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

A Finish and a Start

That is right. Great news I have finished my Lozenge quilt just in time to start Bonnie's new Leader & Ender Challenge. I made up a scrappy binding to complete my lozenge quilt and looking in the binding bag there is still plenty to use. Not as much as my scrap box but I am thinking I might iron the fold out of some of the binding scraps and put them in the scrap box to be used in other ways.

The new project is a tumbler quilt. This is a block I have wanted to play with. So now I have to work out what size blocks and if I want to do it completing scrappy or controlled scrappy (pick a colour family and work through the scrap box choosing only from that family). Next I have to choose how I am cutting these blocks- a ruler or do I have a look a  die for my Accuquilt cutter. Have I got that back to front?
Should I decide on how I am cutting the block first because depending on what I use will govern the size I will be able to make. Here is the link to Bonnie post on  the new challenge. http://quiltville.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/2015-leader-ender-challenge-tumblers.html
 Maybe I will have a look at what size scraps I have lots of in the meantime while I make my decision of how I am cutting these blocks.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

350 Block Project 2015- June's Report

This month's total is 30 blocks.

What Have I achieved this month, with a little sewing time in the middle of the month it has allowed me to stitch a few more blocks making my total better than last month.

 I started with my Vacation time block.

Finally got back to my Bitty Blocks from April way behind on this project and completed April's 12 blocks. Now I can start on May's Bear paws blocks, all are cut ready to go.

4 More Idaho Square Dance blocks.

2 test blocks for an upcoming project, sorry no picture at the moment.

My Double Wedding ring bed runner got 6 more blocks.

8 large Ohio Star block finally got done. Now onto the small ones they are cut ready for sewing.

Borders on my Half Square Triangle Quilt were completed for a total of 12 for the 3 borders.

45 is this month's total.

Still not as many as I would like but that's life.

Until Next Month

Keep stitching

Cynthia