Panel Time at Cynthia's Ark

I love how easy a panel quilt can come together. They make great quick presents for all sorts of occasions. I have made my share of them over the years.  You can keep them simple or you can go to town on them and create an elaborate creation. Though sometimes a panel can stump you an it takes a bit longer to work out how you can use it.

These two quilts features 2 panels each, the centre panel and then I have cut a second block panel up and added it to the top and bottom of the centre panel with extra borders to create a single bed size  quilt.

This is the current panel quilt that I am quilting. Very effective. It will look like a pieced quilt once I am done. All I have added is the last two borders. The quilting of each section will create\the pieced effect.

Now I know you are wondering why I am sharing these panel quilts. I have a challenge for anyone who wants to join in featuring panels. Come back on the 31st March to find out more.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

One Monthly Goal -February Completed?

 I had two quilts to bind this month. Here is my original post with all the details. That is all I set myself for February. A task that really should have been achieved. In theory it should have been completed but in my world things always go a bit haywire, things don't go to plan, something else gets in the way and so on.

In the end I got just over halfway through February goal. One quilt was totally completed.

The other quilt got the binding attached to the quilt but I have only just started the final step to finish the binding off. It shouldn't take me too long to finish it off now that I am at this stage.

Until Next Time

Keep stitching

Cynthia

Basting Time

There is so much happening here, most of it is boring and not worth telling you about. The behind the scenes running of a quilt shop is pretty mundane. I know you think I play with fabric and get to sew all day and that is fun, but in reality I don't get to do that as often as you may think. I have been trying to work on my schedule, so I can put some fun sewing time in to my day. 

It's come down to slipping in 30 minutes here and there when I can. The other day, I decided that I am swapped my business hat for my project hat and made some time to basted this quilt.

It's been sitting here since last year, ready for quilting. It uses Karen Styles     Meridian Stars range and believe or not it is a panel quilt. I have only added the last two borders. How cool is that! I have a Panel Magic workshop planned for July, with spots still available. Fingers crossed I can get this quilted before then. 

I have sprayed basted this quilt. I am often asked what I prefer to basted with. I alway tell them it all depends on the size.  A small project gets spray basted with 505 Spray and Fix basting spray,  but larger quilts I will pin baste.  This one is getting towards my limits for spray basting, but I got it done without sticking the quilt to myself. I know that would make a funny photo to share, a quilt spray basted to myself but then someone else would have to be there to witness the mess I can get myself into. Sorry that's not going to happen anytime soon.  

Now for the quilting, I need to pull out my Westalee Design rulers and see which ones I want to use. I have a few new ones I want to play with, so we will see soon which oned I use. 

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

What I have been Stitching

This year I have had trouble finding time to blog. Now it is really good that I am busy but I wish I could do a little more blogging.

So I thought I would pop in and just share what's been under my needle recently.
Two new panels have arrived in the shop this month. They are totally different, one for the reproduction lovers with Meridian Star by Karen Styles a panel and four bolts from the range.
With this panel I just  added an inner border and pieced a piano key border to go around it.

The second one is from In the Beginning Dragons range. Now in I had two panels to play with and 4 bolts from this range. So I was able to create a larger quilt perfect for another Dragon lover out there.

The other project that has been taking up my time is my Vintage Rose Quilt. We had the last workshop last week and we are all piecing our quilts together. So of us have borders still to go on but it is good to see good progress. I still have another 10 border blocks to make but at least the centre is together.

I am tempted to leave it just like this but since I have started on the border blocks I may as well continue. Don't want to waste the fabric I have cut up, do I?

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Panel Magic

Panels! What do I  do with them?  I love the panel but don't know what to do with it? These are questions I get asked a lot. I have had some help with the panels from my good friend Shelly. She has been creating a few panel projects for me, which has helped give people ideas, but they still want more. So in 2019 we are going to do a Panel Magic workshop. Starting with some Show and Tell featuring a number of panel projects we will look at the original panel and then the finished project and go through some of the basics involved. You will need a notepad and pen to take down notes.
After the Show and Tell we will head to our machines, panels, fabrics and tools and create our own panel project.

Here are some of the projects we have made with panels that we have in the shop.

There are more but I will save them for the workshop but you may see them hanging the shop or at event we attend. Look out for the new 2019 workshop list in December. You can alway find it here on my blog if you didn't know.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia