E is for Electric Quilt

...And specifically, the Electric Quilt Company, and the software they produce.

This is software for designing quilts, and I love it.  (Yes there is a significant market for this product - there are many quilters, around the world now.) There are many traditional blocks and variations in their block libraries, and one can choose blocks and play around with how they will look in different settings - without pulling out graph paper, like in "the old days."  When you have chosen a block, there are accurate cutting instructions: either by rotary cutting, templates, or paper-piecing.  There are plenty of helps, which are actually helpful!

I first starting using Electric Quilt software when starting my quilt in the style of Jane Stickle.  Such tiny blocks (4.5 inches) and mostly designs original to Jane!  I purchased the Dear Jane (R) software for myself for Christmas one year and spent that vacation going through the tutorials.  I would not have finished the blocks and triangles without it. Worth every penny.

No, I am not selling for the company!  :-)
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Papa's Star: ARGH! (repost)

G-6, how we Janiacs obsess about you. (Not Janeites – they obsess about Jane Austen. The two groups often go together though, as in my case.) Ignore the housework and laundry, ignore your spouse’s/partner’s pleas for dinner, ignore your children’s cries for attention. Find that quiet place, take a deep breath, and start on G-6, Papa’s Star.

I have Electric Quilt’s Dear Jane software, and I was following variation 1. I paper-pieced the central devil star, and felt pretty good about how it turned out, even with one small star point. However, I should have noticed something wrong by the time I took picture number 1.

You see, the central pentagon is not a regular pentagon. The orientation of it to the outside pieces is pretty important. Mine is rotated one position, and I did not notice until too late, when I saw the triangle points (see the one on the left) were not matching. But, the block is done, it is even the correct size, and so what if one of my star points will be cut off. I’m Done! Argh.

F-2 Kaleidoscope

I have been distracted by a number of things, but I am moving forward, slowly, on my Jane Stickle quilt. This one is F-2, called Kaleidoscope. I printed out the paper piecing patterns from the Dear Jane software published by Electric Quilt.
Helpful suggestions: Cut your pieces a bit large. Sew to the end of the patch corner that will be in the center, but NOT into the seam allowance. Care (and careful pinning) is needed to get the points to be close in the middle. To attain perfection in getting 8 points to meet is not a realistic goal. I am satisfied with how mine came out. “Done is better than perfect” as Brenda says!

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C-7 Megan’s mountain laurel

Ok, back to some quilting content. Recall that I have the Dear Jane Software from Electric quilt which makes many things so much easier. I printed out the paper patterns, which have quite a few fiddly bits for the inner diamonds. You just have to slow down and take it step by step.

I decided not to applique the diamonds but to piece them. Just extend lines out (look at my seam lines above). I did this with previous blocks like Decisions, decisions, and yes it adds more small pieces to fiddle with, but for me anyway it reduces my frustration.

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1800's Christmas Jane 130, 40, 1, 3987

Pretty in Pink Jane 95, 33, 0, 2983

Miniature Madness! 55, 0, 0, 776

AARRGGHH! Papa's Star of course

Argh, blogger ate my first post. Not so fun doing this a second time.
G-6, how we Janiacs obsess about you. (Not Janeites – they obsess about Jane Austen. The two groups often go together though, as in my case.)
Ignore the housework and laundry, ignore your spouse’s/partner’s pleas for dinner, ignore your children’s cries for attention. Find that quiet place, take a deep breath, and start on G-6, Papa’s Star.

I have Electric Quilt’s Dear Jane software, and I was following variation 1. I paper-pieced the central devil star, and felt pretty good about how it turned out, even with one small star point. However, I should have noticed something wrong by the time I took picture number 1.

You see, the central pentagon is not a regular pentagon. The orientation of it to the outside pieces is pretty important. Mine is rotated one position, and I did not notice until too late, when I saw the triangle points (see the one on the left) were not matching. But, the block is done, it is even the correct size, and so what if one of my star points will be cut off. I’m Done! Argh.

G-11 (Decisions, Decisions)

First off: a big shout-out to Rosa R., who showed on her blog how she pieced the diamonds and the background. (Smacking forehead) Why didn't I think of that? Now I can do G-11 and similar blocks, like J-1 Josepha's Jonquil etc.

For this, I use the EQ software to print out the block outline on paper-piecing paper. Then, I add pencil lines to the diamond shapes to make a piece-able sub-block. And number the pieces too to keep me on track. Sorry, forgot to take a pic of this step. I'll try to remember this when I do J-1.

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M-9 Fan Dance

I paper pieced this block. If you have the Dear Jane software published by Electric Quilt, the default paper piecing order is different than this. I regrouped the pieces into the setting above. No matter how you slice this, you will have eight points coming together in the center, that will have to be lined up carefully. Note I renumbered the paper piecing order so that the seam allowances will 'nest' nicely, instead of being doubled up, and difficult to sew.

Here are the four main sections.

Here are my finished blocks for the two quilts I am making. The points don't exactly meet but they are close enough for me!

I purchased these fabrics from Reproductionfabrics.com.

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1800's Christmas Jane 118, 38, 1, 3642

Pretty in Pink Jane 91, 31, 0, 2851

Miniature Madness! 53, 0, 0, 762

Ten more miniature blocks

Here is the latest set, last one finished this AM. I am up to 35 blocks! I really like the Electric Quilt software. The foundation pattterns are SO useful. I am also using quite a few of the alternate blocks that are included in the Dear Jane software. Many are classic patterns. (note Churn Dash and Shoo Fly). Some work very well in this small format - like the lower right block in blue feedsack - a windmill design that I like very much. Fabric placement can change the look of a block too. There are 2 here that are the same pattern - can you tell which ones?

Viridian61

1800's Christmas Jane 105, 30, 0, 3122

Pretty in Pink Jane 73, 26, 0, 2245

Minature Madness! 35, 0, 0, 518

Miniature Madness!

The blocks in the original quilt by Jane Stickle, and as drawn and published by Brenda Papadakis in her book "Dear Jane" finish at 4.5 inches. This is considered small, tiny even. Over Christmas break I got the strange idea of making a few blocks even smaller, so that these 4.5 inch blocks would look large. Say, 3 inches, finished.



And, in a switch from my Civil War reproduction fabrics, maybe use 30's and 40's reproduction fabrics. Or... the blocks are so small, I could use my actual precious pieces of 30's and 40's fabrics and feedsacks.

Oh no! I am truly insane now. I have two other Jane-related quilts in progress! But these blocks are so cute...

A note on the blocks: I am using the Dear Jane software from the Electric Quilt company to size these blocks to 3 inches, finished. Thank you to the designers and publishers of this great product. If you have the $ I recommend this software.

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