Needing some tips about Dear Jane
 

OMG!!!!
I clicked on the link to "the one that got Trish hooked." The woman
whose DJ that is is Cindy in Racine, WI, which is 10 miles north of
where I live.

At church last Sunday a friend (and avid library user) said she'd gone
to a program given by a quiltmaker. "She was great," my friend said.
"You should get her to come to the library." And my friend gave me a
card with the quiltmaker's name.

You guessed it -- it is the same Cindy!

Who would have thought it -- an RCTQer from Australia and a (non-
quilting) friend from Winthrop Harbor 'introducing' me to someone in
the same week!!!

Cosmic. Just cosmic.

Nann



Polly, this is the one that got me hooked:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...KiPeNl?start=0

I think it's just gorgeous, the way she has used the coloured
backgrounds to accent her prints! I hope mine will be as pretty!

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Needing some tips about Dear Jane
 

Hi Trish,

I just saw this thread - I love to hear of other people starting the
DJ "journey"! I started mine about 2 1/2 years ago. I was a newbie
quilter too. I found the software indespensible and Quilted Diamonds 2
as well (I'm doing the piecing by hand). I chose 1800 reproduction
fabrics but am trying to find bright ones. I don't really understand
why they make drab civil war fabric - I'm betting that the fabrics
faded over time but that they started off bright and shiney! 1930s
fabric will look great!

I buy fat eights and that seems to be more than enough. 5 inch squares
wouldn't be enough for most blocks I think.

You may want to check out the djretreats group - they have a BOW that
is very motivating and you can do your own if you want but still log
in to keep on track. The ladies in the group are really nice and very
knowledgeable.

Have fun!

Stephanie




Polly, this is the one that got me hooked:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...KiPeNl?start=0

I think it's just gorgeous, the way she has used the coloured
backgrounds to accent her prints! I hope mine will be as pretty!

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Needing some tips about Dear Jane
 

Steph wrote:
Hi Trish,

I just saw this thread - I love to hear of other people starting the
DJ "journey"! I started mine about 2 1/2 years ago. I was a newbie
quilter too. I found the software indespensible and Quilted Diamonds 2
as well (I'm doing the piecing by hand). I chose 1800 reproduction
fabrics but am trying to find bright ones. I don't really understand
why they make drab civil war fabric - I'm betting that the fabrics
faded over time but that they started off bright and shiney! 1930s
fabric will look great!

I buy fat eights and that seems to be more than enough. 5 inch squares
wouldn't be enough for most blocks I think.

You may want to check out the djretreats group - they have a BOW that
is very motivating and you can do your own if you want but still log
in to keep on track. The ladies in the group are really nice and very
knowledgeable.

Have fun!

Stephanie

G'day Stephanie!

I've found that a charm pack containing two of each print seems to be
enough for some blocks. Not others, though. I'm so in love with the
1930s prints, especially the greens. The Jane A. Stickle blocks seem to
show them off to perfection, I think. Thanks for the suggestion of the
djretreates group: I'll be sure and look in.

Have you finished your quilt, or are you still toiling away at it???

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Needing some tips about Dear Jane
 

Hi Trish,

Oh - I'm far from finished :) I have about 90 blocks done and 4
triangles. The hand sewing is slow-going but I really enjoy it. I
work on it at home, but I also make up baggies (with cut fabric and a
picture of the finished block) and sew when I'm traveling or at doc
appointments, etc. I once worked on a very large cross-stitch that
took me 10 years to finish. It was worth the wait - it's lovely and
framed and hanging in my bedroom. I think that this is another
project of love like that one!

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!!

Stephanie


G'day Stephanie!

I've found that a charm pack containing two of each print seems to be
enough for some blocks. Not others, though. I'm so in love with the
1930s prints, especially the greens. The Jane A. Stickle blocks seem to
show them off to perfection, I think. Thanks for the suggestion of the
djretreates group: I'll be sure and look in.

Have you finished your quilt, or are you still toiling away at it???

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Needing some tips about Dear Jane
 

Steph wrote:
Hi Trish,

Oh - I'm far from finished :) I have about 90 blocks done and 4
triangles. The hand sewing is slow-going but I really enjoy it. I
work on it at home, but I also make up baggies (with cut fabric and a
picture of the finished block) and sew when I'm traveling or at doc
appointments, etc. I once worked on a very large cross-stitch that
took me 10 years to finish. It was worth the wait - it's lovely and
framed and hanging in my bedroom. I think that this is another
project of love like that one!

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!!

Stephanie

90 blocks done is quite an achievement! Well done!

Yes, another friend has suggested making up plastic sleeves and keeping
each block separately. I'm going to do that as well.

What was your 'very large cross-stitch? I've been working on 'Celtic
Christmas' for nearly ten years. The stitching is all done except for
the gold metallic and then I have to add the beads. The great irony is
that it only took me three weeks to work exactly half of the lady,
including the border and her head and hands over one. The remainder (ie
the easy bit) has taken - rather longer...

One day she will be finished and will hang over my bed. One day.

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia