Humble Quilts Mini Doll Quilt Swap 2016

Doll Quilt (13.5" x 15.5") made by Debbie Dodge

What a great way to start your day - a delivery from the postman with this delightful little doll quilt.  It has been sent to me here in the UK all the way from Delavan, Wisconsin, USA and has been made by the talented Debbie Dodge.

Doll Quilt made by Debbie Dodge

Debbie certainly nailed the brief on this one. I love the pink feature fabric and just look at that cute basket in the corner, it really makes the little quilt so special.  With the lovely quilt I got from Marcia last year, I am enjoying seeing my collection grow.

Doll Quilt made by Debbie Dodge

I posted details about the quilt I sent out to Heather in Florida on my blog last week and am pleased that everything has arrived safely.

Thanks to Lori at Humble Quilts for organising this international 2016 Doll Quilt Swap.  Giving and receiving these little quilts is such a pleasure and reminds me that I don't ALWAYS need to make big quilts!
 

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block TR8 Brigadoon

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  TR8 Brigadoon

I am at a stage with the Dear Jane quilt where I just have to press on.  This is the stage where the steady hard graft pays off and brings you close to the finishing line.  The excitement of starting is over, the fabrics are now familiar friends and I pretty much have the techniques sorted.

Border triangle block TR8 Brigadoon is another yellow border block which is joining the chorus line which in time will be part of a great show.

Techniques: Applique
Pieces: 6 pieces


Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block TR6 Carla's Candle Flame



Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  TR6 Carla's Candle Flame

Dear Jane Border triangle block TR6 Carla's Candle Flame is made up of 20 English paper piecing pieces and 2 applique pieces. 

These border triangles are really starting to build up which has made me think about the alternate triangle blocks and what progress I am making with those.  Well, frankly, I am not.  I need 56 and I have done 5.  It is the same with the sashing and the cornerstones.  I need 312 sashing pieces and I have done 17.

Get to it Frances! 

 Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 22 pieces


Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 29 - Border Triangles TR6, TR8, BR6, BR8

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 28 - E10, K5, L1, M5

The stitching on my car journey paid off and I have a further three Dear Jane blocks done, but before I show you  those, here is a round up of the pretty blue blocks of Draw 28.

TR6 - Carla's Candle Flame
TR8 - Brigadoon
BR6 - Frank's Ric Rac
BR8 - Thunderhead

This draw will be in YELLOW.

Malvern Tickets 2016 Giveaway Winner!

Malvern Tickets 2016 Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered my Malvern Quilt Show ticket giveaway and visited my Fabadashery Long Arm Quilting webpage and Facebook page.  This competition is now closed.

The winner is Frances Darvill.  Congratulations!

 

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E10 Five and Dime

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E10 Five and Dime

This Dear Jane block E10 Five and Dime is a simple orange peek block.  An orange peel quilt has always appealed to me and I often admire the 'Baby Adelia' quilt which sits on the sidebar of Susan's Thimble Stitch blog.  These orange peel shapes would be a great way to use up scraps and after pulling out JUST the blue fabric that I have remaining from this Dear Jane quilt yesterday, I think I should have plenty spare for such a project!

Today is Sunday, so do go and visit Kathy at Slow Stitching Sunday.  I have a long car journey today, so I am just off to pack up my Dear Jane blocks for some slow stitching as we zoom up the motorway.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces:  6 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block L1 Widow's Pane

Dear Jane Quilt - Block L1 Widow's Pane

This round of Dear Jane quilt blocks are largely squares in squares. Nice and straightforward to do and so the hardest part is choosing which fabrics to use out of my Kim Diehl BLUE fabrics.


Kim Diehl Fabrics - Blue Selection

Doing a sampler quilt like Dear Jane really helps you to learn about the different values of fabric, how small and large prints play their part and the interest you can get from using stripes and uniform patterns for fussy cutting.  Sometimes the fabric you want to use is not appropriate for the size of pieces you need to cut so it is back to the drawing board.  I think I have managed to use all these fabrics except the royal blue one on the far left, which doesn't seem to go with any of the others.
Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  22 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block K5 Passing Through

Dear Jane Quilt - Block K5 Passing Through

I mentioned that the halfway point is coming soon.  There are 229 pieced blocks in total, made up of 169 squares and 60 border triangles.  Dear Jane block K5 Passing Through is the 107th I have completed.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces:  12 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block M5 Mother's Point

Celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday

Today there has been an excuse to put up the Union Jack bunting as it is the Queen's 90th birthday. It is a bit more low key than the Golden and Diamond Jubilee celebrations of recent years, but a significant milestone in itself.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block M5 Mother's Point

Having milestones is my favourite way of maintaining interest in a long term project such as the Dear Jane quilt.  As you know, I recently reached the 100th block milestone and in the not too distant future there will be the halfway milestone to look forward to.

This is the Dear Jane block M5 Mother's Point. I like how the colours have turned out with this.  A nice simple block.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  18 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 28 - E10, K5, L1, M5

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 27 - A3, B10, C8, M13

Here are the latest Dear Jane blocks.  Quite a simple set and just look at that Lynette's Diamond - I am still in love with it.

Prize Draw - Malvern Quilt Show 2016

Don't forget there are still a few days to enter my Prize Draw for two tickets to the Malvern Quilt Show in May.  All the details can be found on my 7th April 2016 post.  I will be making the draw on the weekend.
Moving on to Draw 28

Draw 28
E10 - Five and Dime
K5 - Passing Through
L1 - Widow's Pane
M5 - Mother's Point

This Draw will be in BLUE.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block M13 Lynette's Diamond

Dear Jane Quilt - Block M13 Lynette's Diamond

Oh my - I absolutely love this Dear Jane block, M13 Lynette's Diamond.   Yes, it is all applique and I am super-chuffed at the result.  In the book this is the last 4.5" square block if you were doing it in order.  If you didn't quite get that far, you are missing a treat.

Techniques: Applique
Pieces: 6 pieces

Doll Quilt Swap, April 2016

Doll Quilt Swap - Brown Broken Dishes Quilt

It was such fun doing the Humble Quilts Doll Quilt Swap last year that I just had to sign up again this year.  Now that I know my swap partner has received her Doll quilt I can tell you a bit more about it. The reproduction fabrics that are required are about in the UK, just not as abundant as the USA, but with the extra fabric my swappers sent from America last year I had a bit more to play with and went with a traditional country style brown scheme.

Doll Quilt Swap - Brown Broken Dishes Quilt

I went with a broken dishes pattern for the centre which used up most of my brown charm squares and then added some borders. 


Doll Quilt Swap - Brown Broken Dishes Quilt Reverse

I am currently reading 'Mastering Precision Piecing' by Sally Collins and so I thought with this small quilt I would take the time to gain more accuracy, based on the tips in her book.  I spun the seams of my triangles and I even chose to mitre the corners on the border.  You will see from the photo that I was as pleased with the back of the top as the front!


Doll Quilt Swap - Brown Broken Dishes Quilt

I had hoped to hand quilt this little beauty, but fitting it into my current work plan wasn't happening.  I popped it onto the long arm quilting machine and I had a pleasant couple of hours stitching. As usual posts were popping up on the internet and the Humble Quilts Facebook page of photos of doll quilts which had already been received as part of the swap, which put me into a panic knowing it had to be sent across the Atlantic.  As it happens it only took 7 days for it to arrive, faster than something within the UK takes!

Thanks to Lori at Humble Quilts for organising the swap.
Also a Finish for Whoop Whoop and Crazy Mom!

Dear Jane Quilt - Block C8 Hani's Crown

Suzi the cat helping out with the Dear Jane Quilt

It has been a day of preparing Dear Jane quilt blocks.  Don't underestimate how long it takes to cut out these blocks, let alone sew them together.  Almost every piece needs to be cut individually and is a far cry from any bulk rotary cutting which makes the modern day patchwork and quilting process quicker.  If I am honest I quite like fiddling about with tiny bits of tiny fabric ... Luckily I have had the moral support of Suzi the cat who has been playing a variation of 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey', called 'Place your tail under the Rotary Cutter'.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block C8 Hani's Crown

Onto the latest block.  The way I have designated the colours of this Dear Jane block, C8 Hani's Crown, makes it look quite weedy compared to some others, but pretty nonetheless. 


Dear Jane Quilt - Block C8 Hani's Crown Quilt

To increase its impact, how about a whole quilt of Hani's Crown blocks instead?

So more slow cutting than slow stitching today, but still EPP - hop over to Kathy's Quilts and Help For Hexis and Feline Friday

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 21 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block B10 Jud's Trophy

Dear Jane Quilt - Block B10 Jud's Trophy

Here is B10 Jud's Trophy.  Those centre triangles are small, so I went for a folded piece of fabric option rather than wrapping around a piece of tiny paper.  A pretty standard squares and triangles block, but I quite like it.
I made this Dear Jane block whilst taking some time out to watch an art history documentary on the British artist David Hockney.  I love watching artists at work and seeing where they find their inspiration.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  29pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block A3 Hunter's Moon

Dear Jane Quilt - Block A3 Hunter's Moon

This round of blocks seem to have very few pieces.  Only 5 in this one, A3 Hunter's Moon which reminds me of a 'Robbing Peter to pay Paul' block. I have another 'in progress' shot for you, where you can see that I tacked on the centre shape to position the pieces, which I then removed.


Dear Jane Quilt - Block A3 Hunter's Moon



 I have been looking back at my Nearly Insane quilt journey and see that 100 pieces in a 6" block was my preferred amount.  That was piecing, this is applique, so 5 will do. 

Techniques: Applique
Pieces:  5 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 27 - A3, B10, C8, M13

It feels like Papa's Star from Draw 26 came and went without too much of a fuss, so I guess the 'only way is up' from here with regard to the Dear Jane blocks.


Suzi the Cat working on her Dear Jane quilt

When I am away I seem to use up my Dear Jane blocks quite quickly, so I have spent a bit of time catching up with myself.  After lots of rain yesterday, today has been beautifully sunny and Suzi the cat has found just the spot to help.  More cat helpers can be seen over at Feline Friday - yes, EVERY Friday!

Alongside my Dear Jane blocks I have also been working on my Doll Quilt Swap which is now completed, in the post and on its way to the USA.  Did you take part this year?

Moving onto Draw 27

A3 - Hunter's Moon
B10 - Jud's Trophy
C8 - Hani's Crown
M13 - Lynette's Diamond

This draw will be in Yellow.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F9 Autumn Aster

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F9 Autumn Aster

Here is Dear Jane block F9 Autumn Aster, quite time consuming due to the way it is constructed.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F9 Autumn Aster

Here is an 'in progress' shot.  This Dear Jane block involved a lot of applique, in fact applique on applique.  I am using some Japanese silk Kimono thread for my applique and despite it being like very fine hair to sew with, I have found it very satisfactory so far.

South Devon Coast Path, April 2016

For those of you who visited yesterday's post, yes, you were correct - Dear Jane block Starlight Star Bright was on the Mayflower Steps at the Barbican in Plymouth.  Back in August 2015 we finished walking the whole Cornish coastal path, so we have now moved onto Devon.  Our first few miles were walking through the City of Plymouth which were in fact extremely interesting due to its history and a great contrast to the usual mind-blowing views of the South West coast path which we usually have to put up with ...

Techniques: Applique and English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  13 pieces
 

Dear Jane Quilt - Block A13 Starlight Star Bright

Dear Jane Quilt - Block A13 Starlight Star Bright

Where am I? 

So far this Dear Jane quilt has not been on many trips, but recently block A13 Starlight Star Bright has been treated to a day out, since it is officially the completed 100th block on my Dear Jane journey. 


Dear Jane Quilt - Block A13 Starlight Star Bright

Starlight Star Bright is a nice simple block using EPP, so not too much trouble for me

So where am I?

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  21  pieces

GIVEAWAY 2016 Malvern Quilt Show Tickets + Dear Jane Quilt - 100th Block Edition

Giveaway - A pair of tickets to 2016 Quilts UK Malvern Quilt Show

THIS GIVEWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

I am celebrating reaching my 100th Dear Jane block by having a GIVEAWAY!


Dear Jane Quilt - 100th Block Edition

Yesterday, Mystic Quilter commented how I must be accumulating quite a pile of Dear Jane blocks.  Yes, indeed. This is what 100 English paper pieced Dear Jane blocks look like.  Steady hand piecing since August has produced this pile of pretty blocks and I am starting to feel a sense of PROGRESS.

To celebrate I am offering the chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2016 Quilts UK Malvern Quilt Show.  Each ticket is valid for one person for one day and are non-refundable.  The show runs from Thursday 19th May to Sunday 22nd May 2016 at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, WR13 6NW, UK.  There will be one winner who will receive the prize of two tickets.  The draw will be made on Saturday 23rd April 2016. 


Alongside the personal quilting projects you can follow on this blog, I also have a Fabadashery Long Arm Quilting service (www.fabadashery.co.uk) which I offer to customers, which has its own blog and Facebook page, where you can see other lovely quilts made by my lovely customers. 

How to win the tickets - you have three chances

• Go to my Fabadashery Long Arm Quilting Facebook page where you will find a post about the Giveaway, leave a comment, SHARE it and the LIKE my Fabadashery Long Arm page, or let me know that you are already a Follower and you would like to enter the draw. 
• Go to my Fabadashery Long Arm Quilting Blog (www.fabadashery.co.uk) and become a Follower or let me know that you are already a Follower, leaving a comment on the blog to let me know.  You can link from the button on the sidebar.
• Become a Follower on my regular Fabadashery Blog or let me know that you are already a Follower and you want to be entered into the draw.

Be sure to leave a comment to let me know what you have done by 12pm Saturday 23rd April to be entered into the draw.

 

 

Dear Jane Quilt - Block H6 Pie Sale

Dear Jane Quilt - Block H6 Pie Sale

For my version of Dear Jane block H6 Pie Sale there are 12 pieces to applique.  It is a pleasing pattern, but the applique always seems to take up more concentration than anything else in my life.

I have been out and about for the past few days and popped down to the Exeter Quilt Show which kicks off the quilt show season for me.  There was a lovely display of quilts by Kay Bell and enough fabric stalls to satiate my fabric appetite.


Red Telephone Fabric

I have seen this red telephone fabric at the shows for several months now and at £4/m I relented.  I can't see it on the front of a quilt yet, but I have enough for backing a quilt.


Midnight at the Oasis - Fabric Selection?

I also bought some of the basics for a Jen Kingwell pattern I hope to make in the near future called 'Midnight at the Oasis'.  There have been several quiltalongs for this quilt design, but as usual I will need to work to 'the beat of my own drum' for this project.


Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 17 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G6 Papa's Star

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G6 Papa's Star

I think there is a general consensus in Dear Janeland that if you can do Dear Jane block G6 Papa's Star, you can just about do any of the blocks in the quilt.  Yes, the centre star is a challenge and yes I have just had to buy my first set of spectacles for 'close work'.  However, don't take a breath too quickly once it is done.  Those orange points on the bigger star are all different sizes and need to be placed in the right direction and position too.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G6 Papa's Star

When you see the completed star above you make think it looks very accomplished.  I thought I would share this picture of the back of the mini eight-pointed star.  It looks slightly crazy.  But hey, no one is going to see it!

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 30 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 26 - A13, F9, G6, H6

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 25 - Border Triangles LR2, RR2, LR12, RR12


Are you still with me?
I imagine that most of you are making quilts at a much faster pace than I am with this Dear Jane, but for me it is usually the journey and not the destination which counts. 

Here are the most recent set of border triangle blocks which means we are ready to move onto Draw 26.

A13 - Starlight Star Bright
F9 - Autumn Aster
G6 - Papa's Star
H6 - Pie Sale

This draw is Orange and we are back to the 4.5" blocks.

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block RR12 Linda's Church in the Valley

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block RR12 Linda's Church in the Valley

I am getting to the stage with this  Dear Jane quilt where I am starting to think about designing my own blocks, maybe altering some.  The border triangles in particular seem to have a lot of the same repetitive triangle shapes in them to make them work.  This is RR12 Linda's Church in the Valley and follows a similar theme to Megan's Cathedral which I pieced back in January.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 29 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR2 Barb's Diamond

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR2 Barb's Diamond

Suzi the cat is with me as I write my post today.  She likes to help with any work on the computer and has been inspecting each block as I design it on my Electric Quilt software.


Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR2 Barb's Diamond

This is Dear Jane Border Triangle block, LR2 Barb's Diamond.  Only 22 pieces and just one simple diamond shape to applique.  Did you note how I said 'simple applique'.  Jane is certainly starting to change my thoughts on the matter.


Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 22 pieces

Eat Your Greens - Mug Rug

Green vegetables - Brussel Sprout Mug Rug

It hasn't all been Dear Jane blocks here this Easter.  I have been working on some other projects which you will hear about in due course.  One little project was this 'Brussels Sprout Mug Rug'. A finish deserves a link with Crazy Mom Quilts.


Brussel Sprout patchwork fabric

I guess sprouts are popular with some people and not so much with others.  I tolerate one or two with my Christmas dinner, but I tend to draw the line there.  However, my husband loves them and tries to sneak them into as many dishes as possible.  I saw this Brussels Sprout fabric in a shop a while ago and had to purchase a fat quarter.  I always love to look at the 'fruit and veg' section in a quilt shop.

Green vegetables - Brussel Sprout Mug Rug

So for Easter he was gifted this little mug rug for his cup of coffee.  It was a quick make.  I didn't want to cut up the sprouts too much, so I went for a simple design, which is large enough for a cup and a biscuit.  I think he was quite pleased with it.
So which side of the fence do you sit regarding sprouts?