Tinker Toy B-9

Still catching up on my Dear Jane blocks. I have a couple that are machine pieced but I have to do the appliqué.

To all you Americans, have a nice long Memorial Day weekend!

Sweet Tater Pie B-2

I started this Dear Jane Quilt block a few weeks ago but only just finished it this weekend. It was sitting in my sewing kit with only a quarter of the circle left to appliqué! It was nice to just finish something.

I started a new project this weekend. A baby quilt for a gift. I'm using the Zig Zag Quilt tutorial over at the Purl Bee blog. It's coming together quickly and easily so hopefully I will have the top pieced by next weekend.

Dear Jane B-12

Reverse appliquéd "Starflower" B-12 block.

I'm two blocks behind on my Dear Jane quilt. And another block is being assigned today. I was feeling a little anxious about it but then I realized, "Hey, it's a quilt." And I relaxed. I'll get farther behind before I catch up because we are going on vacation next week. But I will eventually get ahead again. No worries.

Here's where I am so far:

Over on the Dear Baby Jane blog and flickr group, there's been some discussions about adding the sashing (fabric between all the blocks) as we go. I would like to start adding it now but that means I need to decide on colors. That's where you all come in. Here's two options I'm thinking about. Take a look, ponder it a while and then leave a comment with your honest opinion.

Light version (darker than my block background but not too dark):


Dark version (helps the blocks stand out more but is it too much?):


PS: My mother called this weekend and asked me if I bought a bathing suit. She had read on my blog that I needed to get one but I hadn't followed up. Rest assured, a swimsuit has been purchased. As well as a cover-up, some flip flops and loads of sunscreen with an SPF of +5,000. Anyone want to guess where we're going next week?

Whew...Up to Date

The rubber match of the Red Sox/Yankee series is on right now so no time to blab on and on. Just needed to post that I am 100% UP TO DATE on my Dear Jane blocks. The way I was going I really didn't think having all 12 blocks done for today would be an issue but I got stuck on "Rose of Sharing" (bottom center). It wasn't difficult, I just kept putting it off.

Now I'm eligible for the giveaway! Yay!

(From this mosaic, it's really obvious that these have been taken in different light. I may have a Dear Jane photo shoot some sunny day and see if I can't get the color truer.)

Dear Jane B-4, C-3

Anina (Dear Baby Jane Leader) threated us with our lives if we didn't finish our Dear Jane blocks this weekend...just kidding, actually she offered a chance at a giveaway to all who were caught up. Which is really a much nicer option.

I did Friday's block already (Simple Simon M-10) so I only had to catch up with Monday's block, Chris's Soccer Field B-4. I saved it for the weekend because it is paper pieced and I had never tried that before. It came out really well. All thanks to the method and not the skill of the sewer, I promise:


And I even did an extra block, Rayelle's Fence C-3. I have to rip out the bottom third so the lines radiate outward like the top portion. I apparently was not paying attention when I sewed this one up:


That was about all I accomplished this weekend. Except for more hexagons sewn up during Red Sox games. (I don't even want to talk about this weekend's series. A travesty. I am looking foreward to tomorrow's home opener. I have the day off from work and plan on eating nachos at a local bar with my husband. Oh ya, while watching the ring ceremony and game...but I'm really most looking forward to the nachos.)

Dear Jane B-3

Not much to say about this one. It was the first time I have ever sewed curves for a block. Came out a bit wonky.

I was trying to do something fun with the circle pattern of this fabric but I'm not sure it translated as I had anticipated. I might, maybe, most likely will do this one over. I'm just not feeling this one.

In honor of the Dear Baby Jane Project (sounds like a 70s band name, no?) I will be giving a shout out to the Twiddletails blog today. Authored by the mega-talented Anina, her blog has beautiful pictures and lots of projects. I don't know how she does it all.

Civil War quilt decision

Thanks for all of your encouragement and a touch of reason (from Ms. Betty Ninja). My decision on whether to begin yet another project is still a bit wishy-washy. I'm going to try to make some real progress on Sean's quilt before I get serious about the Civil War quilt. But I may buy the book and begin contemplating putting it together...pick out some fabrics, some easy blocks to start with, etc.

The stack of fabric above is from Purl Soho and is for the Dear Jane quilt. A few of these look perfect for the Civil War quilt as well...see, I'm starting already!

Dear Jane E-10, M-10, M-12

This weekend I decided to get a little ahead of the Dear Jane quilt group and do some of the easy blocks. This way, if I do end up falling behind the group a bit, I can rest assured I'm not too far behind. A way to keep me from stressing over something that should be fun and relaxing.

And I had fun doing these new ones... See how my plaids almost line up in the Five & Dime block?


And see the fussy cutting (framing pieces of the fabric pattern within the block) for the Simple Simon block?


And the addition of blue to this, so far, all red work for the Hopscotch block?

No one I know in the flesh would get excited about these blocks. I trust that in you, dear internet, I can find a few who will appreciate them. ;-) I love this place.

Dear Jane A-6, K-2

After all that hand sewing of the appliqués on the Dad's Plaids (A-7) block, I felt like doing some more Dear Jane blocks on the sewing machine. So I picked out two seemingly easy ones to do this weekend . (Coincidentally one of them was assigned this Monday by Anina.)

Uncle Homer (A-6) block: Used the same fabric as on Field of Dreams (D-13). It's a cross between a straight-up nine patch and a Four Corner Press.


Grandpa's Chickens (k-2) block: There is a lot of starch on this puppy. Each small block is about 3/4 of an inch finished. Lots of ironing, cursing and ironing some more.


This weekend I received my first ever online fabric order:

(from left to right: Dots Red ~ Bee's Knees, Birds and Flowers Red ~ Williamsburg Centennial, Flowers on Red ~ Bee's Knees, Flowers on Cream ~ Williamsburg Centennial)

The package came very quickly from Sew, Mama, Sew! and I love the fabric. I was always worried that you couldn't really tell what you were buying from the small pictures on the web sites. But I am not disappointed.

I have another package of red fabric coming from Purl Soho as well! I think I have enough reds for the time being.

Dear Jane A-7

Took me a bit longer to complete Dad's Plaids (A-7) block for Dear Jane quilt. I was just feeling more like machine sewing this weekend and this is mostly hand sewn.


I wonder if the author of the Dear Jane book will write another book someday explaining the names of these blocks. Dad's Plaids? Really?

A preview of ANOTHER new project (Completely inspired by Peony Stiches new project posted over on flickr):


I have a group of labels that I use for my posts (as most bloggers do). One of them is "Completed Projects"...hahahahaaaa!

Dear Jane B-1, C-9, D-13

Saturday was a dreary day around here...rainy and overcast. "Overcast" isn't even a strong enough word for how dark it was outside all day. Fortunately, weather like that is relaxing to me. I don't feel compelled to be outside for any reason so I stay in and do what I want without guilt.

Last Thursday's assignment in the Dear Baby Jane quilt-along was "Jane's Tears". I had so much fun doing the reverse appliqué that I went ahead and did "Bachelor Buttons" as well. I'm really digging hand sewing blocks. (The reverse appliqué technique is so neat! The red fabric is on top of the white fabric. If you're interested, you can see the technique here.)


And I also did this Monday's assignment, "Field of Dreams"...this one machine sewn:


I created a new flickr set just for these blocks so I can see them all lined up. It's great to see how the blocks are working together.

RIF: Reading is Fundamental

Not much time to post today. But I did get a lot accomplished this weekend (more on that this week). I even made it to the library. I was asking around for technique books to help with the Dear Jane quilt when it finally hit me that I have a library card. And the library has books with information in them.

I also took the plunge and removed the binding from my Dear Jane book. I realized that the book was very cumbersome for template tracing, referencing blocks, etc. as a paperback so it now lives in a binder. And I'm even saving my finished blocks in the plastic sleeves that hold the pages. I am so organized now!


And I went pro on flickr. I paid the yearly fee and now have many more options for organizing my photos. (There's that 'organizing' word again.) My collection of photos has grown a bit and finding what I want was getting cumbersome. Now I'm all about collections and sub sets -- flickr-pro talk.

See, I told you I did a lot this weekend! Project pictures to come but here is a preview:

Dear Jane B-13

Kinda a Nine-Patch but with teeny corner squares (1.25 inches raw) which were a b****h to sew on the machine. I chose a fabric with a larger motif to frame in the center. But not too centered, ya know, on purpose.

I think this quote is going to be very inspiring to me during this process: "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." - Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame)

See more B-13s here.

Dear Jane Fabric

I've been a bit nervous about participating in the Dear Baby Jane quilt group. I'm a novice, at best, so I'm sure I'm in over my head. Just going to the store to buy the fabric was causing me stress.

I'm also cheap when it comes to fabric. I buy from the clearance pile, the remnant bin, and what's on sale. Goody for me that a certain large craft chain was having a sale on fat quarters ($1.00 each!) this weekend.

I've calmed down a bit now. I have a pile of red fabrics, my Dear Jane book, and a helpful bunch of people to answer my silly questions.

First block is B-13. Looks simple enough...whew.