Dear Jane Update

This past Saturday was the meeting for my Dear Jane support group.  

 Lindsey and Donna went over four more blocks. 

They also suggested we mark each block we have completed with the corresponding fabric on a copy of the quilt.

 

 

This is what I've done so far.  I have now completed 44 blocks.

 

Here are four of the latest blocks I have sewn.

And this is Victor and Victoria.  Two more bears for the Mother Bear project.

These two are just back from cheering on the Olympic athletes competing in Sochi.

They will soon be sent off to be hugged and loved.

Happy Valentine's Day

 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

 

 

I hope your day was filled with love, laughter and friendship.

 

 

And maybe a glass or two of champagne.

 

 

Take care of each other.

Pedal to the Metal

While staying at my home away from home in Texas  I got in to a discussion with Dru Ann about sewing with or without shoes.

 

I am a sewer that can not do so with shoes on - Dru Ann sews with her shoes on.

 

My hypothesis is that it depends on what type of foot pedal you are accustom to using and what machine you learned to sew on.

 

For the most part I have been sewing on older Singer model sewing machines that have a foot pedal similar to the one below.  You are aiming to press a rather small button on the control and it is obviously easier to find with a shoeless foot.

 

 My Juki machine has a much more substantial foot pedal but I still sew without a shoe.

 

 

So I ask all you fellow machine sewers out there these questions.

 

A.  Do you wear shoes when you sew?

B. What kind of foot control does your current sewing machine have?

C.  What kind of foot control did you learn to sew on?

 

Inquiring minds want to know.

Playing Knitting Hookey

I started a pair of birthday socks in January that needed to be done by February and might have gotten a little sidetracked. 

 

 While I loved knitting them I found this cowl that was calling my name, the  Xena Cowl by Christina Wilkins. 

 

I had some  gradient Warm Heart 2-ply sock yarn from Fishknits in the color way Jelly On Toast and I bought some Debbie Bliss Rialto 4 ply in black.

 

 

I do so love doing color work.

 

 I did finish the socks also.

  I was knitting for a size 13 shoe so the toes are out of some leftover sock yarn.

And now I'm working on bears for the Mother Bear Project.

 

I've Joined A Support Group

Last April 2013 I began my journey in creating my version of the  Dear Jane quilt.  Not including the border there are a total of 169 different 4.5" finished blocks. I decided to use purple batik or batik like fabric and white.  I have been working on this off and on throughout the past year finishing 24 blocks by December. 

 

Lo and behold one of my local quilt shops, Quilters Corner, decided to offer a class/support group for those interested in creating the Dear Jane quilt.  Each month we will be given four patterns and instruction.  Of course if you are doing the math this means in a little over 42 months or 3 1/2 years the blocks will be done.  I am going on record to say I hope to have my blocks all done before then.

 

  Just so you know there are another 112 border triangles. 

 

This is not a quilt for the faint of heart.

 

I signed up.  I might have encouraged someone else to sign up also because it's always better to drag encourage others to join your madness adventures.

 

This past Saturday was our first meet up.  The majority of the class were newbies to the Dear Jane phenomenon but there were several of us already slipping down the slope of Dear Jane fun.

 

I did learn a few things.

 

I have been putting a 1/2 inch border around each block.  Turns out the sashing is 1/2 inch between each block.

 

 

For now I am going to leave the borders and wait until all the blocks are done before removing any extra sashing.

 

I also found out there are rulers made especially for completing your Dear Jane blocks.  I'm somewhat frustrated by these rulers but since I am on the beginning end of the learning curve I do hope to make these welcome tools for creating my blocks.

 

 

Since Saturday I have created six more blocks.

 

This is going to be a long journey.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Have a wonderful year and enjoy your life.

Happy You.

As we celebrate the holiday season I hope each of you takes a moment to celebrate YOU.

YOU are special.

YOU are unique.

YOU are awesome.

YOU are loved.

YOU are wonderful.

 

Life has it's ups and downs but we all are a celebration of life.

 

Take care of yourself and everything else will follow.