to our first Special Event, our Fully Stacked Weekend starting on to 3rd October. We are kicking things off with our Fully Stacked Quiz. Every day I will release a quiz question for the next 10 days and you need to collect all 10 answers to be able to enter to win a prize. To be in the running to win a Riley Blake Designs/ Penny Rose Fabric prize all you have to do is place an order between 3rd-5th October 2015 on our online store www.cynthiasark.com.au and enter your 10 answers in the comments box as you go through the checkout or visit us in store at 7 Wasleys Rd Mallala South Australia 5502 and make a purchase and give us your answers for your chance to win a Riley Blake Design/ Penny Rose Fabrics fabric pack. I have 10 packs to give away each day over 3 days, (5 online and 5 in store). That is 30 prize packs. 
TIP- There is 10 different answers so think carefully as a couple of questions could have more than 1 answer. No answers are repeated.

Here we go! Question 1.

I am one of your most dangerous quilting tools. You must engage the safety when you put me down.  What am I?

Collect all your answers ready for the Fully Stacked Weekend. Have fun. More details about the weekend on our Facebook page 

Until Tomorrow Question

Keep Stitching

Cynthia.

Fully Stacked Quiz

Our Fully Stacked weekend is coming closer. Just over 2 weeks to go, the time has arrived to start letting everyone in on some the activities that will be happening over the 3 days that Fully Stacked will be running. Some events will happen online and in store like our Fully Stacked Quiz. Starting 23rd of September I will release a quiz question each day until the 2nd October there will be 10 questions and you will need to collect all 10 answers and each day the first 5 customers in store hand in their correct answers with their purchase and the first 5 online customers who put the answers in the comments box as they go through the checkout will win a fabric prize. There will be 30 of these prize packs given away over the 3 days, 10 each day.

A little hint just for you! No answer is repeated- there is 10 different answers.

Keep an eye out for the next Fully Stacked Update soon.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Under the Pressure Foot #11

I have been busy working away on the Fully Stacked projects for our Fully Stacked Weekend on the 3rd-5th October. This event will be in store and online so everyone will be able to join in on the fun, with 2 new pattern releases planned, prizes, discounts and a little more. It will be an exciting weekend.
The problem is how much do I share in my blog post when I write them? I want a little bit of a surprise when the big reveal happens. I can put plenty of words on the page but it is not the same without some pictures to go with those words So here goes. This week I started on the second project for the Fully Stacked weekend as the first one  is nearly finished- a little more binding to go. Once again I am working with Riley Blake Designs fabrics as their fabric is the main feature of the weekend.

I spent an evening cutting the fabrics up for all the blocks ready for sewing, including a little bit of fussy cutting. Now I had made a test block a few weeks ago to check the measurement before I cut the fabrics and I have written the pattern ahead of time. So I was happy to cut the fabric for all the blocks. I alway make one block before I cut all the fabric. Mistakes do happen, so it is the safe option to prevent fabric wastage and doing the job twice.

Now I am ready to sew. Yes there is some cut pieces missing from this picture. Remember it is a secret for a few more weeks but I'm sure you will see a little more of this project before then if you pay attention.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching (You know I will)

Cynthia