Dear Jane Quilt - 6 month Progress Report

Dear Jane Quilt - 6 month Progress Report, Electric Quilt

As promised here is an update on my Dear Jane journey.  I am six months into it and as you can see from the Electric Quilt interpretation, the holes are steadily being filled up. 

Dear Jane Quilt - Fabadashery 6 month Progress Report

Here are all the actual Dear Jane quilt blocks which are completed, still with all the papers in them.  No purple yet. None are sewn together yet, as I don't have a full row complete, but come back in the next six months and see whether I have managed to get any of it together.

 

	Blocks	Triangle
Red	5/29	0/8
Purple	0/12	0/8
Blue	8/20	4/8
Green	8/28	4/8
Yellow	8/36	0/12
Orange	28/44	8/12
TOTAL	57/169 (33%)	16/56 (28%)

 

Here are the statistics.  The numbers show that I am only about a third of the way through ... so still a way to go.   If you have been a dedicated Follower, it might feel like this has been going on a bit longer, thanks for sticking with it.  An average of about 12 blocks a month, which now puts back the completion to this time next year (February 2017).  I think I could do with a Dear Jane retreat.


Dear Jane Quilt - Fabadashery 6 month Progress Report

It is fun to pull out all the blocks and remember where and when you were stitching them, which is perhaps something special about hand piecing quilts.  I usually prepare the blocks for sewing in batches and it is time I spent some time at the cutting board, especially since I have a few trips coming up in the next few weeks. 


Dear Jane Quilt Exhibition, Nantes, France 2013

And finally, here is a bit of Dear Jane inspiration.  This is another photo from the Dear Jane Quilt Exhibition held in Nantes, France in April 2013.  I can't believe it is nearly three years ago that it was on display.  What a show! It is a reminder that everyone interprets the quilt in their own way - on this note, check out the Dear Jane cutie Susan has made. Over at That Quilt, a new Dear Jane quiltalong is starting - just if you are interested.

Joining up with Design Wall Monday
 

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G11 Decisions, Decisions

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G11 Decisions, Decisions

Whoops! I forgot to show you  Block G11, Decisions, Decisions.

There haven't been many pieces in each block with this Draw, but just four applique pieces can slow me down.

Techniques: Appliqué and English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 13 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 20 TR1, TR13, BR1, BR13 Triangles

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 19, F6, G11, C3, G13
 

This last draw of Dear Jane blocks was  quite a nice selection.  Maybe a bit browner than yellow, but hoping it will all come together in the final piece.

Draw 20 is another set of triangles.  Although they are bigger than the normal Dear Jane blocks they are often not many more pieces, so they have become less of a daunting prospect than on previous draws.  This is the fourth set so heading towards sixteen border triangles being completed.  You might be able to feel a sense of satisfaction that I am enjoying - the fact that the border is being done as I go along.  However, I still haven't managed to get to the point where I remove my papers before construction.  It took me seven whole days to remove them from the Nearly Insane quilt.

TR1 - Spanish Moss
TR13 - Eiffel Tower
BR1 - Rosemary's Rainbow
BR13 - Argyle

This Draw is my old friend Orange.

 

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F6 - Deanie's Daisies

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F6 - Deanie's Daisies

This is Block F6, Deanie's Daisies.  Mainly English Paper Piecing besides the four little melon shapes in the centre which form the daisy.  I didn't struggle too badly with these four.


Suzi the cat

The weather has been quite erratic here in the UK, but today we have some lovely February sunshine which Suzi the cat is enjoying.  I am coming up to my six month anniversary since I started my Dear Jane blocks, so in the next few days I will treat you all with a review of my progress.

Joining up with Feline Friday

Techniques: Appliqué and English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 29 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block C3 Rayelle's Fence

Dear Jane Quilt - Block C3 Rayelle's Fence

Presenting Block C3 Rayelle's Fence of the Dear Jane quilt.  Just squares and rectangles - so simple with the English Paper Piecing method.  As for Rayelle's Fence, I have no idea what it is about.

I think this print from the 'Heritage Hollow' range by Kim Diehl is one of my favourites.  It comes in this colour (which I describe as cow dung), blue and red.  The new 'Sunday Best' range has been out for several weeks in the USA and so far I have resisted sending an order to Kimberley Jolly ....

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 25 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G13 Molly's Muffins

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G13 Molly's Muffins

I will try anything using EPP and even though working those curved shapes on Block G13 Molly's Muffins, was tricky, I think I have got away with it.

Talking of Molly, there is a delightful kitten called Molly learning the joys of a sewing room over at The Objecst of Design blog if you care to take a look.

Techniques: Appliqué and English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 13 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 19, F6, G11, C3, G13

Dear Jane Quilt Blocks - Draw 18, F10, E2, F7, J9

Here are the latest Dear Jane blocks I have done in green. I am still not sure about that Potholder block and it might be a re-do down the line.

I usually meet up at a sewing group on Monday evening for stitching, but tonight the weather is wet and VERY windy here in the UK, so I think I will stay in and stitch some Dear Jane blocks at home. 

Onto the next Draw 

C3 - Rayelle's Fence
F6 - Deanie's Daisies
G11 - Decisions, Decisions
G13 - Molly's Muffins

This Draw is Yellow.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F10 Potholder

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F10 Potholder

This is the Dear Jane block F10 Potholder.  It went through several design drafts and still I don't think I quite got the diamonds in the corners quite right. Apparently, diamonds are a girls best friend, but to be honest whenever they have cropped up in my sewing they have been anything but a 'best friend', always causing trouble and never quite playing along with everyone else. 

I have learnt from The Constant Quilter blog that there is a whole genre known as 'Potholder Quilts' and if you look around her blog you will see she has even completed a whole Dear Jane using the technique.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 21 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block J9 Maury High School

Dear Jane Quilt - Block J9 Maury High School

J9 Maury High School looks like an innocent little block, but those four tiny, tiny melon shapes were a bit of a trial to say the least.

Maury High School is a REAL school in Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

Techniques: Appliqué and English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 26 pieces

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E2 Merry May

Dear Jane Quilt - Block E2 Merry May

This is Dear Jane block E2 Merry May.  I slightly redrafted this one.  The central shape on my Electric Quilt pattern was not symmetrical.  The original design has two appliqued overlapping melon shapes, but as you can see, I have divided the shape into 5 pieces, stitched them together and then appliqued them onto the centre square.  More chance for fussy cutting and more pleasing to the eye.


Kim Diehl - Green fabrics

I enjoy doing the green blocks as the patterns on this range of Kim Diehl fabrics are really attractive and lend themselves to fussy cutting. 

BTW, here is the progress on the spring bulbs - a weekend away and look what happened!

Techniques: Appliqué and English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 14 pieces