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

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

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 39 - D7, J4, K6, K8

I clearly had a plan when I started this Dear Jane project.  These crosses will be placed strategically throughout the final quilt.  I am not sure where yet and I haven't started to put the blocks together yet.  It will have to wait until all 225 are done.  There are 56 Draws altogether, so Draw 40 indicates that I am 70 % of the way through.

Moving onwards,
Draw 40
A8 - Florence Nightingale
D13 - Field of Dreams
G5 - Poof
J12 - Rebecca's Basket

This Draw will be in Green