Just starting out...

[Eileen K.]

For the book, you can also take it to an office store and have them make it into a spiral bond book. That way you can open it and fold it back on itself. Bobbi

[Sharon E.]

Eileen -- there are no stupid questions, and I am by no means an expert, but did survive a DJ. Whine all you want because I am a big whiner. LOL

Sharon

[Sharon E.]

Hey Sharon, Your quilt is beautiful. It looks like you stayed with the colors and layout that Jane originally used. Did you also make only one block from each fabric? I'm not sure I have enough fabric, or want to buy enough, to do that. I know everyone uses their own rules, I just wondered what you did!

I couldn't bring myself to "ruin" the book, so a binder with copies of the pages works for me. I use the plastic sleeves and can put the freezer paper templates, cut out pieces and then finished blocks in.

Whatever works!

Enjoying September here in Western NY which makes up for a yucky July! Nancy

[Sharon E.]

Nancy Ann -- I really wanted to try to use repo fabrics and a nice Kona off white cotton. When I visited quilt stores, I always asked about Civil war prints and only bought fat quarters. Nearly all the blocks are kona and one print, but only a few are two colors. I did graph out how I wanted the coloration to be similar to Jane's. You can see the pink in a diamond, red, green, etc. and I wanted mine to be like that one.

Now that I am on the borders, I am using the fabrics from the blocks for those -- not buying more fat quarters, and I am mixing up those fabrics. If you want to buy an entire bolt of your background fabric I would certainly do that due to dye lots and color changes or go for scrappy. But if you do go with one background get plenty -- I thought I did and still ran out on the 4th border.

Hope this helps, thanks for the lovely comment on my DJ.

Sharon - we're waiting for company from Nebraska tonight for the weekend

[Jo H.]

I ran across a really nice blog that helps with ideas for construction.

Check it out here:

http://thatquilt.blogspot.com/

JoJo

[Judy M.]

Pretty quilt, Sharon! I've been working on my DJ for "awhile" ops: I can't put the spiral binding on my book since it's signed by the author--that might ruin the value. Although, I have highlighted some areas and written a few comments after Brenda P's lecture. I made a chart for each block with the corresponding number and when I finish a block, I glue a small square of fabric on the numbered square. This helps me to know what fabrics I've already used and what blocks I've completed. I'm also trying to keep similar colors to the ones in the original quilt. I'd join with others making this quilt, but sometimes I don't work on it for a few months. I've just got too many "irons" in the fire! Judy in Torrance

[Eileen K.]

Brava, Sharon!! Your quilt is awesome! When did you actually start it?
eileenkny

[Sharon E.]

My son left for the Air Force on April 1, 2008, and I started it the day after. It really touched my heart because the corner square on Jane's quilt says "in wartime". So now I just have the left side triangles to finish. Hope to finish it by Christmas and then quilting it.

Sharon

[Jo H.]

First one done! J7.

<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2571494420105618316dVMPHq"><img></a>

I still need to press it but wasn't sure how to do it without stretching it.

JoJo

[Eileen K.]

WooHoo JoJo!!! I'm going to wash my background in between doing a customer quilt today.
To press, just go straight up and down, no side to side movement of the iron.
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

Update: I washed and dried a yard of the background fabric. Ordered the Dear Jane CD from Nancy Notions and I am thinking of doing mine in shades of blue and white......been getting more of the blue and white at quilt stores.....got 2 inch binders and pockets to go in at Staples yesterday. And oh, Ray bought me a new computer at Staples while we were there. I can't wait to have them transfer files into the new one this weekend. Going to Vermont next week and am going to try to see if we can get to see the grave stone......later Norina : :lol: