I Hit Rock Bottom!

I started Dear Jane in September of 2015.  Row A #1 block to Bottom Border #11 triangle took me 21 months.  I did not skip any blocks (to finish later) but worked through all of them sequentially.  Some were easy, some were very challenging, and some were a pleasure to work on.

 I used fabrics from my own stash (and "and a few" fat quarters I bought while making these blocks). For some reason I thought my stash would get smaller. I have used some of the fabric scraps left over from my very first quilt (1995). Some blocks have fabrics left over from my children's baby quilts. Some from my doll making days and some from my travels.

Now I am at the bottom border; I hit rock bottom (Haha!)  I am working on my 221st block.  I have three triangles and two kites(corner pieces) to go. Yay! Then I plan to put it together and start hand quilting it.  If I work consistently it should take two years to do the hand quilting. In the mean time I have to start working on my daughter's college quilt.  She has two years of high school left but high school goes by quick.

This picture was taken a few weeks ago.  I had just finished Row K (183 blocks).

TAST 2015 Stitch #10 Running Stitch and Dear Jane Blocks

Dear Jane block A6 is called Dad's Plaids except I did not use any plaids to make this block. I am very afraid of directional prints and prints with lines on them. Big no-no for me. This is a complicated block with applique melons and melon shaped reverse applique.

A7 Uncle Homer. This one must be one of the few simple blocks in the quilt.  Not many are as nice to put together as this one.  I am sure Uncle Homer was a good old mellow fellow and I made the block in yellow!

I have decided to make the triangle blocks along with the center squares. That way I wont cheat myself in the end and make do with just the center squares.  The original/Mother Dear Jane is made from 169 squares and 56  triangles(these include 4 corner blocks). And I want to make the whole quilt and not skip the border blocks.  My plan is to make one triangle for every 3 squares that I make. So here goes.... Top left triangles 1&2. Ta-Da....

More next week. I am late this week. Hope to catch up by Tuesday.

TAST 2015 Stitch #9 Counching Stitch and Dear Jane Blocks A3-5

I stitched a cat couching on a couch using a couching stitch.  First plan was to make the cat couch on a Coach bag, on a couch using a couching stitch. But I guess I am happy with what I have done. Followed my motto of keeping everything simple. (smiley) (can't make a smiley on this keyboard :-) )

I finished three more blocks of Dear Jane quilt.  Made two variations of block A3 called Hunter's Moon.  I wasn't sure how the dark color will go with the rest of the blocks.  I think I will save it until the end and see how it will fit in with the rest.  Here is my first block A3

Second A3 block using lighter colors: Hunter's Moon (2)

Block #4 of Dear Jane called Courtney's Stethoscope. This is one of my favorite fabrics as I used it for my daughter's baby quilt 14 years ago. How time flies...

Block #5 Cathie's Campfire

That's it this week.  Next week more embroidery and Dear Jane blocks.(finger's crossed).

TAST 2015 Stitch #8 Chain Stitch and Dear Jane

Started on Dear Jane quilt journey last weekend (sept 5-7).  These blocks are 5" squares.  Two are done and now there are only 167 squares left to make.  There are also 52 triangle shaped pieced border blocks to tackle. I think this quilt will take at least five years to make (fingers crossed). 

The green one is block A1 called Pinwheel Gone Awry and the pink/purple is A2 called One Two Buckle My Shoe. A1 is my first paper pieced block. I am enjoying paper piecing. I am sure you can guess whats coming next.  Good guess... A4! Still trying to figure out how to make A3.  

TAST 2015 Stitch #7 Detached Chain Stitch

TAST 2015 Stitch #6 Chevron Stitch

TAST 2015 Stitch #5 Herringbone Stitch

TAST 2015 Week 4 Cretan Stitch

Cretan Stitch

TAST 2015 Week#3 Feather Stitch

TAST 2015 Feather stitch and ocean scene.

TAST 2015 Stitch #2 Buttonhole Stitch

Second week of TAST highlighted Buttonhole stitch.  Here is my addition to the stitch sampler. I used inktense pencils to give some background color to the scene and used buttonhole stitches almost everywhere.