Welcome to a New Year 2024!

Greetings!

I hope you are doing well and having a good start to the New Year. 

I have pretty much stopped making a list of New Year's Resolutions, but I do have an ongoing list of projects I am working towards finishing or hope to start.

Sometimes this list gets interrupted by opportunities that come along. I think it is good to remain open to new possibilities, especially when it comes to creativity.

That way, life always remains interesting! I do have a few things I want to continue doing: keep taking at least 4,000 steps a day, and perhaps a few more! I don't want to put myself under a lot of pressure, but I do want to continue to be healthy and improve my health a bit too.

I think life is an ongoing process, aside from the calendar!

Wishing you all a great New Year 2024. May every day be a start to a new beginning for you too!


Here are some photos of projects in process in my studio:

Fun panel gift quilt - I'm almost done quilting it!

Improvisational Tumbler quilt - I have a bit of hand quilting to finish on it,
and some applique to add!

Check out my previous blog entries for more information on these 2 projects. I'm looking forward to getting them completed this year (soon)!

Blessings to you, wishes for a healthy, creative New Year!

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

Using a Sashiko sampler to practice hand quilting

Greetings!

Hope everyone is doing well.

Today I'm sharing a photo of my completed Sashiko sampler. I purchased a kit to make it from www.thequiltshow.com. They have a nice assortment of Sashiko kits, if you would like to give it a try. Also, they have wonderful content on their site. I am a member and there is always something new to watch, read and learn.

Completed Sashiko sampler with batting added between layers.

Close up of Sashiko sampler stitching, completed with 8 and 5 weight perle cotton.

I decided to use my sampler as a way to practice my larger stitch hand quilting for the border of the tumbler quilt, I have been working on.

I layered the sampler with Hobb's wool and cotton batting. (The Sashiko kit came with a printed cloth and a backing cloth.) I used some threads I wanted to try out for my quilt - DMC 8 weight perle cotton and ArtFabrik hand dyed 5 weight perle cotton. I like the way the contrasting thread weights look on the finished sampler.

It was a great way to warm up for hand quilting. Here are some photos of my hand quilting on the Tumbler quilt, in process.

For the hand quilting on my quilt, I decided to use HHLizbeth size 10 blue variegated thread, which I had in my thread collection - from https://hhtatting.com (they have tatting supplies, this thread is great for tatting and crochet as well as quilting by hand). The pink variegated thread is DMC 8 weight perle cotton thread. I may add additional detail with the heavier Artfabrik thread later.

Hand and machine quilting detail

Hand and machine quilting detail

I will share an updated photo as I complete more of it!

Tip for hand quilting: This is an old trick I read about years ago - use a marker to mark the length of the hand quilting stitches you wish to make on the side of your non-quilting thumb. This can help you make even hand quilting stitches.

I haven't decided what to use the completed Sashiko sampler for. I may add embellishment or add on to it to make a larger project, or it might make a nice pillow front. We shall see how it goes! 

The sampler was very relaxing to work on, since you just stitch over the pattern, per the instructions. I may order some more!

Wishing you a fun time creating and many blessings,

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

Update on Tumbler Quilt in progress

Greetings!

One project I have been working on is my colorful Tumbler quilt. It is an improvised Tumbler Quilt (tumbler is the name of the one-patch quilt block). 

A little history of this quilt project: I cut out the tumbler shapes with Accuquilt Go Cutter and tumbler die. Then I played with an arrangement of cool and hot fabrics, which were cut from 5-inch square charm packs, including Tula Pink solids, Island Batiks, some batiks I've had for years (and don't know the manufacture name), Connecting threads batiks and dot patterns. I really enjoyed combining solids and some patterns with the batiks.

It is still in progress, I completed the inner quilting on my Qnique 14+ mid-arm machine. I'm very happy with the machine quilting. Before going to the machine, I practiced and created some small drawing/design ideas in a sketch book. 

Paisley Quilting Design

Quilt Design - Clouds
that run into each other

This was a great starting point, once I started quilting I was able to create variations of the initial designs, and even improvised some while quilting! I quilt with my right hand, and steady my left hand on my ruler base, and use it for holding my quilting ruler when needed. I find it is easier than quilting with two hands on the machine.

Quilting Detail 1

Quilting Detail 2

Quilting Detail 3

I plan to hand quilt on the border, using larger quilting stitches. I started some of this while it was on the frame, but I may re-do my initial hand quilting a bit. Decided to hand quilt the rest off the frame, so I can use the machine for another quilt. It is an improvised quilt, so I may add applique, or other embellishments after it is quilted too, we will see how it goes!

In process Tumbler quilt with center machine quilted.

I used Wonderfil Invisafil 100 weight, polyester thread on the top and in the bobbin. I may try Wonderfil DecoBob 80 weight polyester thread next time for the bobbin. I also used Hobbs 80/20 Wool/cotton batting. I was able to get good tension results, which can be challenging at times!

For the hand quilting I am using mostly my Sulky Blendables 100% cotton threads. Making good use of my thread collection!

Hope you enjoyed this update!

Blessings,

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk

2020 Projects in my Studio

Happy 2020! It has been a strange year so far. I was busy teaching a Beginning Quilting Class for ages 10 - adult, with a quilting friend at our local library, then in March we had to stop the classes, due to our current global pandemic. These are days I am sure none of us have imagined. (I usually try to think of pleasant things, and share positive thoughts with my friends and family as much as possible. I am not a fan of horror movies!)

Hope you are all staying safe and using this time to find the positive in your life as much as possible. 

Here are a few projects I have been working on in my studio.

This is a pillow case I made as part of the quilting class we were teaching. It was made using a video tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Company. It was a lot of fun to make, you might want to try making one at home! Just search for Missouri Star Quilt Co pillowcase tutorial, and you will find the YouTube video. 

Pillow case made using material
in my fabric stash.

Close up of pillow case edge.

I also have some other projects in the works, and have been learning a few new techniques.

I had gotten a new Tumbler cutting die from www.AccuQuilt.com for my Go Fabric cutter. I used 5 inch charm packs and cut the Tumbler shapes from them, and laid them out in an improvisational design on my design wall. The idea was to play with hot and cool colors, using older batiks I have had, some new Tula Pink solids, and new Benartex Batiks I had. I also used fabrics from Connecting Threads. I like the charm packs, since you get a wide assortment of fabrics to work with. I used a larger blue batik fabric from my stash for the border. The cutting was fun with the die, since it goes very quickly.

Close up Improvisational
Tumbler Quilt

Improvisational Tumbler Quilt in process.

The only difficult part of making the Tumbler quilt, is getting your points to match perfectly! I am going to resew a few, just in case I decide to enter a show with my quilt. I may add some applique design on top. I have been working on several quilt tops so I can practice quilting them, also. The more you do the better you get at doing it! Most important is to enjoy the process and be yourself!

Last for now, I have also been learning how to weave using a Pin loom. I had wanted to do this for a while, then I found some supplies at some sales we went to. Finally getting to it, since we are going out less often now. It was easier to learn than I thought, and it is very relaxing. Here are some pictures of my supplies and my first woven square. 

Vintage Weave-it
loom instructions.

Vintage Weave-It looms and weaving needles.

Newer Weavettes looms in box and small plastic Weave-it loom.

There are more projects I have in the works! Will save those to share later. I hope you will use some time now to find things you enjoy doing, and don't be afraid to try new things and learn new skills. As I get older I am learning to be braver about life.

Wishing all good things to you in this strange, new life and world in which we are living!

Blessings,

Denise Buchwalter-Losczyk