What is new at Cynthia's Ark

Not a lot of sewing has been done this week. Which is a sad thing. I haven't had time to even sit down at the machine and consider doing some sewing.
So what has been going on? Lots of new stock has arrived from a number of sources and there is still more to coming including 2 more fabric shipments and the safety eyes for the dragons in green and blue this time.
Let's start with the threads that have arrived. We have topped up our range of Glide quilting threads including 7 new colours as we expand our range each time we place a new order.

While we are on threads we have released our special Cynthia's Ark Everyday Sewing Collection which features 15 x 1300m 50 wt of our can't live without Aurifil cottons. The Collection has been design to cover all your essential sewing needs, either by machine or by hand. Storage box is included.

On the pattern front we are now stock Wildcraft Farm Quilt Card Collection patterns which contains a beautiful large greeting card with envelope and the pattern to make the project featured on the front of the card. They are the perfect gifts for your sewing friends or you could be cheeky and give the card and keep the pattern for yourself. I won't tell anyone.

Also from Wildcraft Farm coming these beautiful wooden spool for you to store your stranded cottons on. They come in a starter pack of 20 spools.Threads not included.
 There will be some larger spools coming soon. They will be perfect for keeping trims, laces and ready to go binding.

Now for the fabric, there is the Crazy Cats panel and co ordinates for the funky cat lovers.

There is a new Thomas the Tank panel along with a Celestial Seasons panel with a co ordinate.

Lastly on the panels front there is the Dragon Moon panel with co ordinates. It has been a while since we have had new Japanese fabrics so they will be popular.

From Penny Rose Fabrics we have received 6 bolts from Jefferson City range.

Don't forget we did receive Woodland Wonder just before all this which is this year's Christmas range for the shop. I do have a little pattern planned for this range.

All products featured in this post are available in store or at www.cynthiasark.com.au
Now it is time to cut fabric to top up the craft fair boxes in time for the Festival of Quilts that is on at Morphettville Racecourse, Adelaide, South Australia.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Product Review -Karen Kay Buckley Scissors

Back in April I purchased my first pair of Karen Kay Buckley scissors at a fair. I have been hearing lots of great things about them so I thought I should try them. My friends have the small green scissors in their collection and I have occasionally borrowed a pair to snip a thread on the odd occasion. But I was interested in the medium scissors as they have the larger grips that are the same size for the thumb and finger as I have plenty small scissors for thread trimming. I found they were more comfortable to use especially since I want to be able to cut fabric with them.  I am working on some applique projects. They cut through multiple layers was ease and my hand was not hurting after an evening of cutting. To say I was impressed is put it mildly.

 So they are now in stock in the small thread cutter size(green handles) and the medium size(blue handles).  If you are interested in the other sizes I can order them in for you. I feel there will be a good chance the other sizes will become stock lines but I had to start somewhere. So I started with what I think would be the most popular sizes. They are available online at Cynthia's Ark or in store. If you are popping in to the shop you are welcome to try mine first.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Under the Pressure Foot #16

I have been waiting for this range to arrive since I ordered it in June. It is Thimble Pleasures and features vintage sewing machines panel, scissors, tape measures, thimbles and sewing sayings. They are all now available at Cynthia's Ark.

I have two projects ideas for you for this range.  Today I will share the first idea and next week I will share the other idea once I do a little more sewing on the project. Firstly the panel can easily be cut into 2 strips of 4 sewing machines.

So the first idea is a table runner. So you could make 2 table runners from 1 panel or you could make 1 table runner and 4 matching cushions. For the table runner all you need is a cream inner border. I used Riley Blake Designs Shades Cream fabric for an inner border.

Then I used the Thimble fabric from Thimble Pleasures for the second border.

I will have to find some quilting time now to finish this table runner off but I do know I will be using the tape measure fabric for the binding.
When I finish this table runner I will write the pattern up and put it under the tutorial tab for anyone who would like to make one. These fabrics are available at Cynthia's Ark.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Fabric Overload

Friday was such a busy day. There has been lots to do lately and I have been working late most days this week. So I was pretty tired by the time I got home just before 6pm. I left the house at 6.10am so I was out all day. I had collected an fabric order that had arrived and I was wondering what had come in. It is still one of my favourite things opening the fabric shipments, some orders I know exactly what is in them, others I have to order months in advance. The ones I order months in advance are the special surprise ones. I wonder which range has arrived. This one was a mixed batch. We have more Tula Pink fabrics, Paula Barnes Companions, Always the Season (which is this month's Stashing Building Club shipment) and Loominious which I can't believe how soft it feels to touch and the rich colours just sing to me. I know there is a couple more still to come from this range. These fabric will be available shortly at Cynthia's Ark.

Top -Tula Pink Eden, Middle - Always the Season &  Bottom-Tula Pink Elizabeth

Paula Barnes Companion The yellow is more a gold in colour.

Loominious Top bolt is more red than orange.

Now there was another parcel waiting for me when I got in that my LSH( long suffered husband) collected from the post office. It was from Millhouse Collections. I buy all my  Riley Blake Designs and Penny Rose Fabrics stock from them so I always have something coming from them lately. Another shipment arriving early next week but this one was different. This one I didn't know about. What was in blew my mind I couldn't believe what I was looking at when I opened it.
 In my hands I was holding the fabrics from Leonie Bateman's Harrington range. I ordered this range back in July and I have ordered the whole range (first time ever) because I loved the whole range and I don't think that has ever happened. There is alway a few I don't care for but this one is different. The other thing I have noticed fabrics can lose a little of their magic on paper (in catalogues) and on the computer screen but when they are in your hands they just sing so loudly you can't turn them down. This is what this range does to me. A big happy dance around the kitchen was done and  all of a sudden I wasn't as tired as I felt when I walked in the door. Ah the magic of fabric!

Hopefully we will have stock in December when it is set for release here but I will be able to load all the fabric on the shop early for you to browse along with the quilt pattern that goes with this range. I will be able to kit the quilt up as well. I will be make the quilt as a shop sample so we can do some workshops on it if you want to join me making it.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Cynthia's Ark November Bulletin

The latest bulletin is now available for your read pleasure. It is full of new products, specials, club details and what is going to be happening. So make yourself a cuppa and have a read.
November 2015 Bulletin.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3R8F6cX001EalQzRExvMVVtSGM/view

Ardently Austen 10' Stackers and Rolie Polie

Bolts of Ardently Austen

 Bolts of Forget Me Not fabric with Indigo and Cheddar fat quarter bundle.

These are a few of the new arrivals in the shop.

All product can be order online at Cynthia's Ark

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

September Bulletin From Cynthia's Ark

 I have just completed the latest newsletter for the shop and is now available for you to read here. There is a little about upcoming Events and What new products are now available.

Cynthia's Ark September Bulletin.

Hopefully this works. I am going to try to do a better newsletter more regularly. It is just a matter of trying to work out how to cover the most customers as I want it create a better newsletter than I have previously. Another Work in Progress for me. This newsletter will be added to the Bulletin tab for easy referencing.

Let me know if you have any problems or any suggestions to improve my newsletter.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

More new stock has arrived

Not a lot of sewing happening here. I am going to have to make up for that on the weekend when I am away with a great bunch of ladies at A Quilters Odyssey annual retreat.
In the mean time there has been new products arrive in store, The Shop tab at the top of the blog.
First is Raff the Giraffe he is available as a pattern for $16.00 or in a kit $28.00.

Plus The Quilted Fish Pigs in a Blanket is now back in stock at $16.00 per pattern. I know there is a couple of you out there waiting on their arrival.

I have left the best til last, Riley Blake Designs 10' Stacker Packs in a variety of ranges are now in stock at special low prices.($16.95-$24.95) When new stock comes in they will be a higher price so get in early for these specials.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

New Stock on the Shop.

I thought I would share today what is new in the web shop. There is Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt now in stock at a special introduction price of $49.95 for a short time.

There is 2 new patterns from Melly & Me Black Sheep, White Sheep and Dee Dee the dolphin both are $16.50 each. I have selected Dee Dee to make up in a shop sample using some Tula Pink's Elizabeth fabrics I have in stock. I will share a post on that when I make it.

Also in stock Riley Blake Designs Cotton Blender Fat Quarter bundle and it is $140.00 for 31 Fat Quarters.

Plus you will notice a new Category under the Patterns tab called Cynthia's Ark Downloadable Pattern I am updating some of my printed patterns into PDF file so you will be able to order them  and receive them in your inbox once your order has been processed or can also access your download patterns via the webshop when you log in to the shop you will see a download tab under the My Account tab on the right hand side of the shop. Currently there is 2 free patterns available plus my Scrappy Roads pattern $10 with more on the way. All new patterns will come in both formats and I will update the more popular ones to PDF along the way.
Plus you should see what is coming. Lots of new stock including new friends for Larry & Oliver, 10' Stacker packs and new fabrics on the bolt. I look forward to sharing them as they arrive.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Look what has arrived this week.

Not a lot of sewing has been happening here but that doesn't mean I have been taking it easy. I have been at The Stitches & Craft Show for the last 3 days selling and catching up with lots of my regular customers and introducing myself to new customers. Now if you saw me there you got to see the new products first as the shipment arrived when I was setting up for this event so there was no time to upload these products into the web shop until after the event.

I think the most noticeable addition is Larry the Lion. A new friend for Oliver. Larry the Lion is available as a pattern and also as a kit (in the fabrics in the picture) Pattern $16.00 and Kit is $28.00.

Also we received the patterns for The Quilted Fish Pigs in Blanket pattern. I think it is the perfect time to make a pair of these slippers as we head into winter. Now if I can make a pair, they can't be that hard to make. Pattern $16.00.

 We have 3 new Civil War Miniatures bolts of fabric that arrived. These are perfect for your Farmer's Wife Sampler or any other reproduction quilt you are considering to make.
Price $23.00 per metre.

Lastly we have our new notepads available for purchase. They are perfect for your shopping list, a quick note for someone, stocking stuffers, etc. They are 10.5 x  15 cm in size and 100 sheets per pad. Price $ 5.50 per pad.

I promise I will get behind the sewing machine sometime this week and share what is under my pressure foot.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia 

What has been Happening?

What has been happening around here? I can tell you not a lot of sewing that is for sure and because of that I haven't got much to blog about. Lots of boring behind the scenes stuff has kept me busy, most of it on the computer and that is effecting my creative side. I need to do something creative. So last night I cut my next block for Pat Sloan's Vacation Time block of the Month just so I could play with some fabric for me. Maybe I will get to sew it today but I won't hold my breath on that. There is a lot of photos to be taken and the weather is terrible here so I will have to take them inside. Editorial to write and submit, new products to be add to the shop and orders to be cut and packed for this afternoon mail run.
I thought I would share a few new fabrics that have come in and the latest quilt kit in our Kids Strip Quilt range.Too Cute Strip Quilt Kit. Just perfect for a little girl.

Some new fabrics that have arrived are from  Penny Rose's Civil War Times and 19th Century Shirting ranges. All will be add to the shop shortly.

Plus we have receive new stock of the Tiger panel plus a couple new coordinates that increases our stock to 5 from this range. http://www.cynthiasark.com.au/cs/tiger-panel.html

It is time to get back to it.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching ( I'll try to do some stitching)

Cynthia

I need more TIME.

Where did the week go? I don't feel I achieve as much as I would of liked but isn't that always the way. April will be here next week and I am not ready. It will be flat out so I better get the schedule sorted or I may be running around like a crazy woman. My LSH (long suffering Husband) thinks I run around like a crazy woman most of the time now lol.
I have the Angaston Craft Fair on at the Angaston Town Hall on the 4th April followed by the Laura Folk Fair on the 11th-12th April in Laura. They are listed on the events page if you want more details. I need to finish a number of jobs this weekend so I am ready.
 If you saw my last post on the strip quilts I have been working on, I can happily say the tractor and the fairy quilts are completed with my new Cynthia's Ark quilt label on them. Let me tell you I love them.
 The Furry Friends quilt has been quilted and I just have to finish the binding. So I think they are under control.

I have been working on a little strip pieced table mat design to go with some little 2 1/2 inch strip packs I am putting together so I need to sew that together. I have written the pattern so that is good for me. Normally I do it the other way around. Doing it this way may mean I don't drag my feet on getting it completed, hopefully. Fingers crossed. I will share some pictures once I start sewing.
Plus a new shipment of fabric has arrived. I must say I am a little disappointed that I didn't get all the Tula Pink Elizabeth fabrics I ordered so I will chase them up with the supplier on Monday.

Also I got some of the Spice Palette by The Quilted Crow. They are a lovely ranges of neutrals and  you can never have enough neutrals in your stash.

Finally the last thing in the shipment was some new fabrics to make a new Kids Strip Quilt for our ongoing range of Kids Strip Quilt Kits. This is a little girls one.  So I need to sew up the sample pretty quickly in time for the fairs.

You will find these fabrics in the Cynthia's Ark webshop shortly. Now I better get my act together and get stuck in to it.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia