Tuesday 12 April 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 27 - A3, B10, C8, M13

It feels like Papa's Star from Draw 26 came and went without too much of a fuss, so I guess the 'only way is up' from here with regard to the Dear Jane blocks.

Suzi the Cat working on her Dear Jane quilt
Suzi the Cat working on her Dear Jane quilt
When I am away I seem to use up my Dear Jane blocks quite quickly, so I have spent a bit of time catching up with myself.  After lots of rain yesterday, today has been beautifully sunny and Suzi the cat has found just the spot to help.  More cat helpers can be seen over at Feline Friday - yes, EVERY Friday!

Alongside my Dear Jane blocks I have also been working on my Doll Quilt Swap which is now completed, in the post and on its way to the USA.  Did you take part this year?

Moving onto Draw 27

A3 - Hunter's Moon
B10 - Jud's Trophy
C8 - Hani's Crown
M13 - Lynette's Diamond

This draw will be in Yellow.

Monday 11 April 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F9 Autumn Aster

Dear Jane Quilt - Block F9 Autumn Aster
Dear Jane Quilt - Block F9 Autumn Aster
Here is Dear Jane block F9 Autumn Aster, quite time consuming due to the way it is constructed.
Dear Jane Quilt - Block F9 Autumn Aster
Dear Jane Quilt - Block F9 Autumn Aster
Here is an 'in progress' shot.  This Dear Jane block involved a lot of applique, in fact applique on applique.  I am using some Japanese silk Kimono thread for my applique and despite it being like very fine hair to sew with, I have found it very satisfactory so far.
South Devon Coast Path, April 2016
For those of you who visited yesterday's post, yes, you were correct - Dear Jane block Starlight Star Bright was on the Mayflower Steps at the Barbican in Plymouth.  Back in August 2015 we finished walking the whole Cornish coastal path, so we have now moved onto Devon.  Our first few miles were walking through the City of Plymouth which were in fact extremely interesting due to its history and a great contrast to the usual mind-blowing views of the South West coast path which we usually have to put up with ...

Techniques: Applique and English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  13 pieces
 

Sunday 10 April 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Block A13 Starlight Star Bright

Dear Jane Quilt - Block A13 Starlight Star Bright
Dear Jane Quilt - Block A13 Starlight Star Bright
Where am I? 

So far this Dear Jane quilt has not been on many trips, but recently block A13 Starlight Star Bright has been treated to a day out, since it is officially the completed 100th block on my Dear Jane journey. 


Dear Jane Quilt - Block A13 Starlight Star Bright
Dear Jane Quilt - Block A13 Starlight Star Bright
Starlight Star Bright is a nice simple block using EPP, so not too much trouble for me

So where am I?

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces:  21  pieces

Thursday 7 April 2016

GIVEAWAY 2016 Malvern Quilt Show Tickets + Dear Jane Quilt - 100th Block Edition

Giveaway - A pair of tickets to 2016 Quilts UK Malvern Quilt Show
Giveaway - A pair of tickets to 2016 Quilts UK Malvern Quilt Show
THIS GIVEWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
I am celebrating reaching my 100th Dear Jane block by having a GIVEAWAY!

Dear Jane Quilt - 100th Block Edition
Dear Jane Quilt - 100th Block Edition
Yesterday, Mystic Quilter commented how I must be accumulating quite a pile of Dear Jane blocks.  Yes, indeed. This is what 100 English paper pieced Dear Jane blocks look like.  Steady hand piecing since August has produced this pile of pretty blocks and I am starting to feel a sense of PROGRESS.

To celebrate I am offering the chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2016 Quilts UK Malvern Quilt Show.  Each ticket is valid for one person for one day and are non-refundable.  The show runs from Thursday 19th May to Sunday 22nd May 2016 at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, WR13 6NW, UK.  There will be one winner who will receive the prize of two tickets.  The draw will be made on Saturday 23rd April 2016. 


Alongside the personal quilting projects you can follow on this blog, I also have a Fabadashery Long Arm Quilting service (www.fabadashery.co.uk) which I offer to customers, which has its own blog and Facebook page, where you can see other lovely quilts made by my lovely customers. 

How to win the tickets - you have three chances
  • Go to my Fabadashery Long Arm Quilting Facebook page where you will find a post about the Giveaway, leave a comment, SHARE it and the LIKE my Fabadashery Long Arm page, or let me know that you are already a Follower and you would like to enter the draw. 
  • Go to my Fabadashery Long Arm Quilting Blog (www.fabadashery.co.uk) and become a Follower or let me know that you are already a Follower, leaving a comment on the blog to let me know.  You can link from the button on the sidebar.
  • Become a Follower on my regular Fabadashery Blog or let me know that you are already a Follower and you want to be entered into the draw.
Be sure to leave a comment to let me know what you have done by 12pm Saturday 23rd April to be entered into the draw.

 




 

Wednesday 6 April 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Block H6 Pie Sale

Dear Jane Quilt - Block H6 Pie Sale
Dear Jane Quilt - Block H6 Pie Sale
For my version of Dear Jane block H6 Pie Sale there are 12 pieces to applique.  It is a pleasing pattern, but the applique always seems to take up more concentration than anything else in my life.

I have been out and about for the past few days and popped down to the Exeter Quilt Show which kicks off the quilt show season for me.  There was a lovely display of quilts by Kay Bell and enough fabric stalls to satiate my fabric appetite.

Red Telephone Fabric
Red Telephone Fabric
I have seen this red telephone fabric at the shows for several months now and at £4/m I relented.  I can't see it on the front of a quilt yet, but I have enough for backing a quilt.

Midnight at the Oasis - Fabric Selection?
Midnight at the Oasis - Fabric Selection?
I also bought some of the basics for a Jen Kingwell pattern I hope to make in the near future called 'Midnight at the Oasis'.  There have been several quiltalongs for this quilt design, but as usual I will need to work to 'the beat of my own drum' for this project.


Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 17 pieces

Tuesday 5 April 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G6 Papa's Star


Dear Jane Quilt - Block G6 Papa's Star
Dear Jane Quilt - Block G6 Papa's Star
I think there is a general consensus in Dear Janeland that if you can do Dear Jane block G6 Papa's Star, you can just about do any of the blocks in the quilt.  Yes, the centre star is a challenge and yes I have just had to buy my first set of spectacles for 'close work'.  However, don't take a breath too quickly once it is done.  Those orange points on the bigger star are all different sizes and need to be placed in the right direction and position too.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block G6 Papa's Star
Dear Jane Quilt - Block G6 Papa's Star
When you see the completed star above you make think it looks very accomplished.  I thought I would share this picture of the back of the mini eight-pointed star.  It looks slightly crazy.  But hey, no one is going to see it!

Techniques: English Paper Piecing
Pieces: 30 pieces

Monday 4 April 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 26 - A13, F9, G6, H6

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 25 - Border Triangles LR2, RR2, LR12, RR12
Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 25 - Border Triangles LR2, RR2, LR12, RR12

Are you still with me?
I imagine that most of you are making quilts at a much faster pace than I am with this Dear Jane, but for me it is usually the journey and not the destination which counts. 

Here are the most recent set of border triangle blocks which means we are ready to move onto Draw 26.

A13 - Starlight Star Bright
F9 - Autumn Aster
G6 - Papa's Star
H6 - Pie Sale

This draw is Orange and we are back to the 4.5" blocks.

Sunday 3 April 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block RR12 Linda's Church in the Valley


Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block RR12 Linda's Church in the Valley
Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block RR12 Linda's Church in the Valley
I am getting to the stage with this  Dear Jane quilt where I am starting to think about designing my own blocks, maybe altering some.  The border triangles in particular seem to have a lot of the same repetitive triangle shapes in them to make them work.  This is RR12 Linda's Church in the Valley and follows a similar theme to Megan's Cathedral which I pieced back in January.

Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 29 pieces


Saturday 2 April 2016

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR2 Barb's Diamond

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR2 Barb's Diamond
Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR2 Barb's Diamond
Suzi the cat is with me as I write my post today.  She likes to help with any work on the computer and has been inspecting each block as I design it on my Electric Quilt software.

Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR2 Barb's Diamond
Dear Jane Quilt - Border Triangle Block LR2 Barb's Diamond
This is Dear Jane Border Triangle block, LR2 Barb's Diamond.  Only 22 pieces and just one simple diamond shape to applique.  Did you note how I said 'simple applique'.  Jane is certainly starting to change my thoughts on the matter.


Techniques: English Paper Piecing and Applique
Pieces: 22 pieces

Friday 1 April 2016

Eat Your Greens - Mug Rug

Vegetable - Brussel Sprout Mug Rug
Green vegetables - Brussel Sprout Mug Rug

It hasn't all been Dear Jane blocks here this Easter.  I have been working on some other projects which you will hear about in due course.  One little project was this 'Brussels Sprout Mug Rug'. A finish deserves a link with Crazy Mom Quilts.

Brussel Sprout patchwork fabric
Brussel Sprout patchwork fabric
I guess sprouts are popular with some people and not so much with others.  I tolerate one or two with my Christmas dinner, but I tend to draw the line there.  However, my husband loves them and tries to sneak them into as many dishes as possible.  I saw this Brussels Sprout fabric in a shop a while ago and had to purchase a fat quarter.  I always love to look at the 'fruit and veg' section in a quilt shop.
Green vegetables - Brussel Sprout Mug Rug
Green vegetables - Brussel Sprout Mug Rug

So for Easter he was gifted this little mug rug for his cup of coffee.  It was a quick make.  I didn't want to cut up the sprouts too much, so I went for a simple design, which is large enough for a cup and a biscuit.  I think he was quite pleased with it.
So which side of the fence do you sit regarding sprouts?