Dear Jane Quilt - Block A6 Uncle Homer

Dear Jane Quilt -  Block  A6 Uncle Homer

You will see I am continuing on the 'yellow' blocks.  The fabric colour is not green and it is not orange - it is not really yellow, but it seems to fall between the other two.  This particular fabric is from Kim Diehl's 'Heritage Hollow' range and I think it is really pretty.

Another variation of a nine-patch block.  Uncle Homer must have been a straightforward chap.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 9

Dear Jane Quilt - Block M10 Simple Simon

Dear Jane Quilt - Block M10  Simple Simon

Dear Jane quilt block M10 Simple Simon is, as it says on the tin - simple.  A simple nine-patch block. The progress of these blocks are much quicker than the Nearly Insane blocks, so it is easy to get a quick fix and get quick results.

BTW I haven't started the Farmers Wife Sew Along. It is a quilt that I hope to do in the future, but DJ is my top priority at the moment.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 9

Dear Jane Quilt Update - October 2015

Dear Jane Quilt Update - October 2015

It is my birthday this week, so keeping up with tradition, I am doing an review of my progress on my Dear Jane quilt so far.  As you can see it is a sea of orange, with one lone red block.  In the past two months I have completed

21 blocks 21/169 (12%)

4 Border Triangles 4/56 (7%)

This works out about 10 blocks a month, so an estimated finish date would be about December 2016, unless I win the lottery and my revised schedule allows me to sew all day long...


Dear Jane block preparation

With so many little blocks, a lot of time is taken in preparing them in packs ready for sewing.  I think the cutting out for some blocks has taken longer than actually sewing them together.

Dear Jane Electric Quilt software - October 2015

To monitor my overall progress here is the image of the progress so far taken in my Dear Jane Electric Quilt software.  I am enjoying using Electric Quilt for this project as I did with the last sampler quilt.  This image is updated an on the sidebar regularly.

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 8, A6, D9, M10, M12

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 7, Edge Triangles TR7, LR7, RR7, BR7

So here are the first triangle border blocks for the Dear Jane quilts.  I am pleased to have these under my belt as I don't want to have the border to do at the end.  I have seen many Dear Jane quilts where the maker decided against the border, probably weary of the process, but I definitely want a border.

Onto Draw 8.  These blocks look super simple.

A6 - Uncle Homer
D9 - Uncle Richard
M10 - Simple Simon
M12 - Hopscotch

This round will be in YELLOW. Hurrah - a different colour.  The yellow fabrics are quite murky, neither green or orange, so designated as yellow for the convenience of this project.

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block TR7 Norways Fjord

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  TR7 Norway's Fjord

Another triangle block done.  I made an alteration to this block.  The original has long slivers up each side, but I have just extended the adjacent blocks to eliminate any unnecessary aggravation during construction. 


Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  TR7 Norway's Fjord

Here is a picture of the reverse as a reminder that I am doing this all by hand using English Paper Piecing.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 23

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block RR7 Fedelia's Hearts

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  RR7 Fedelia's Hearts

This border triangle block, Fedelia's Hearts has always been one which stood out for me whenever I saw a Dear Jane quilt in an exhibition.  Again, I was a bit worried about it, but the appliqued hearts went on quite easily and with only 13 pieces it was quick. I seem to be saying that about all the blocks.  I am certainly preferring the speed that the blocks get completed versus the Nearly Insane quilt, but I guess overall it will probably take the same time to get together.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 13

Joining Slow Stitching Sunday

Dear Jane Quilt - Sashing and Cornerstones

Dear Jane quilt  (G7 - Indianapolis)

You have seen this Dear Jane quilt block before (G7 - Indianapolis), but today it is proudly wearing its new cornerstones and sashings.  The original quilt doesn't have actual cornerstones, but I had a bit of fun with the cornerstones on my Nearly Insane quilt and I think a little extra thought on this area can take a quilt to the next level.

Firstly, the sashing.  If I require lots of the same squares or rectangle shapes for my English paper piecing I usually use the Table function in Microsoft Word.  You can set the size of the table cells in the software and then print out a blank table on regular printer paper ready for cutting up in the shapes that you need.  The sashing will be the same as my background fabric.


Dear Jane Quilt Sashing 0.5" x 4.5"

You can see I managed to get about 30 sashing strips on one sheet, each one being 1/2" x 4.5" and here are some of them prepared with their tacking stitches ready for when I need them.

'Hearthside Seasons' by Kim Diehl

For the cornerstones I am using one of the 'Hearthside Seasons' fabrics by Kim Diehl.  I thought I could fussy cut the stars for the middle.  The cornerstone squares below are English paper pieced and are just 1/2" x 1/2 Inch.

Cornerstones  1/2" x 1/2" - Dear Jane Quilt

 

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR7 Sallys' Steeple

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  LR7 Sallys' Steeple

I would say this Dear Jane border triangle, Sally's Steeple,  is a pretty typical Dear Jane block, with a bit of piecing and a bit of applique.  I appliqued the shapes in the centre, as well as the very top triangle, rather than have to deal with thin edge bits at the point.  I am pleased to be doing some of these triangles as I don't want the border to be left until the end.


Suzi the cat

I am pleased to say that my Dear Jane efforts have encouraged some of you to resurrect your Dear Jane projects - most notably Sally over at Objects of Design.  You will see her doing the same blocks as me but it in Kaffe Fassett fabrics. This is one of my favourite blogs as you can see not only lots of patchwork and quilting activity, but the internet being used in its purest form - to show pictures of cats and kittens.  I will admit, Suzi the cat has not been as enthusiastic about the Dear Jane quilt as she was about the Nearly Insane quilt. Snoozing in the autumn sun is her current preferred activity.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 14

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block BR7 Cheryl's Clown

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  BR7 Cheryl's Clown

I was nervous about starting these edge triangles for the Dear Jane quilt.  I thought they would be difficult.  But just like the square blocks a triangle comes together quite easily. Just 23 pieces meant it got done whilst watching the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Autumn 2015 - Horse Chestnut Conkers

I could quite happily sit all day sewing or working quilting on my long arm machine, but these days my body is less forgiving.  To counter this desire to sit all day and sew I try to take an early walk each day in my local countryside.  It is a great way to watch the seasons change and this morning I couldn't resist picking up these beautiful conkers from the horse chestnut trees that were lying on the ground. A true sign of autumn here in the UK ...

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 23

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 7, Edge Triangles TR7, LR7, RR7, BR7

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 6, A7, E4, F13, I1

Here are the latest blocks.  I quite enjoyed this round of applique and overall these blocks were straightforward.

Anyway onto Draw 7. Great excitement!  I have drawn my first border triangles.  With such a dramatic change in the development of the Dear Jane quilt it is reassuring to know that this will also be in ORANGE.