Black Sheep, White Sheep

I am continuing with pattern testing this week. All this is leading to the Cynthia's Ark Safari workshops. Where you can come and spend some time into the shop making a soft toy animal from the animal patterns  we have in stock. So why am I making some up. There is a few reasons for me to do this. They are-
1 . Pattern test- To find out how easy the item is to make.
2. How well written the pattern is. Some patterns can be overwritten making them hard to understand though what they want you to do is easy to do if written up simply.
3. My theory is if I can make it, most other people can make it. Plus it helps me when someone needs help making up the pattern and they are stuck. I am already familiar with the pattern so I find it easier to help others.
4. It is good to check the patterns fabric requirements and finished size. I know some patterns can have extra fabric listed and some patterns will only have exactly what you need listed. This is good for me to know when cutting fabrics for kits or for the customer's.
5. Lastly I need a shop sample to show you what the kit fabrics look like when they are made.

So the pattern I am making this week is a special requested by my LSH (long suffering husband) who is a big fan of Shaun the Sheep. That means I am making Melly & Me Black Sheep, White Sheep. I have made a few of their patterns Oliver Hoot, Dee Dee the Dolphin and Baby Bunnies. This one is a little more challenging than the others just for the fact there is a zip involved.

The first parts were no trouble - cutting and sewing legs, arms, body, head and ears and then cutting them out and stuffing. In all making the sheep wasn't too bad. The scary part was making his little suit. Working with the minkee was a little challenging and that zip. I managed to get it in but it could've been neater and more even.

 Considering I can count the number zips I have used in projects on 1 hand, I thought I did ok. It fitted and it works. What more can I ask for!

Time to move on to the next project but remember if you want to make your own sheep the pattern is available on my shop at Cynthia's Ark.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

More Animals are moving into Cynthia's Ark

There hasn't been any decent sewing time this week. Just a few stitches in my Farmer's Wife Sampler binding. My Double Wedding Ring Bed Runner did get pinned. So what have I been up to then. I have had 2 new shipments of soft toy patterns, a couple were top up stock like Funky Friends Factory Larry the Lion and Melly & Me Black Sheep, White Sheep. The rest are new and we all love something new, don't we!
There is 4 Ric rac patterns, Baxter, Rumble & Clomp, Hedgehog Circus and their latest pattern Elliot.

I am thinking I will have to make some of the Hedgehogs for the shop.
The other shipment was full of Funky Friends Factory patterns. More Larry the lion patterns plus we now have Plattie Playpus, Diggles the Dragon and Puppy Dog Pete.

I think there will be a shop sample sewing session so we can put some kits together. Some fabric selections for 2 new patterns and one that I had a special request for.

Tune in next week for the sewing session post. We will see how easy these patterns are to make.

                                            Until Next Time

                                            Keep Stitching

                                             Cynthia

The Latest Additions to the Ark

We had two new members of the Ark to share with you this week. Meet Piper and Pete the pengiuns. These cuties are from another Melly & Me pattern and the pattern is available in store now. I am loving the Melly & Me patterns so far, all the ones I have made I have completed successfully which is great news for me and you. If I can make them then most of you out there can make them as well.

I know there is another member joining us soon. She is just busy on assignment at the moment. So as soon as she arrives I will introduce her.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

A Friend for Oliver and Larry.

It is time to make Oliver and Larry some friends. We can't have an ark with only two animals. Also it give me the chance to do some pattern testing. I like to make a project or two from the patterns I stock. It help me help the customers make their choices when they are buy patterns and it give me confidence in selling the patterns. If I can follow the pattern and the project turns out like it is suppose to, I am happy to stock the designers patterns.
Now I have 2 more Melly & Me in my sights, I want to try Dee Dee the dolphin and Piper & Pete the penguin's. I made Oliver (Melly & Me pattern) in a workshop with Melanie and was blown away that I was able to make him with some help. So now I wanted to do these guys by myself. The ultimate test for me. I prepared the fabrics for both projects before I went away on retreat, so I could make them while I was away.
I started with Dee Dee the dolphin first. I used fabric from Tula Pink's Elizabeth range and I will put together some kits using these fabrics and make them available at  www.cynthiasark.com.au shortly. This project took me a couple of hours to make on Saturday night. She was easy to put together, the hardest part was stitching neatly around the eyes for me. Which really wasn't that hard.

The pieces aren't too small, making it easy to cut out and handle when pinning the pieces together for sewing and the pattern was clear and easy to follow. 4 big ticks for this project.  Here she is completed.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

A Quilters Odyssey Retreat

The Sunset on Sunday night at Nunyara Belair, you wouldn't think turning 90 degrees to the right and you would see the City of Adelaide below you. I should of taken that my picture.

A Quilters Odyssey annual retreat was on over this last weekend. Beautiful clear weather, no rain in the forecast. All 23 of us packed our bags and head for Nunyara Conference Centre at Belair for a weekend of sewing, chatting, games, shopping and good food. Kate and Sue are behind this gathering and they have done a great job once again.

I always take too many project to work on. I didn't want to run out of sewing now, do I? This year's goal was to finish my Double Wedding Ring bed runner as it came with me on retreat last year and wasn't touch. So that was Saturday project, the top was completed and it is ready for quilting.

Also I tackled the remaining 8 large Ohio Star blocks that have been cut for months. Done now just have to sew the small ones which I cut just in case I got to them but that didn't happen.

Another lingering project was my Batik Half Square Triangle quilt, it just needed the 3 borders added to them.

This was Sunday job after we had the wonderful Michele Hill visit us and speak to us about her quilting journey. Very inspiring she was and her work is stunning to see close up. I may even have a go at one of her patterns in the future. It may be time to try machine applique for real. I brought her new book on the day so I will share which project I pick and how I go when it happens.

Sunday night gave me a chance to sew a Melly & Me project for the next fair. I need a few more samples and I do like to try the patterns I sell because it helps me advise my customers. So I made Dee Dee the dolphin and she was a breeze to make and you can get the pattern at www.cynthiasark.com.au with lots of other Melly & Me patterns including some I have made kits up for.

On Monday I had Piper & Pete the penguins to make up as I cut them out before the retreat, but I got about 3/4 quarters through making them and I needed to stuff them before I could finish them off and I didn't have enough stuffing with me. 

Lastly I finally finished April's Bitty Blocks. The lag of sewing over May and June is noticeable to me with me falling behind in some projects. I have May's blocks cut ready to go so we will see if we can catch up a little bit before the end of July or not.

No matter what, lots was achieved over the weekend by everyone with lots of fun thrown in. A great weekend was had and it was sad when we had to return home and most of us back to work. If only we had another day together but there is always next year.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Laura Folk Fair 2015 Round Up

Once again we were in Laura trading at the Laura Folk Fair over the weekend. This is one of our favourite events of the year. We get 2 days trading out in the fresh air and it is an overnight stay in the neighbouring town of Gladstone. So it is like a mini break. As always we had perfect weather for the weekend and it was a busy weekend with lots of great crafts, good food and entertainment for the whole family.

This year when we got there we noticed there had been some road works since last year's event and the organisers had to realign our end of the fair which turned out to be a blessing for us, as we have the afternoon sun in our eyes normally. So no more sun in our eyes and as we are outside under hessian tents the sun now didn't reach the back of our stall so we could get out of the sun when needed.

The 2 new Kids Strip Quilts kit Furry Friends and Too Cute were popular with the crowds, along with the Melly and Me patterns (I think that was down to Oliver Hoot being our special guest on the stall). A number of customers wanted to take him home but I couldn't part with him. So they had to buy a pattern and make their own. Am I a mean person? I don't think so.

Of course fabric was the most popular selling item on the stall. I make sure all the fabric boxes are topped up plus extras for such event as we only get out that way once a year. I don't want anyone to miss out. This year the modern fabrics and novelty fabrics were the big movers. I love see what fabrics people buy it helps me select what to order in and I often see interesting mixes that have the wow factor. There was 1 fabric that has been in stock for over 12 months and not move all that well but I had a customer mix it with a different range from a different company and I thought wow that could easily mixed together to create a great quilt. I may have to play around with them and see what happens. It was another great weekend in Laura. We look forward to next year's event.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

My Journey into the World of Softies

Have you seen Sew Mama Sew blog recently? They are currently running Six Weeks of Love for Softies series with lots of interest softies with their designers. I have followed Sew Mama Sew blog for a while not sure how long but it was one of the early blogs I started following. Now if they have done this last year or even in January this year I may have given it a brief look but I'm not that interested in making softies. It is March 2015 and I view softies in a totally different light after making my first one Oliver Hoot at a Melly and Me workshop. See my cute little friend.

It was like I had a light bulb moment when the light turned on and I can make these softies and  I can bring the animals back to my business Cynthia's Ark. My machine sewing has been limited to piecing quilts, quilting and the occasionally mending job. I have never been a big machine sewer and never really giving sewing anything else much of a chance. I can tell you things have changed. So far there has been 2 free patterns included in the blog posts. I want to try them both so I am giving Pauline's  Funky Friends Factory elephant softie a go first as she states it is suitable for a beginner.
The fabrics I have picked out are from Riley Blake Designs Unforgettable  range Grey petal and Blue Hexies for this project and you can find the range in my webshop if you want some for your stash..
Next the tracing and cutting all rather simple to trace and cut the pieces needed. Then I was ready for sewing. All straight forward and ready to turn through before I knew it. Even at this stage I think it is looking like an elephant don't you think?

Stuffing was a little more challenging, trying to stuff the trunk with little bits of wadding. I think he could of done with a little more stuffing but I think it is too bad. All that was left to do was to hand stitch his ears in to place and stitch his eyes.
Here he is all done

Now it is time to try Jodie's mouse Fig from Ric rac. Another free pattern on the Sew mama Sew blog.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Look who has arrived.

The first lot of animals have arrived with Oliver guidance. Let me introduce them to you.
These cuties have come from Melly and Me beautiful range of soft toys (softies) and I can see more coming in the near future. Plus some from other designers that have been recommended.
 Now lets start with Oliver Hoot because he came home  with me from Cotton Carnivale 2015 and is Melly and Me latest design.

Next we have Kiki the cat

Followed by Pebbles the puppy

and Moo Moo

and Piper and Pete

and Five Little Ducks

and just in time for Easter Baby Bunnies

 All of these patterns are now available in my webshop under the Pattern Tab in the Melly and Me category. There will be more to come so if there is an animal you would like to make let me know and I will see if I can get it.

They are lots of fun to make so have a go today. If I can make Oliver they can't be too hard. I may have discovered a new craft to love Softies.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

The Animals are returning to Cynthia's Ark

As a lot of you know I was in Noosa Queensland over the weekend. I spent a great weekend with Sue Daley, Riley Blake Designs Cindy and Gina and a whole bunch of great women all out to learn new things and network.
 I learnt lots of things over the weekend and you will see a number of changes over the next few months as I work through my list of improvements. The first new thing to Cynthia's Ark is we are now on Instagram so I am learning how to use it. So pop over and follow our daily feed on what may or may not happen.
There has been a change on the website with a couple of more to follow once I iron out some details. If you are looking for pattern now  they have their own category rather being under the patchwork banner and it is section into subcategories by designer.
The second big thing to come from the weekend is The animals are returning to Cynthia's Ark. If you don't know my story I started Cynthia's Ark with decorating china and porcelain ware with animals on them, mainly cats and dogs but all animals. I have had a number of animal themed patterns and fabrics in store after I moved on but I have decided I need to return the animals so we are going to stock Melly and Me patterns.

  I met Melanie at Cotton Carnival where she gave a very interesting talk on social media and photography and also ran a workshop where we each made her latest pattern Oliver Hoots, which will be in stock shortly with a number of her other animal patterns. Stay tuned for their arrival.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia