Showing posts with label Dear Jane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dear Jane. Show all posts

Monday, November 28, 2011

Progress

 The blocks are assembled and the borders are on the string quilt. I even mitered the corners! Mitered corners are easier each time that I do them. Next task, tackle the applique. 
You'll notice though that I haven't begun the applique yet. That's because I'm intimidated by all that applique, and I'm not really sure where to begin. I'm figure the stems for the flowers come first. However, because of the way that the red diagonal is pieced they are not perfect. That means that each stem is a little different. I guess I just need to jump in and start it.

 
I also wanted to show you the progress on Dear Jane. I may have to redo the block in the lower left. Curved seams are not my strong point, and that one is a little off. The seam allowances are so narrow that some of the rounded pieces will get cut off when I sew the sashing on.

Next my SewCalGal Christmas Quilt Show entry.
This was my first experience designing a quilt using Electric Quilt. I had purchased the fabric, one yard of each, and I didn't want to buy more, or have any leftovers. I played around until I had a design that used up everything. The only thing I had to add was the white for the alternate blocks in the nine patches and the plain blocks. This poor quilt never got a name.

 This quilt, however, does have a name. My grandson, Bubba, named it Mimi's Kiki. I purchased the fabrics during one of the shop hops. I bought fat quarters at each of the shops to get a nice mix of fabrics. 

Visit Patchwork Times to see more design walls, and head over to SewCalGal to see all the Christmas quilts.














Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Counting

I don't know why, but I count. As I'm doing things I count. I will count stitches as I knit. I will count how many chops it takes when I chop up veggies. I count. Weird, I know.

I'm not the only one, however. Jane Stickle counted pieces when she made her quilt
that is the foundation for the Dear Jane book.
She recorded her count on the corner piece of her quilt.
I've also been counting my pieces for this beautiful quilt. 90 pieces down, 5,512 to go.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Cute!

I've finished my Dear Jane homework for September.
I have to tell you, these blocks are so stinkin' cute! I was wrong about their finished size. They finish at 4.5", not 4". 














I wasn't sure when I signed up if I was really going to enjoy hand piecing. I did!

I enjoyed it so much I ordered the Dear Jane software by Electric Quilt. I want to have the patterns for the months when I won't be able to attend the class, because you know over the course of the three years there will be times I will miss a class.


I know that I will miss the February class,
because we have a grandbaby due then. Spicy and Bubba have a baby brother coming!










- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Handwork

Curious, suddenly I seem to be quite interested in learning about different handwork techniques. Last month it was a class with David Taylor. This month was a class with Anita Shackleford, and I started taking a Dear Jane class at one of the local shops.

David Taylor does beautiful art quilts that are all hand appliquéd. He was a wonderful teacher, but unfortunately his genius did not seep into my brain. I understand his technique. I just can't come close to duplicating it.












 
Anita Shackleford taught surface textures, appliqué and ruching. Another delightful class and an excellent teacher.



















Different styles of artistic expression, but both done by hand. David only does machine quilting on his works, and Anita does both hand and machine quilting.
The Dear Jane class is taught by Ruth Ann, a lovely lady and great teacher. Yesterday was our first class.












Four to five blocks a month for the next three years. Can you believe it! I signed up for a three year class. A three year class where the entire quilt is done by hand.









I ordered a pack of fabric from The Temecula Quilt Company. It was beautifully wrapped, before I opened it up to fondle the fabrics. I should have taken a picture of it before I opened it up, but I just couldn't wait.



Last night I cut the pieces for all four of this month's blocks. I got two of the blocks pieced.






This is the next one to do.















The last block is still in its baggie.










This is what the finished quilt should look like. Did I mention that the blocks finish at 4" square?
 So, when I finish it will I have to learn how to hand quilt it, or can I load it on the longarm?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad