Dear Jane Quilt - Block H13 Farm Field's

Dear Jane Quilt - Block H13 Farm Field's

I can't deny my joy at some of these easier blocks.  Dear Jane block H13 Farm Fields is just a cross and just 7 pieces.  An easy win and onto the next one ..
Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 7 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E1 Aunt Exie's Phlox

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E1 Aunt Exie's Phlox

I know there will lots of fans for Dear Jane block E1 Aunt Exie's Plox which is all applique and in that lovely traditional melon shape.  These were a nice size, so no drama there.

Suzi has been helping with the photography today.  Clearly there is something far more interesting going on in the garden.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 5 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F4 Old Windmill

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F4 Old Windmill

Here is my favourite Kim Diehl red stripe put to good use on Dear Jane block F4 Old Windmill. Looks easy, but don't forget those little triangles in the corner.

'Cat on Quilt' 2016

Fans of Suzi the Cat may have noticed her absence from the 2016 Pets on Quilts competition this year.  Let's just say this photo shows how far we got getting a good shot of a 'Cat on Quilt'. What would I do without her help?

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 13 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 43 - B12, E1, F4, H13

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 42 - B13, E3, E7, K1

So here is the latest purple draw.  A mixed bunch of Dear Jane blocks.  If you want to see more purple delights, pop over to the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge.

For me, I am moving onto RED in the next Draw - always a favourite.

Draw 43
B12 - Starflower
E1 - Aunt Exie's Phlox
F4 - Old Windmill
H13 - Farm Field's

This Draw will be in Red

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E7 Bread Basket

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E7 Bread Basket

Quite a lot of pieces in this Dear Jane block, E7 Bread Basket, 37 in total.
They look like Hot Cross buns to me, however the timing of this one is quite ironic as I have just started a gluten free diet.

Lots of thoughts came through about blogging after yesterdays post.  Helen S in Australia said she was just off to buy her fabric for her Dear Jane quilt!  How exciting.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 37  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E3 Paddle Wheels

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E3 Paddle Wheels

It is a lot quieter in blogland compared to a year ago.  It seems that a lot of bloggers have migrated to Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for their posts.  One of the reasons I blog is because I like to keep a record of my progress and I like to be able to find it, which Blogger does nicely. 

Zig Zag / Chevron Kaffe Fassett quilt

This time two years ago I was making this Kaffe Fassett chevron quilt.  It is quilted and it gets a lot of use when we are out and about in our campervan.

So thank you if you are still sticking with it and especially thank you if you take the time to write a kind note about my accumulating Dear Jane blocks. 

E3 Paddle Wheels is the next in line, another block for Pam who likes purple.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 20 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block K1 Crooked Creek

Dear Jane Quilt - Block K1 Crooked Creek

Thank you for all your encouraging comments regarding the 1 year anniversary.  Last night I was working on a Dear Jane block which needed some 'reverse' stitching - 3 times!  It is at times like that when you need the support of your blog friends.
Dear Jane block K1 Crooked Creek was not as difficult thankfully.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  27 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block B13 Four Corner Press

Dear Jane Quilt - Block B13 Four Corner Press

Let's start this Draw off with an easy win, Dear Jane block, B13 Four Corner Press.  If I didn't have the discipline of my regular Draws to chose which blocks to do, I would swoop in on these easy blocks, get them done and then pretend the more complex ones didn't exist.  Ironically, the first ever draw I made was probably the most complex with reverse applique, applique and piecing in just one block.  I think I thought they would all be the same, but truly, the first draw happened to be the hardest.  Even those pesky border triangles - almost all of them are way easier than that first set of blocks I had to deal with.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 9 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 42 - B13, E3, E7, K1

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 41 - B2, C5, F1, F2

This latest Draw really shows off some of the design themes running through Jane's blocks.  They were a fun set to do, we had some fun with stripes and all in my beloved greens.  With good progress made after the past year this is no time to rest on my laurels - on with the next Draw.

Draw 42
B13 - Four Corner Press
E3 - Paddle Wheels
E7 - Bread Basket
K1 - Crooked Creek

This Draw will be in Purple

Dear Jane Quilt - 1st Anniversary Edition, August 2016

Dear Jane Block storage

Welcome to the glamorous world of Dear Jane!
Yes, here you see my Dear Jane blocks carefully stacked on a random shelf sharing the space with wadding offcuts and an empty mug.  This is the real world.  I now have just over 200 of these and the thought of laying them out for an Anniversary special was too much.  I asked my new Windows 10 assistant, Cortana, if she wanted to do it, but she seemed to lack enthusiasm also.  However, Electric Quilt 5 - Dear Jane Edition was up for the challenge and has provided me with this update.

Electric Quilt - Dear Jane Edition - August 2016 Update

I think the situation is looking quite healthy for one year of Dear Jane quilt English paper piecing. Electric Quilt has also highlighted that although I thought I had cut all the remaining blocks, there is still one Orange set which I have overlooked. Great work Electric Quilt!

My blogging of my blocks is hopelessly lagging behind the actual completion of the blocks and the data in this table reflects this.

	Blocks	Triangle
Red	25/29	4/8
Purple	10/12	6/8
Blue	20/20	8/8
Green	25/28	8/8
Yellow	34/36	8/12
Orange	44/44	12/12
TOTAL	158/169 (93%)	46/56 (82%)
Sashing	37/312	(11%)
Cornerstones	28/144	(20%)
Triangles	18/56	(32%)

Also the Border triangle extras, sashing and cornerstones are no really going to get me far once I start trying to piece this beauty together.  I need some discipline on working on these.

So, overall, I am pleased with my progress and hope that within weeks (yes, weeks!) I hope to be able to layout all the blocks and triangles to start planning how I will put them together.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F2 Kaleidoscope

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F2 Kaleidoscope

Presenting Dear Jane block F2 Kaleidoscope.
It has come around to my year anniversary with this Dear Jane quilt and I am gathering strength to see if I can lay out all the blocks so far - there are quite a lot of them.  I haven't put any of these Dear Jane blocks together yet which is a task in itself.  And then there are the papers ...

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 21  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F1 Big Top

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F1 Big Top

This is Dear Jane Block F1, Big Top. A pretty little block with some English paper piecing and applique, applique which was just about the right size to enjoy, especially with its fussy cut stripes. Seeing some finished Dear Jane's at the Festival of Quilts last week has certainly reinvigorated me to push on with my own Dear Jane blocks and after a week of not doing any Dear Jane, today I hope to fit in some time to actually finish one.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 24  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - every show should have one

'A Sparkling Dear Jane' by Catherine Carlyon

After two exhausting days at the 2016 Festival of Quilts it is time to get back to normality and that means back to focussing on Dear Jane. You can pretty much guarantee that any quilt show you attend there will be some Dear Jane love and this show was no different.

This first Dear Jane quilt is by my sister which she made using just four metallic Hoffman fabrics - all English paper pieced and hand quilted. You can see here that it attracted quite a bit of attention and rightly so. 

'Not a Patch on Jane' by Valerie Eames

In the same Traditional category was this Civil War fabric Dear Jane by Valerie Eames, machine pieced and hand quilted.  It was great to have two near each other to see how each had approached each block, there are so many approaches you can make.

So two more Dear Jane quilts have been born - keep up the good work if you are still working on yours.

2016 Festival of Quilts - Nearly Insane Quilt by Frances Meredith

Nearly Insane Quilt, Frances Meredith 2016

It is almost a year since I showed you my completed Nearly Insane quilt top, so I thought it was time for an update.  You may be able to see from the photo that it is now quilted, bound and ready for a trip out.

If you are heading to the 2016 Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, UK, 11th-14th August, my Nearly Insane Quilt will be hanging amongst the Traditional Quilts, No: 564. 

Enjoy!

Dear Jane Quilt - Block C5 Eye of the Cyclone

Dear Jane Quilt - Block C5 Eye of the Cyclone

Here is another circle Dear Jane block, C5 Eye of the Cyclone. 
I become so familiar with those brown tacking stitches that I forget that my photos may not have the finesse of some of the top Instagram craft bloggers.  I like to keep them in for as long as possible as I never know how long a project is going to last.  Visitors often ask to see how I am getting along and it means pulling them out and putting them away again several times, which would take its toll on a poor little Dear Jane block without the paper still in it.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 24  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block B2 Sweet Tater Pie

Dear Jane Quilt - Block B2 Sweet Tater Pie

If the arc of a circle is not too sharp, EPP is a great technique to get a good circle.  Dear Jane block B2 Sweet Tater Pie worked out fine - good enough to eat.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 16  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 41 - B2, C5, F1, F2

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 40 - A8, D13, G5, J12

I am approaching my 1 year anniversary with my Dear Jane quilt and am pleased with my progress so far.  Draw 40 was quite an easy round with some lovely green fabrics.

Draw 41
B2 - Sweet Tater Pie
C5 - Eye of the Cyclone
F1 - Big Top
F2 - Kaleidoscope

This Draw will also be in Green

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G5 Poof

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G5 Poof

This latest Draw has been an odd little set.  This is Dear Jane block G5 Poof, which I completed by English Paper Piecing the background square and then adding the applique shape on the top. I clearly fussy cut the centre piece, but the message didn't quite get through to the appliquer. Nevertheless, I quite like the jaunty position.

Suzi the Cat

As I thought,  the controversy of the Dear Jane J12 Basket block provided some insightful comments and was an opportunity for you to share your love of Basket blocks.  I don't think a Basket block quilt is one which will ever reach the top of my To-Do list.

Also this week you may have seen over at The Objects of Design there has been a MASSIVE fabric giveaway - not without its own controversy.  Suzi hopes this photo puts things straight.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  9 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block J12 Rebecca's Basket

Dear Jane Quilt - Block J12 Rebecca's Basket

It seems that all sampler quilts have an obligatory basket block in them.  I did baskets in my Nearly Insane quilt.  This is Dear Jane block J12 Rebecca's Basket.  I think there is some dispute throughout the Dear Jane world about the orientation of this block in the final quilt.  In the original it is on its side, but I think it will be hard for me to  follow that particular convention.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and applique
Pieces: 9  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block D13 Field of Dreams

Dear Jane Quilt - Block D13 Field of Dreams

And you thought Dear Jane block A8 Florence Nightingale was easy, look at D13 Field of Dreams, just 5 pieces.  I think this block has to be the one with the least pieces in it.
On the original quilt the final step is to embroider your name and the number of pieces you have used, so keeping track of this is important.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 5  pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block A8 Florence Nightingale

Dear Jane Quilt - Block A8 Florence Nightingale

I am having a bit of a run on easy Dear Jane blocks.  This is Dear Jane block A8, Florence Nightingale, with just 11 pieces.  Back onto the greens, which always seems to please me.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 11  pieces