Another Finished Project

Here she is! My Star Wall hanging finished. It is great finishing a project and this one was a quick one to make. You can find all the details to make this project on Instagram +Fat Quarter Shop  I used the dark blue fabric in the outer tips of the star for the binding.

 Unfortunately this was a new project and it is not on my 2015 To Do List.So I can't cross anything off the list but shortly I will be able to cross off my Farmer's Wife Sampler which is in the final stages of binding. So far 3 evenings and I have only reached the first corner. I think I started on the long side and a couple of cats wanting to sleep on it. Now that is really exciting after 3 plus years of hand piecing, it will be a satisfying finish. It is the largest quilt I have made.  So it is time to select the next  project on my list to complete. I think I need a smaller project, so I have pick my double wedding bed runner as the next UFO to complete. It is at the quilting stage and I want to play with some more of the Westalee rulers I purchased. The range of their products are increasing in the shop as I go.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

My Star Quilt Update

It have been a little while since I posted anything on my Inklingo star project.At the time I had decided to make 12 blocks and have printed all my shapes ready to stitch. Now I have 5 blocks made and I am wondering if I should add an alternate block to the original design for more interest rather than just having 12 star blocks joined together and I am leaning towards setting it on point or maybe not.

 I just have one little problem I can't decide which fabric to use out of the 2 left from the range that the stars came from. These 2 haven't been used in the blocks. Which one do you like better?  Please help me decide.
 There is an Inklingo link in the right hand side tool bar if you want to find out how to print on fabric.

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Stay out of the heat if you are somewhere hot like me.

Stars and more Stars

This is what I have been playing around with. Stars. I have used Inklingo  2 inch 60 degree diamond collection for this project and I have hand pieced these stars when I have a spare minute or two. I  always carry my little sewing bag with a hand piecing project in it when I go out just in case I need to fill a few minutes. It has had my Farmers wife blocks and hexagons in there this year and now it is full of printed diamonds. There is another lot of hexagons printed when I finish my stars. All these stars are from the same piece of fabric though they look different.

 

This is the fabric that all the above stars came from.  They are not as perfect as I would like but for a first attempt of these stars, I am happy. Once they are all mixed up in a quilt with more stars, will it really matter.  We will see what happens once I get to piecing it all together. Who knows what might happen I haven't decide if this is going to be a quilt, table runner, cushions or what.

For more information on Inklingo visit www.inklingo.com

 

Until next time keep stitching

Cynthia

 

 

What is everyone up to this weekend?

This weekend I am taking the chance to do some cooking. I have a few recipes to try and I thought  I would make a day of it.

 As we are not big Christmas cake or pudding fans. I am trying my hand at making a brioche with sultanas and a little mixed peel. (A little bit like the Italian cake) Something light and fruity.  Let say we are having a trial run as I am adjusting a recipe to achieve this cake.

It is really tasty with a little butter but I think it needs a little more fruit.

Next is the halloumi cheese experiment. I brought myself a cheese making kit a while ago and I have had a go at ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese and quark cheese so far.  This is the hardest cheese so far, I am working my way through the book. It turns out it is easier then I thought it was going to be. It isn't the prettiest looking block of cheese but at least it worked.

With the left over whey from the cheese I couldn't resist making a loaf of soda bread I substitute the whey for the buttermilk in the recipe. It works a treat.The rest of the whey gets diluted and go out to the garden to give the strawberries a feed. Don't like to see it go down the drain if I can use it elsewhere. Yummy it only take 5 minutes to mix and 30 minutes in the oven and you have fresh bread.

Finally I am making gingerbread biscuits as Christmas treats. I have stars, trees and gingerbread man cutters. So I am giving them a go as something different. We had one each just to test them. I am looking forward to decorating them.

Until next time
Cynthia

Christmas Presents at Cynthia's Ark

December is under way and everyone is busy preparing for Christmas. At www.cynthiasark.com.au we have put together some specials for you, just in time for Christmas. We have our pre-cut fabric bundles on special including our gift boxed packs and our latest arrivals. These are perfect for last minute gifts for friends and family or for yourself.

This is our Pink batik gift boxed pack.

This is our Sasha fabric range gift boxed pack.

Also we have 6 new variety packs of Rajmahal Threads  in stock. Rajmahal has chosen the threads and packed them beautifully with bow and gift card. Each pack contains 11 skeins of their beautiful silk threads. There is blue, green, gold, Autumn, Silhouettes and rouge(red) packs to choose from. They are on special until Christmas or sold out for $22.00.

                                                                        Left to right Gold, Green, Autumn, Silhouettes and Rouge(Red).

And the blue pack.

 

Don't forget there is A Quilters Diary 2014. This diary is a must for every quilter out there, with a new design each week of the year. A diary always makes a good Christmas present.

 

All these items are available at www.cynthiasark.com.au right now for purchase.

 

 We will be have our 12 days of Christmas promotion starting on the 13th December. So be ready for more Christmas fun. I have a couple new surprises planned this year. I have had 12 months since our first one to come up with some more fun for this years 12 days of Christmas promotion.

 

Until next time keep stitching

Cynthia

 

 

 

Christmas Gift Ideas.

What are you making for Christmas? I started my projects a few weeks ago. Once I found some suitable Christmas fabrics, some Christmas ornaments and sewing presents for my friends and then I had to make some cards to go with the hand made presents.

Hexagons cut ready to be sewn into Christmas gifts.

Cards are nearly finished just need to be sealed in and a few Merry Christmas stickers from Blue Edge Crafts.

 A close up so you can see where I stitched using a multi coloured metallic thread.

 

 These are easy to make and there is still some of this fabric (Christmas Ornaments) available in our web shop www.cynthiasark.com.au

What else to make?  I would love to make a tree skirt for a full size tree but with our cats it would be a recipe for disaster. I can see them climbing the tree and knock it over, breaking the ornaments or using them for cat toys. I think that would be too stressful to handle. I do have a ceramic tree with lights that I made so that might be the way to go and make a mini tree skirt.
I love to bake so I'm thinking of having a go at making gingerbread trees and stars with icing for a change as I normally do a cake of some sort. This way I can make them a few days in advance instead of the night before Christmas. I hope they will last til Christmas day.
Who knows what else might take my fancy? We still have a few weeks to go to Christmas so there is time to come up with some more interesting projects.

Until next time keep stitching

Cynthia