Monday 7 March 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Block H3 Berry's Baskets

Dear Jane Quilt - Block H3 Berry's Baskets
Dear Jane Quilt - Block H3 Berry's Baskets
Here is Dear Jane block H3, Berry Baskets.  There appear to be discrepancies between the original Jane Stickle quilt, the diagrams in the Dear Jane book and the Electric Quilt Dear Jane software for several of the Dear Jane blocks and triangle borders.  Add to that my 'interpretation' of the block and Chinese whispers have taken grip of the project.  In general I work from the EQ software.  I am not really bothered, but I just wanted to highlight that 'interpretation' is a key description of my Dear Jane journey.  Moving onto other fabric news ...
Kim Diehl Fabrics - Sunday Best
As you can see from this pretty selection, I relented on the new Kim Diehl fabric range 'Sunday Best'.  When fabrics are released in the USA it usually takes several months and sometimes even longer for a range to get to the UK.  I don't know any shops which carry Kim Diehl fabrics regularly, but I have seen a few oddments at Doughtys.  I think I have plenty now for this Dear Jane project and several other King size quilts!

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 22 pieces

Thursday 3 March 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Block I10 Iris' Medallion

Dear Jane Quilt - Block I10 Iris' Medallion
Dear Jane Quilt - Block I10 Iris' Medallion
Here is a pleasing little Dear Jane block, Iris' Medallion.  I guess the squares could have been appliqued, but I decided not to make my life difficult.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 26 pieces

Tuesday 1 March 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 21 - H3, L7, I10, J7

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 20 TR1, TR13, BR1, BR13 Triangles
Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 20 TR1, TR13, BR1, BR13 Triangles
Another set of border triangles down. 

I was away on a sewing retreat last week and I only managed to do one Dear Jane block because I didn't have time cut any beforehand.  I was gutted.  This has been put right now and I have plenty of supplies for the next few weeks.  So onto the next Draw.

Draw 21
H3 - Berry's Baskets
L7 - Town Square
I10 - Iris' Medallion
J7 - Chicken Treats

This Draw is Orange.  Yes, Orange again, but going back to the 6 Month report you will see that there are many more orange blocks than any other in my design.

Monday 29 February 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block TR13 Eiffel Tower

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block TR13 Eiffel Tower
Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block TR13 Eiffel Tower
I have done a slight adaptation on this Dear Jane triangle border block, TR13 Eiffel Tower.  I will leave the Dear Jane Quilt Police to work it out.  There appear to be as many pieces as the original, so I don't consider it to be too much of a cheat.

Techniques: Appliqué and English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 17 pieces

Sunday 28 February 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block TR1 Spanish Moss

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  TR1 Spanish Moss
Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  TR1 Spanish Moss
This is triangle block TR1, Spanish Moss. Lots of thin bits on this one, which is a bit wayward now, but should be pulled in once part of the border.

Spanish Moss
Spanish Moss
Spanish Moss is not a plant that is common in the UK, so I did a bit of research and found out that it native to north and south America and is not a 'moss' or a 'lichen' but an 'air plant', living off nutrients in the air and from rainfall.  As you can see, it hangs from trees, so maybe I should have turned mine 180 degrees.

Techniques : English Paper Piecing
No of pieces: 23

Sunday 21 February 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block BR1 Rosemary's Rainbow

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  BR1 Rosemary's Rainbow
Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block  BR1 Rosemary's Rainbow
In my head there is still the myth that the Dear Jane triangles are hard.  This one only had eleven pieces in it.

Techniques: Appliqué and English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 11 pieces

Friday 19 February 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block BR13 Argyle

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block BR13 Argyle
Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block BR13 Argyle
Moving onto some of the border triangles of the Dear Jane quilt.  This is aptly called Argyle, like the sweaters, no doubt from the Scottish region.  They need sweaters up there, they seem to get the worst of the weather.

A few diamonds in this one, but I coped.

Techniques: Appliqué and English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 26 pieces

Tuesday 16 February 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - 6 month Progress Report

Dear Jane Quilt - 6 month Progress Report, Electric Quilt
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
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
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
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
 

Sunday 14 February 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G11 Decisions, Decisions


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

Saturday 13 February 2016

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

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