Dear Jane UPdate 09-22-2019

This is my most current blog for my Dear Jane quilt...pink is my favorite!!

Julie

Ufo's that are not mine!

These blocks were made by a very famous quilter, Tricia Cribbs of Turning Twenty quilts.  She was SELLING them!  And I just loved them, so I bought them.  They are all batiks, and will be such a pretty quilt when they are all quilted together.  

I am working on Dear Jane blocks today.

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Julie

Dearest Boy, edging closer!

 Karen, Cathy, Carole and I have been working on this quilt, "Dearest Boy" for a couple years now.  We are all at different stages of completion, and here is where I am.  I sewed the blocks into nine sections, and will finish the remaining applique, and the missing block, LOL, as I go along, then sew all the sections together.  There is a fun applique border to the pattern too, and I am considering what to do for that.   Karen did her border a little different, and I love hers!  I think Cathy is working on her border and I know I will love hers too!  Click on their names to see their quilts.

I will add something else to the Baby block square, as I feel the applique is too sparse.  I trimmed one block too small and had to add a bitty border.  I pieced one block incorrectly (too small) and it got a border on it, too. I have learned a lot, and my applique skills are getting better!!

Altogether, I have enjoyed sewing with my friends immensely, and the uniqueness of the blocks was great fun to work with.

I just like this block for some reason!!  Scrappy and fun!

I love that goose...she has attitude, baby!!  LOL!!  and the wreath with the heart in the middle.

I just really like this vase and flowers too.



So I am just delighted to have gotten to sew along on this project!  I have more work to do, but am edging closer to a finish.


I will be sewing along with this group again...but doing a little different project than most are doing.  But I love the process and learning that goes along with a sew-along, so here I go again...stay tuned!!





Hugs to all!!


Julie

Progress on precious days off

 This is a little baby quilt, made from the same fabrics and style as the baby's dad's quilt.  So guess what?  The original quilt was made for my son....and his wife is pregnant.  I am going to be a Gramma for the first time!!!  So"Little Man" will have an identical quilt, just smaller, as his daddy.  They are big UT fans, so I have used UT fabrics, left over from my son's quilt.  (University of Texas)

 The hospital gift shop has a wonderful director, who comes up with the cutest window scenes!  She was selling some of her props, and among these was this little child's rocking chair.  Twenty bucks later, it is mine.  It is so tiny and cute!

 I have made some progress on this quilt, slowly.  I would do this quilt differently if I had designed it....but I am well on the way and it is rolling right along!  It is kind of hard to find a rhythm to sew!

Bright yellow twinkling stars!






I hope you have had some sewing time, just for you, today!!





Julie

Dear Jane update

I finished a row!  I thought I had 6 rows together already, but I had five...but now I have six!!   On our Dear Jane project!  I can sort of see the "trip around the world" look that shines in the original Dear Jane quilt.  The pinks show up...yahoo!

These are my two latest blocks.  I finished the hand applique of the top block, and pieced the little bottom block today.  On we go!  And speaking of that....

Annie sent me these pictures to show!!  Wow...how pretty, don't you think?  Here are Annie's words:

Hi Julie,
Boy, two of these were challenging!  The blue one was prone to stretching so points didn’t match easily.  Think I handled it too much.  The red one was a case of pure brain block.  For some reason I just could not get the design right.  Last night, when I was having trouble sleeping, it suddenly dawned on me to sew strips in opposite colorways, cut them into right angle triangles and sew them together.  No problem!  Embarrassed to admit I made this block twice before I had the 0300 “ah-ha” moment!  Wonder if Jane had occasions of brain freeze, or if her mathematical mind instantly resolved challenges.  Very satisfying to get these done!  Hope everyone else is having a pleasant time with their blocks.  Haven’t even looked at the next blocks.  Take care,  Annie



I think Annie's blocks are just perfect!



Thank you everyone for encouraging us all on our journey!!



Binsa:  https://cobblestonebridgequiltsnthings.blogspot.com/
Lcrrkhs:  http://lcrrkhs.blogspot.com/   Kathleen
Carole:  http://wheelsonthewarrandytebus.blogspot.com/


And Annie, who does not have a blog at this time.




And see this blog...it has lots of information about how to make the blocks!
https://thatquilt.blogspot.com/




Julie

A sewing day!!

I was lucky enough to be off work today and also to get to sew with my friends!!!  I made these blocks in two hours of sewing...and had an hour of eating some yummy snacks too.  I feel so blessed to be part of this group!!!

Hope you had a good day too!

Julie

Dear Jane update!!!

We would like to welcome Annie to our group!!!  Annie is just starting her Dear Jane Journey.  Aren't her blocks just amazing and lovely?  Wow!  Below is what Annie wrote to me...I am sharing her blocks and words from my email, with her kind permission. 

From Annie: 

Since I am just starting my “Jane Journey” and others are so much further along, I thought I’d begin with the end blocks to avoid repeats of everyone seeing the same block.  I am going to try and make at least two a week, depending on how much down time I have to work on these.  Here are my first three blocks ( from the bottom row).  The wide range of blocks made me wonder about how Jane made hers – did she have an organized design/layout with each block already drafted? Did she assemble them as she went as I am doing or wait until she had made a large number of her blocks?  Where did all her fabric come from – this woman had a serious stash, especially impressive given the shortage of cotton created by the war.  And then I thought about what might have been on her mind when she was sewing.  The Civil War took its toll on both sides, and many people she knew must have died, were injured or were never heard from again.  I sewed my first block this week (the green one) while a younger friend was dying.  I know that I will always think of her when I see that block.  We sew pieces of ourselves into our quilts, don’t we?     Annie

I absolutely love this, Annie, because I have wondered all the same things about our Jane!!!  Look forward to more of your sharing!!

This is my block for this week, of course the hand work will be done in the wee hours or TV time, when I am not running around doing stuff!

Here is a rainbow tiny block...I have a ton of tiny blocks cut out, and just need some sewing time to make all these tiny blocks.  

Please see https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/, to see and or make all the blocks for this year!  A treasure trove of tiny blocks. Thank you, Angela!

Look at how far along our Binsa is!!  She made the pink block above,




And the blue block above.  GORGEOUS!  you go girl...making great progress!!!







I hope each of you has an amazing day today...Happy Monday!!!



***************************Housekeeping****************************

So when I get up, I make the bed, start laundry if needed, make the coffee, put any stray dishes in the dishwasher or wash them, and them start in on the tasks of the day. I am just really wanting to do a good job around the house, but it is frustrating!  Whenever I clean off a surface, it is a mess by the end of the day.  grrrr!!  I seem to be doing all the same things at an ever increasing frequency...how do I get others on board with me???  Any hints?



Thank you...as my  mother died when I was very young, she did not have time to teach my everything I need to know...and at 55, I am still searching for that perfect routine!






Julie

Happy Labor Day!!

 Happy Labor Day, here in the USA.  I made four more blocks for this quilt...the "Meeting House" quilt from Facebook.  I think I will make one more row of six blocks and call it done.

Rosie wants you to know that she is the most beautiful doggie in the Universe.  I totally agree!! A little plumpness just adds to her charm!!!






********************************Out and About******************

We went to a movie, "The Art of Racing in the Rain."


https://www.fandango.com/the-art-of-racing-in-the-rain-218970/movie-overview

I liked it...sad, happy moments and in-between.  No cussing or wild sex or violence....just a good show.  I was glad to get to go!!!  NO popcorn, after I saw that a bucket of popcorn was $20.00.  YEP!  I smuggled in goodies, though...shhhhhhh!  Don't tell!!!  Am I a cheapskate or what????!!!!




Julie

Dear Jane!! (Jane and Julie quilt...) slow stitching Sunday style!

 Here is where I am, with Dear Jane.  I like this quirky little block...fast and fun!  I tried to match Jane's fabric from my stash, and this is as close as I could get.  Applique will be tonight, when the dishes are done and a funny movie is on the TV!!!



Ann Miksch will be joining our Dear Jane journey.  She does not have a blog, but is starting her Dear Jane quilt.  I am so happy she will be sharing picture along as she goes, and I will publish them here for her.  Thank you all for your interest and sewing along!!




Binsa:  https://cobblestonebridgequiltsnthings.blogspot.com/


Look at where Binsa is!  WOW, you go girl!!!




Lcrrkhs:  http://lcrrkhs.blogspot.com/   Kathleen

Kathleen has lot on the go, so go see where she is on hers!!!




Carole:  http://wheelsonthewarrandytebus.blogspot.com/

Carole is very organized and has a map of where she is...way to go, Carole!!


Please see the above quilters....we are all in different stages of our journey with this quilt, but I think everyone is challenged and having fun with it!  I know I am!!!

I continue to add stitches to this quilt, my forever applique project.  I can see the stitches better from the back than from the front!!!  I had to add some heart quilting for the sashing...so here I go!!!

 I hope that blue vanishing pen marks actually vanishes!!!

I have been sneaking in some piecing on this quilt.  I am half way done with the top.  The fun colors make me happy and add some interest to my days!!  This is the quilt made from the scrap fabrics from the quilt shop, that is now closed...I miss our local quilt shops!!  Any closing around where you are?


I am liking to Kathy, here...slow stitching day!


I am cutting out blocks today, and using the method of putting the pieces for each block on leftover plastic platters that McDonald's uses for pancakes!  When we travel, dear hubby like pancakes.  I hate to throw them out, so I wash them and re-use them over and over, like my friend Chantal.  This way, I can easily carry the block pieces to the machine and sew when I get a moment.  I have a lot of projects on the go, and of course get behind, but you know what?  It is all OK!  This is not open heart surgery recovery, which is what I do as a nurse, and that HAS to be perfect...so this quilting this is for fun and lovely moments with all of you.

*****************************Nurse's notes***************************

We have a 95 year old.  She was absolutely a ball of fire, doing yard work and all her housework and driving.  She underwent a fairly simple procedure...and everything went awry.  She was getting better, then worse, and now better again.  Before she was on the vent (life-support), she told me she loved me, and shared her mother's quilt-making and life on the farm.  I told her I loved her too....she has such a lovely smile, all her own teeth, pretty and sparkling (rare for 95!)   Her hair was perfectly arranged, so I try to keep it that way for her, even though she does not know it now.   I pray for her very life and safety, and peace for her kids...in their 70's.





Julie

What a pretty heifer! Dearest Boy final block!

 Tada!  Here is our final block for our quilt-along, "Dearest Boy."  She is a really a heifer of great vanity.  She really wondered, for this pose, if she should wear her plain halter and bow, or

A flower necklace!  For dignity's purpose, she chose her plain halter.  She still knows she is cute!!!!



The top is coming together, as this is the final block of the center!!!!




What fun it has been to sew with friends...please see the following blogs to see their heifers, or whatever block they are working on!!!

Karen:  Log Cabin Quilter

Cathy:  Big Lake Quilter
Julie:  Juliekquilts (me)
Carole: Wheels on the Warrandyte bus





Julie

Quilt show!

 There was a local quilt show today!  I entered my Monterrey Medallion quilt.  No ribbons, but it was such fun to see it hanging up there!

 My green medallion quilt.

 My friend Sandy's Monterrey medallion.

 And another one, by my friend Marilyn, using a different layout.  We all made our own version using the same pattern.  Marilyn hand quilted hers!  I saw very, very few hand quilted quilts.

 I loved this sampler; isn't it pretty?

 Here is the info about the maker.

 And this one would be fun to make too!

 And the maker's ribbon and information.

 This was the Grand Champion quilt.  It deserved every honor it got!!  Wow!

 And the maker information.  It was very densely machine quilted.

And lastly, this is my friend Sharon's quilt.  She won a blue ribbon!  Hurrah for her Monterrey Medallion!!!





Lots more to come,

Julie