Little Joys Quilt Along #2

If you read my Little Joys Quilt Along post from last week, you would know I planned to finish the last block (the Christmas present) on Friday. Guess what! It didn't happen I had all these plans I was going to come home from a local craft store with some extra supplies and sew way into the night. I can say I did start but I didn't get far in and I hit the wall. As I knew I had a big day on Saturday I turn in. There is no point continuing when you are feeling headachy and tired. Some days I have enough trouble with making mistake when I am feeling good, so there is no point when I am feeling poorly.

Any way I did get the last 3 present block completed on Tuesday night so it was time to assemble the top.

I am going to have to plan a quilting day and starting a few of these projects to complete them.

Here is the top altogether without the last border but I can tell you that border is on. I just forgot to take another photo.

Now to baste it for quilting, I am going to use the Christmas tree fabric for the backing. It is my favourite in the range.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Paper Piecing Quilt Along #2

This week we got to sew our first block in the Paper Piecing Quilt Along from Christa's Quilts. I don't have a lot of experience with paper piecing so I was a little unsure how I was going to go with the block. I love the block so I had to try. I discovered it isn't too hard as long as you follow the numbers on the papers and the excellent instructions that came with it.

 I got it completed but I need to do my next blocks a little differently as I wasn't set up well enough as my cutting table was too far away from the sewing machine and the iron was closer but not close enough and going back and forwards all the time will drive me crazy. So when I do the next batch of block I will set up better like Christa's suggested. It isn't a hard technique to learn once I got my head around it. So I am looking forward to explore this technique a little deeper, sooner than later.

I am very happy with my first block so close to perfect that I impressed myself. Lets just say my finished block was just fraction undersized, not enough that I have to redo it. I just need to take a little more care as I make the next blocks. I think when I folded the paper on the over my flat edge it could of been flatter.
It's not too late to join in,  here is the link Christa's Quilts.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Paper Pieced Quilt Along # 1

How you seen Christa Watson new quilt along? If not here is the link Christa's Quilts. This quilt along appealed to me from the first post I saw of the block she was working with. Even better when I discovered it is paper pieced. This is a technique I really want to explore. I have done a little bit with paper piecing but not enough. So I made the decision to join this quilt along and expanse my paper piecing knowledge.
These are the fabrics I have selected for this quilt along.

This is the layout that I really liked so that is where I am going. If this is a winner I am thinking matching cushions. I am getting ahead of myself now.

Papers all printed ready to go on the 20th May when we get to sew our first block. I checked the scale after the first one and adjusted my printer setting accordingly but I did keep it for a reference guide and to take down any notes I may need to remember as I piece the block.

So I am now already to start. This is going to be exciting stuff hopefully and I will take a few more steps along my paper piecing journey.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching.

Cynthia

Wishes Quilt Along- Border Update.

Happy New Year to everyone. May 2015 be full of crafty delights.

This is where I am up to on my Wishes Quilt from the Fat Quarter Shop Wishes Quilt Along 2014. I had to work hard to complete the pieced final border before the end of the year. I knew there was no way I could complete the full quilt before the end but I aimed to complete the top. I am thinking I may have this one quilted for me so I can continue on other projects. It is a large quilt.
The final border was a checkerboard border so there was lots of chain piecing done to get all four side pieced and I had my fingers crossed I didn't make a mistake.

The top 2 piles are the side borders ready to go to the sewing machine.

 So I was over the moon when the side borders went on perfectly. I did play around with the top and bottom border so at the corners I didn't have same colours touching in the corners. I just took 3 from the bottom of my pile and put them on top so they are slightly different at the begin and end of the strips. They went on beautifully too. I am so happy how this quilt top has turned out. Now for the quilting.
 Do I take it to my long arm quilter or do I do it myself?

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

2014 To Do list Review- What I did completed.

2014 is coming to a close and it is time to see what I did complete on my list. I didn't get the list completed but that doesn't surprised me. I am so easily side tracked and there was a number of projects completed that won't on the list when the year started. Have a look at my Completed Projects page here on the blog.

The List.

1. My Pies & Tarts Quilt I am half way through hand quilting this one.
Not finished but I am now 3/4 way through the hand quilting, It will have to go on next year's list.
2. My Batik Hexagon Quilt top ready for quilting and binding.
Completed
3. My Batik Log Cabin Quilt I am nearly finished the blocks (4 blocks to go)
Completed
4. My Farmers Wife Sampler quilt -only have 30 blocks to go then sashing and borders.
The quilt top is completed but I can't decide if I should hand quilt it or machine quilt.
5. Bonnie Hunters Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt the final layout was only released on 1st January 2014 I have 24 blocks completed.
Completed
6. My Double Wedding Ring quilt I started at the end of October at a workshop. 3 rings completed only.
I am up to 5 rings but this quilt is now going to be a bed runner. So I only need 14 rings.
7. Building Blocks Quilt. 2014 Free Motion Quilt Along created by Leah Day. This one is going to allow me to tackle 2 things on my list, improve my free motion quilting and have a go at the Quilt as you go technique.
Stuck halfway through this one. Not sure what I am going to do with this one.
8.A new Cynthia's Ark design featuring our Mystery Batik Sampler Pack. All designed just have to sew, write the pattern and kit it.
I have sewn 12 of these blocks and I need to finish the rest.
9.A new Cynthia's Ark design featuring hexagons using the Inklingo technique or EPP.
This was my camellia quilt. Completed.
10.Quiltmaker magazine Black Tie Affair using Riley Blake Evening Blooms 
Not started.
10. Pat Sloan's Globtrotting  BOM for freequiltpatterns.info (One block a month)
Completed.
11. Fat Quarter Shop Wishes Quilt Along BOM (One block a month)
The blocks are all together with the first border. I am halfway the last pieced border.
12. A Dahlia Quilt I have a pattern.
I started this one but I have misplaced my templates I made for it. So I have only completed 4 rows.
13. My Aurifil Block of the Month quilt. 
I have made all the blocks I have to create a layout for the blocks. I have seen a couple layouts others have used. 
So I have had some success and some disasters but lots did get done. The key is to keep it going into 2015. I did learn a lot in 2014, with new quilting techniques (my free motion quilting has improved 100% on what I could do before 2014) and piecing techniques, computer stuff like blogging, creating PDF files, patterns, tutorials, sharing posts with other bloggers and more.

Lets bring into the new year with some more stitching.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Wishes Quilt Along Borders Update

I have spent some time cutting this week in preparation for borders to go on a few projects. One just needs the borders add as they are solid but the other two have pieced borders and the Wishes is one of them. So I cut the sashing strips and the first set of borders strips ready to be added and I got the blocks sewn into rows ready for the next lot of sashing to go in between them.

Once I have the block rows sewn together the 1st border is goes on.

 Then there is some work to go in to sewing the pieced border together before I will be able to join those borders to the quilt but I am getting close. Time for a big cutting session.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Wishes Quilt Along - November's Block

I really want to get ahead this month, with Christmas just around the corner I want to get stuff done that I know I need to get done early. So when life becomes hectic I might not lose total control. So I have got my Wishes block done early. The good thing about this project being only 1 block it doesn't take long to make. I have on a number of times this year done these blocks in 2 parts, when I have a spare 10 minutes. I select the fabric and cut the pieces for the block and lay them out on my board in order. Then another time when I am free I sew it up. 

Here is November block - Stair Step.

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

Globetrotting Block of the Month #10 - Part 1

This month Pat Sloan has given us the corner blocks and borders instructions to finish our quilt tops off. Let’s just say I haven't quite got the top finished yet but I thought I will still posted what I have done. The corner blocks are done and I have joined the blocks together with their sashing strips. I did move some of the blocks around as the 2 lighter blocks were too close together. So I have the 2 borders left to do. I think it will have to wait until the weekend as the outer border is pieced and I will need some time to work it out. The border uses 2 fabrics which I have but when I look at them together I think they look too similar and the 2 tone border may not be noticeable. That is my biggest fear. I have seen some completed tops that have more than 2 colours in their outer border. So I might look at using some of the fabrics left over from the blocks to add to the border to give it the contract it needs.

 Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Island Batik Mystery Quilt Along

I have been following Bea's blog for most of this year. So when she announced she was doing a Mystery quilt along for Island Batiks I just had to join in I also love Island Batik fabrics. They make up 95 % of batik fabrics in my store. That says a lot in itself. 

If you follow my blog you know I have been flat out over the last month and my plan to do 2-3 post on this project over the month didn't happen. I have been doing little bits here and there when I have had 5-10 minutes. I haven't quite got the top completed but it won't take me long to finish the blocks.

  As the project is called Stain Glass quilt and Bea stated at the beginning avoid too many directional fabrics, I picked tonal batiks for my project. I may change the dark binding fabric(top fabric) now I have seen the quilt layout.

My sub blocks made up.

My sub blocks laid out ready for sewing.

This is the block completed.

The first 4 block completed and lay out in the centre blocks.

Hopefully I can squeeze in a couple hours of sewing in on Sunday to complete the rest of the blocks. Only 12 more to go.

Here is the link to Island Batiks Blog if you are interested in this project

 Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Globetrotting Block of the Month # 9

Following my completion of my Wishes block I jumped in to my Globetrotting block for September - Barcelona. This is looking good and I am wondering what we are doing next month as there is only 9 blocks listed so I can't wait to see what is going to happen next.

 Today I brought my backing fabric for this quilt at A Quilter's Odyssey, Kate has some beautiful fabrics in store and there is always something new to discover. I found this one in the 50% off section and I could resist it for my backing for my Globetrotting quilt. It is only fair as Kate helped me pick out all the fabrics for the top so this whole project was purchased in her shop.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Wishes Quilt Along - September's Block

We are up to September block. I am happy to say mine is completed. I finally broke the machine piecing drought that has been happening here and it is not the last week of the month. So that is 2 stars by my name this month. LOL. I must say I really love how this project is turning out. I can see some other quilts being created from certain blocks. 

Here is September's block.

This week the Fat Quarter Shop posted a teaser for next year project. It looks fantastic so I have already decided I am going to do it.

Until next time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Spring Sampler Quilt #2

I have finally got started on my Spring Sampler quilt. If you have read the first post on this quilt along you will know I only discover it in May they were already 4 blocks in I think. So I finally got a little time for some stitching so the plan was start with blocks 6 and 7 and work backward until I caught up. So I cut my fabric for block 6 and sew it together and somehow I ran out of time. Where does time go? So block 7 will have to wait but I thought I would share block 6 with everyone.

                                                         Block 6.                                                      There is a button on the right hand side of my blog for this project if you wish to have a look.

Until next time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia