Pattern testing Raffe the giraffe

I am pattern testing Funky Friends Factory Raffe the Giraffe pattern as I had a special order for a finished one. Now I don't normally make them for the customer but this was a special case. Below is my shop sample that was made for me.

Fabric cutting under Raffe' s supervision.

He is starting to take shape. He isn't too hard to make as long as you follow the instructions. I found it helpful to have the pattern pieces on hand.

Finally got all the pieces together, no leftovers. So I must of got it right even though I did see the back legs on the wrong sides. When I matched the fabric up to the legs they didn't match up. This straight told me I had sewn them on the wrong way. Really it was an easy fix. The hardest part was sewing the hoofs in.

Nearly finished here.

And here he is completed. He was a little easier to make then Larry the lion but both are achievable for an experienced sewer.

He has now left me for his new home but I have kitted him up in this fabric with a pattern if you are tempted to make one like mine. Available at Cynthia's Ark.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia

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

Under the Pressure Foot #8

What have I been working on? Let me share it with you. If you saw my Playing with Fabric post featuring the Always the Season fabric you have seen the start of this project, if not here is the link to the post. I decided to continue with this project using the nine patch blocks and I ended up with 5 blocks for my table runner. I laid out the five blocks so I could make sure I had enough pieces before sewing. If I kit this up with the pattern I think I will add an extra 5cm to the stripe to get a few more blocks but this is why I am playing. I am amazed to get this variety  from 1 piece of fabric. All the blocks are simple nine patch blocks, no extra seams. The only thing you need to remember is some of the square have been cut on the bias so you need to take care with you handle them so you don't stretch them out of shape.
These are the 5 blocks completed.

At this point I added the cream hexagon print for the sashing and first border.

Then the paisley print for the second border.

I am going to use this floral for the backing and the smaller stripe for the binding but I need to quilt it first.

Last week I received a new quilting foot for my machine and quilting rulers that I ordered. So we are going to do some testing. If it all goes well, the plan is add these products to the shop. So tune in for the next post on this project.

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