Still my Heart please

[Jo H.]

Okay, I must be the only quilter on the planet that hadn't seen a Dear Jane quilt. Well today I was leaving my local quilt store when right at the door was a quilt folded and laying over a quilt rack. I stopped to look at it because the colors initially caught my eye. And then I realized how small each of the blocks were and how detailed each one was. Oh my goodness -- I fell in love right there at the door.

The teacher that teaches a monthly class at the shop was there and filled me in on the history of the original quilt (and to think the lady that created it had no computers!!!!) and the person that reproduced it in book form.

I think I will attend the October meeting to learn more. She said they don't sew -- more of a show & tell and discussion of the best ways to create the blocks.

They have a book available that has the patterns and a disk from EQ. She told me that nearly all of the new students say that if they knew what they know now they would have chosen the EQ disk instead of the book.

Does anyone have both the book and the disk -- what do you think?

JoJo

[Damaris E.]

JoJo, have you seen Dana's Dear Jane? Have you read the Dear Jane threads?

XXOO, Damaris

[Jo H.]

Just got back from a nice dinner with hubby and finished reading all the messages posted in this category. I loved seeing the progress of everyone's quilts.

I want to hand piece mine but am not sure how to go about the cutting and sewing of such small pieces.

JoJo

[Jo H.]

JoJo, have you seen Dana's Dear Jane?

XXOO, Damaris

I just finished looking at Dana's quilt. Wow -- I wonder if I'm biting off more than I can chew!

[Sharon E.]

Jo -- one more thing LOL. You might find websites about hand sewing blocks together -- someone is doing it now in the TQS group and I can't remember -- maybe Margarita. - also Jenny Beyer might have a little tutorial on her website -- that is the only way she sews. WOW -- thanks for the compliment on mine. I used only repo prints and had some difficulty finding them. I am repeating them in the triangle borders and I bought the suggested background fabric and just ran out -- drat -- had to buy a little more.

Good luck -- I know you can do it.

Sharon

[Sharon E.]

JoJo:

I am doing the Dear Jane quilt, by hand, with just 2 fabrics. I am putting together the first 2 rows, when I have them sewn together I will take a picture and do a blog, and also put it on Show and Tell, "What are you working on".

Margarita in Auburn, CA

[Sharon E.]

JoJo, I am making a Dear Jane Baby without the CD. I just use freezer paper and trace over the blocks on the pages (actually, I make a copy of each page and am using a binder with plastic sleeves). I cut out pieces adding seam allowance.

Check out the official website for Dear Jane, it's got block by block instructions and hints for assembly. Also, lots of photos and other inspiration. This project is definitely a long-term one, so don't be in too much of a hurry. It's addicting! Also, I started with something like 17 yards of background. I bought a whole bolt of good quality muslin and several additional yards.

Have fun! Nancy in Western NY state

[Jo H.]

Okay.... I mooched out and bought the software AND the book!!! Ain't I awful???? Nancy's Notions has them both on CLEARANCE -- $33.99 for the software and $14.99 for the book.

I should have just got the book but wanted to be able to learn about the history and watch the videos. Apparently they have tons of people on it that have made the quilt.

COLOR: I would love to find a great, deep, dark (leaning to blackish) repro Red fabric and maybe just a cream for the background. OR---- start off with a lighter red fabric for the top few rows, move to a little darker red for a few more rows, and keep getting darker and darker until I reach the deepest darkest red.

JoJo

[Judy M.]

I have several of the DJ blocks finished and I'm doing them by hand, too. I make plastic templates of the block pieces and trace around the template onto the fabric with a pencil. That is my sewing line. Jinny Beyer doesn't use a sewing line. The line is just easier for me for accuracy and this is the way I learned to hand piece. I probably won't make the whole quilt the way it is, but will set the blocks differently. Mine are all being made in Civil War repro fabrics. Judy in Torrance

[Jo H.]

JoJo:

I am doing the Dear Jane quilt, by hand, with just 2 fabrics. I am putting together the first 2 rows, when I have them sewn together I will take a picture and do a blog, and also put it on Show and Tell, "What are you working on".

Margarita in Auburn, CA

Margarita,

After looking at all of the beautiful quilts you have in your profile, I can hardly wait to sneak a peak at your Dear Jane block.

JoJo

[Jo H.]

Have you seen this? Empire Quilters in New York made their interpretation of Jane Stickle's quilt. It's really something!

http://www.empirequilters.net/pg/s09/jq/jqpicfront.html

JoAnne in southern California

[Jo H.]

Have you seen this? Empire Quilters in New York made their interpretation of Jane Stickle's quilt. It's really something!

http://www.empirequilters.net/pg/s09/jq/jqpicfront.html

JoAnne in southern California

INCREDIBLE! The coloring was wonderful and being able to click on each block for a close-up was great. Did you see the back of the quilt? Wow... how fortunate for one person to win that quilt. Thank you for posting the link!

JoJo

[Jo H.]

Oh dear. :cry: :cry: :cry: I shouldn't have looked. :cry: :cry: :roll:

[Jo H.]

Okay, the line posted by JoAnn shows a DJ quilt, which is absolutely beautiful. JoJo made the initial comment about being the only one that had never seen a DJ quilt - well I have to admit I have never seen one nor heard of DJ quilts. What are they or maybe better way to ask the question is where did they come from? Bobbi

[Jo H.]

Okay, the line posted by JoAnn shows a DJ quilt, which is absolutely beautiful. JoJo made the initial comment about being the only one that had never seen a DJ quilt - well I have to admit I have never seen one nor heard of DJ quilts. What are they or maybe better way to ask the question is where did they come from? Bobbi

Bobbi,

Be prepared to be amazed. You can go to:

http://www.dearjane.com for tons more information

Here's a mini description published on: http://www.thebluecatcreations.com/dearjanehistory.php where the author also describes her own journey in creating her version of the DJ quilt.

Click on the above link to enjoy reading her entire description. Enjoy!

In 1863 a woman named Jane A. Blakely Stickle completed a sampler quilt. Her name would be unremarkable today except for one thing that she did; she signed her amazing quilt.

"In War Time. 1863. Pieces. 5602. Jane A. Stickle."

The quilt appeared in Richard L. Cleveland & Donna Bister's book Plain and Fancy: Vermont's People and their Quilts as a Reflection of America, published in 1991. That is where and when Brenda Papadakis saw "The Quilt".

The geometry of the block designs quickly captured Brenda's attention. She spent the next five years researching Jane Stickle's life and times. She drafted the patterns of the 169 four and a half inch blocks, the 52 triangle border blocks, and the 4 kite-shaped corner blocks and then published those in the book Dear Jane, The Two Hundred Twenty-Five Patterns from the 1863 Jane A. Stickle Quilt. Later she made the Dear Jane®; CD Rom available making it possible to customize one's own version of the quilt from a computer.