Missed it by that much

It's been a while since I had some sewing time. It has been busy with the Sewing Stitching & Handicraft Show, teaching and running the shop. 

So today I got a little session in with the ladies  for Friday Project Uninterrupted.  I have finished hand stitching the binding down on my 3 yard quilt and some new hand stitching will be needed. So I thought I would stitch on the binding on the one I finished quilting in April.

Now I have done this step many times over the years, so sometimes I get lazy and guess how many strips I need to bind a project. Today was one of those days and I missed it by this much.

As you can see it looks like I cut a bit off, which is exactly what I did. I cut a piece off for the label, as I  couldn't find a piece in the scrap box suitable.

So in the end I had to cut another strip to make up the shortfall to complete it. 

So now I have some more hand stitching for the evenings. Then I will be able to cross another project off my list.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Dust off a Quilt Book Blog Hop

When Bea asked about Dust off a Quilt Book Blog Hop this year I couldn't say no. I loved this one last year and was really excited to participated again.  Thanks to Bea for doing this one again. Here is the schedule. We are up to day 3 on this blog hop.

MONDAY 3/1

Words and Stitches

 Samelia’s Mum

High Road Quilter

TUESDAY 3/2

  Karin’s Crazy World

Lemon Tree Snippets

 Anjaquilts

WEDNESDAY 3/3

Beaquilter

   Cynthia’s Creating Ark   (You are Here)

  A Quilting Readers Garden

THURSDAY 3/4

Kathy’s Kwilts and More

Quilting Patchwork Applique

 The Darling Dogwood

 Creatin’ in the Sticks

FRIDAY 3/5

Beaquilter

Quilting at the farm

 Kathleen McMusing

Looking through my quilt books I found this one. It even had the receipt in it from when I purchased it, back in 2013 for $10 in the USA. So really it hasn't been in my collection all that long.

Though it was published in 1999.

Looking through the book I found a few  quilts I would like to make but I knew I had to keep it simply. The harder ones will have to wait.

I found this one, a simply four patch in reproduction fabrics with some wide sashing. My plan was to dig into my reproduction scraps for this one. 

 The instructions in this book are all old school instructions.  No rotary cutting instructions just templates making instructions and lots of square cutting. 

I got stuck in to making the four patch blocks and once I laid the blocks out into rows  so I could audition fabric for the sashing I decided to make the quilt longer than wider.

More four patch blocks to make before sashing the rows together.

Sashing and first border on. I did reduce the sashing width too.

By the time I got to the borders I was running out of time. So I got the last border the night before my day on the blog hop.

Quilting it will have to wait for another time but I am very happy with it.

I did try and be random when I pieced the four patch blocks. I hope you enjoyed stopping by and please check out what everyone else hs done for this blog hop.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

My Christmas Reproduction Sampler blocks.

I have been struggling this month with everything. I don't know why things have been hard to complete. I haven't had a lot of sewing or creating time so I have been struggling with what to write about in my blog post.
Today I did manage a little sewing time and I finished this month Christmas Sampler blocks. Looking through my previous posts I noticed I haven't done a single post on this project. I have mention it in passing in other posts and considering I have completed blocks 10-13. It was time to share my progress on my Christmas Sampler quilt. Here are the four blocks I have made this week.

Here is all the blocks I have made so far this year.  This project is a twelve month program and there is 35 blocks in the quilt plus a few extra blocks for a little bonus project at the end after quilt is completed.

Now I do have a few Christmas Reproduction Block of the month packages still available if you wish to join us. One of the benefits of starting now is when you get to the end of your 12 month May next year you will have some extra time to quilt and bind your quilt compare to us trying to do all that in December this year. Click over to Cynthia's Ark and click on the Blocks of the Month to purchase.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Christmas Reproduction Sampler Block of the Month Update.

I have been preparing the first month packs for the Christmas Reproduction Sampler. Have you sign up yet? You can still join us. The cost is $30 per month plus postage. Each month you receive a pattern for  blocks  or a section of the quilt with fabrics. Also with the January pack you receive a folder to keep your patterns together. Here is January's pack.

Here are January's blocks. We are starting off with some easy blocks followed by some more challenging blocks as we go. The blocks will be 6 inch finished in the quilt.

I am finalizing the quilt layout and once I am happy with it I will release it, so it is a little bit of a mystery. Who doesn't like a good mystery? I know I do.  There is still time to join us, pop over to Cynthia's Ark and order the Christmas Reproduction sampler  Block of the Month from the home page. Please join us, as it will be a lots of fun and there will be a few surprises along the way, but you have to join up if you want to receive a surprise or two.Take note of these mystery presents, they will turn up again and to take advantage of the presents you need to be a Christmas  Reproduction Sampler Block of the Month member.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Harrington Manor- A New Project

If you follow my Cynthia's Ark Facebook  page you would have seen this range from Leonie Bateman called Harrington posted a few times recently. It is about to arrive. There is 3 colourways for you to choose from, pink, blue and green or you can mix them together.

Now I order the whole range back in July so I have had time to make some plans for a quilt. The quilt has been designed for a while but needed a couple of adjustments once I had the fabric as I had a couple colour questions. Now with the fabric in my hand I have been able to finalize the colour palette I want in this quilt. Now some of you may notice this one is going to be a little different from what I normally do as there is a lot more fabrics in this project. I do like to keep my fabric selections to 4-5 at the max but this one I have selected 12 fabrics to start with. So this is going to be very interesting how I deal with this. A little out of my comfort zone is a good thing. Right?
Here is my selection.

Stay tuned for some sewing snapshots as I start making the blocks.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

A Trunk Full of Quilts

Over at Whins &  Fancies  Soma is running A Trunk Full of Quilts Show where we all can share a special project or two.
I wanted to select one that I have finished this year and why not select my latest completed project but one of my longest project. Nearly 3 years in the making all the blocks were hand pieced and I joined all the blocks and sashing by hand. Then the sew machine took over and I sewed the red border on and then I had the quilt professional machine quilted because of it size. It would've taken me a long time to quilt and I don't think I would of done it justice.

Have you guessed which one it is? You would've seen it recently on my blog when I was have binding troubles.

That's right. It is my Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt. It was so hard to take a photo of the whole quilt. It is the largest quilt I have made. It is now completed and I can cross it off my To Do List 2015. I don't believe it that it is finished but it is and I can work towards completing another project off my list but time is running out for the year. I wonder if I can get a couple more completed this year.
In the meantime have a look at some of the other beautiful creations in this Trunk Show. There are some many talented people out there. It just inspires you to head back to your sewing and stitch a bit more. There is the link on the right hand side of my blog, that will take you to Whims and Fancies.
Thanks Soma for hosting this special event.

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

350 Block Project October's Report

We have reached October already. This year is flying away. It is almost time to do a review on my 2015 To do list. I'm sure there will be a couple more crossed off my list before the year's out. In the meantime I better count up my blocks for the 350 Block Project.
This month's total is 30.

The last 10 Ohio Star block finally were completed. All the 6' stars were joined to a square.  Then I got to lay it out. 2 rows have been sewn together. 12 in total.

This project had a deadline I didn't make but I was the only one.

Plus the rest of my Hope Chest blocks 11 of them. Oops no picture.

My 2015 Batik Rainbow Sampler was sewn together for 9 once the rows were joined and 2 borders were added. No picture allowed at the moment.

On my Forget Me Not English Paper piecing project 6 more  half flowers were made and sewn on.

This make October total 40. 

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Hot Bolt of the Week #8

This week's Hot Bolt of the Week is Civil War Miniatures Red Wallpaper.

As always this fabric has been turning up in post in the last month or so in my Forget Me Not Sew Along project. You know I love share with everyone how I use the fabric I stock in my shop. This is so many way this fabric would fit into a project with it being a small scale print. So this week it is only $14 per metre down from $23 per metre. This is where these little half flowers fit into the project. As you can see I have use it twice so far.

This fabric and all the fabrics in this project are available from me at Cynthia's Ark 

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching 

Cynthia

Under the Pressure Foot #12

What is under my Pressure Foot. It is my Farmer's Wife Sampler. It is time to finish it and cross it off my 2015 To Do List. Since I got it back from being quilted I have want to do the binding and finish it but everyone and everything just kept getting in the way. Then of course there was the binding issues. Thinking I was using the left over from the sashing fabric was the easy part. Once I had the fabric in my hands there wasn't enough to make the binding. Do I have any more? Did I go back and buy some more? Was I planning to use something else. But I can't find another piece of the sashing or any other fabric I would of considered using. Maureen bailed me out of trouble in the end, trading the piece from her stash.  I will repaid her next time. More calculation proved I could make it.

So fingers crossed I cut and sewed the binding on with the occasional please don't run out I can't get any more and I want to finish this one this year.

Good news I made it around with nearly a whole strip left. Now I just have to hand sew the binding in place.

I will share the finished quilt soon.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

My Farmer's Wife Quilt Update

This one has taken a while to get quilted as I kept chance my mind machine quilting or hand quilting? Followed by the question do it myself or hand it over the the long arm quilter.
I can tell you it was quilted by Valerie from House of Valerie with a beautiful baptise fan all over design.

Which I love. I laid it out on the floor in the shop and it only just fit in the space left. The first thought that crossed my mind was Who the hell was I kidding to consider quilting this myself? I could of had this quilt finished earlier in the year if that thought had crossed my mind earlier. I do like to quilt but looking at all my hand pieced blocks I don't think my quilting skills would of done it justice. Let alone the idea of quilting this monster on my domestic machine. This has to be the largest quilt I have made in my 9 years of quilting. Not a good picture it is just too big to take a picture of it inside and outside has not been suitable to take it out there. I will take it out for a better photo once I finish it to share with everyone.

Now that I have it back and it ready for binding I got caught on a little snag. Where is the binding fabric? Which was followed by Did I buy any binding fabric for this quilt? Oh boy! This quilt is not going to be finished this week.

 Now thinking back I remembered I could only get enough red fabric for the borders and I even made the borders 1/2 inches smaller just to make sure. The sashing fabric is another matter I don't remember if I had planned to use it for the binding or not, either way I don't have enough to use it. I put a call out for help and my friend Maureen who has been stitching her Farmer's Wife quilt along side me has a piece of the sashing fabric in her collection. I'm sure we can do  a trade but it still leaving me 1 x  2 1/2' strip short.

 What I need to know is what would you do?
Option 1 - Go shopping and buy a different fabric to binding it with?
 Option 2 - Should I reduce the width of my strip to 2 1/4' to get the extra strip?
                      or
 Option 3  Use the backing fabric leftovers?
Let me know what you would do to help me out.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Forget Me Not Sew Along #2

This is what I have been stitching over last week as part of the Forget Me Not Sew Along.

Once I got them completed I had a look to see which fabrics I wanted to use next. I want to do some more fussy cutting for the next bit, I just can't decide if I want to use blue or gold next. Maybe I will use both.
This week we need to make 6 more flowers. This is what my flowers are going to look like 1 done and 5 more to go.
This is what I selected to use.

Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia

My Wishes Quilt is Completed.

Yes finally I have another finish to cross off my 2015 list. This quilt was from the Fat Quarter Shop blog. It was their Wishes Block of the Month last year. I was using some of my reproduction stash and  I only brought the meterage of the background fabric for it. Once again Valerie from the House of Valerie has done a wonderful job quilting it for me. I left it to her to select the quilting design and I loved it on sight.

During the week before I picked it up I was kicking myself over the fact I didn't keep all the leftover to make a scrappy matching binding but yesterday I was thinking I was already working from scraps so there wasn't a lot of pieces large enough for binding. I did have 3 fabrics in the stash that were in the quilt, 2 blue and a red. So after asking my LSH (long suffering husband) which one he liked. It was decided the red was the better choice.

Everything was going fine until I reached the last corner and I thought I had run out of bobbin thread but it turn out I was wrong but I was low. Was there enough to finish the binding? How high up did I start on this side? Then I noticed I was almost to the last binding strip. I hope my maths was correct.
I can tell you my maths was correct and I didn't run out of binding but I did run out of bobbin thread this close to the finish. What a bummer. I suppose it is better I run out of bobbin thread than binding. It is easier to slip in a full bobbin then add another strip of binding.

So here she is all finished. Sorry it isn't the best picture I was on a ladder to take this photo and not feeling too secure and it wasn't too bright.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

PS Hopefully I will be writing a post on my Farmer's Wife Sampler sooner than later as I have change my mind again and left it with Valerie to quilt for me. I wanted to hand quilt it but realistic I knew it would take me years and I really want to use it. Just not enough time to sew all the projects I want to make.

A New Hot Special on Offer.

If you have visited my shop or my Facebook page over the last couple of days you might of seen a new feature special and if you haven't let me tell everyone about it.

It is my

Each week I am going to select a bolt of fabric from the shop and it will be on special for just that week or until it sells out whichever comes first. You just never know what bolt will be on special. It may be a fabric that has been here for a while, maybe one I am working with or a new fabric that has just arrive.

This week's bolt is Civil War Times Daisy fabric from Penny Rose Fabrics and you can purchase now at www.cynthiasark.com.au  at a special price but I'm not going to tell you what the special price is. You need to visit the website to find that out.  This special is also available in my shop in Mallala so if you want to visit just me me a call.

On Thursday over at Penny Rose Fabrics blog they have their Traditional Block Thursday and this week they featured the Ohio Star block which I am currently working on a quilt featuring this block so I thought would make a block up with this week's fabric.
I paired it up with Riley Blake Designs Cream on Cream Floral which is also in stock and whipped this block up in no time.

Here is the link to the Penny Rose Fabrics post on the block if you need the instructions to make the block. It's not a hard block to make. This is my block made up. My block is a 6 inch block.

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