First project finish of the year! Secret Lives of Pets Panel Quilt!

Hi, 

Hope your year is going well! I have just finished quilting and binding the Secret Lives of Pets Panel quilt (cat themed) and I just need to finish stitching on the label before I send it off to it's recipient.

Here is the project and some close ups of the quilting. It is quilted with my Qnique 14+ (15 inch arm) Quilting machine on a frame. I used my own quilting designs, it is all free motion quilting.

 

Full view Gidget and Chloe Panel Quilt

Corner View of quilt

Sulky Cat Yarn Ball embroidery design

Chloe Detail

I used a Towa Gage to set the tension in my bobbin and that was a great help. It is quilted with 50 weight Superior Thread and 80 weight Wonderfil DecoBob thread in the bobbin (it is my go to bobbin thread!). I wanted to use up a bit of my thread stash when working on the quilt.

The yo-yo embellishments were left over yo-yos with inserts from the Spot-on Pillow project I made for Love of Quilting magazine. (You can read about it in one of my previous blog entries! You can make one too!) 

This quilt has been a joy to work on, and I loved playing with color and fabrics in my stash.

You can read more about the process in my previous blog entries!

What are you working on? Leave a comment if you like!

I hope this little quilt brings some inspiration to you!

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

Day 3 and 4 - 31 Day Blog Challenge 2020 - My Machine and Favorite Tools

 I've decided to combine Day 3 and 4 of the #31DayBlogChallenge2020. I have a new sewing machine to write about, which is currently my new favorite tool.

I do have more than one machine - some have their own purpose, so they are not used all of the time: Elna Needle felting machine, Brother Serger, Brother PQ1500 Straight Stitch machine, Qnique 14+ Mid Arm Quilting Machine, and Pfaff 2134 Sewing and Embroidery machine.

Late last year my Pfaff machine had trouble with its top tension. It is an electronic machine, so I needed to take it to an authorized dealer to repair the top tension. 

It is a bit of a drive to the nearest authorized dealer(s), and you have to drive over the mountains. We planned to go in February, but the weather was rainy, and we decided to wait. Then the pandemic came, and we are waiting longer.  In the meantime, I realized my embroidery machine software needed to transfer designs to the machine doesn't work with Windows 10. So...I decided to look for a sewing/embroidery machine that I can use now.

I decided on the Bernette B79, after looking at all the great features of the machine. It has all the features of my older Pfaff machine and my Brother PQ1500 straight stitch machine combined! Also, I found you could open the machine and clean and oil it yourself, following instructions in the manual. No need for frequent trips to maintain the machine! It also came with many added accessories, some that I had to pay extra for years ago with my older machine. 

Here are the features that are like my other machines (combined):

More space under the needle for sewing - about 9 inches
Knee lift
Built in IDT (Integrated Dual Feed Technology) - like having a built in walking foot
Included table for expanding the sewing space.

The machine also has features that are like the more expensive Bernina machines.

Different features that I noticed from the expensive machine was a top loading bobbin, rather than a bottom loading bobbin. I actually like that feature! My other machines have the bottom bobbin, which would be nice for bobbin embroidery, but the top one is nice, easy to adjust just the top tension, and I now use an 80 weight thread (Wonderfil DecoBob thread) in the bobbin, which works very nicely. It takes Class 15 bobbins, and I was able to order some pre-wound bobbins that are excellent.

A nice assortment of feet are included - I did purchase an extra set of feet, it was very economically priced compared to my older Pfaff machine. The feet are a very high quality also and work with the Dual Feed Technology (IDT).

Instead of going on about the great features - here is a link to the Sewing Machines Plus store where I bought my machine. I was able to order it on line, they also have excellent customer service. Also, a link to the Bernette site where you can read about the machine.

Bernette B79 Sewing and Embroidery Machine (sewingmachinesplus.com)

bernette 79

So that is it! My new machine, and current favorite tool!

Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk