My guides

Well my readers (all three of you) it's time to play Dear Jane bingo. That is what this game is called - when one is making the DJ blocks from easy to hard, or as the mood strikes. I started just marking blocks one with a highlighter, but then decided I wished to keep track of the fabrics I have used. Not that it's bad to use one twice.
These charts are copied from a page near the beginning of the Dear Jane book by Brenda Papadakis. On the left, Pretty in Pink. On the right, Christmas with Jane. I make a block. Then, I glue a tiny swatch of the fabric used on each square. Around the outside are the triangles. If one is obsessive about fabric, a 3/8 inch square is enough so that you recognize it! I would be lost without these guides. Just a few weeks ago, I did NOT consult them but thought I would do Berry Baskets. Only when I was done did I see from this chart that alas, I had done it already!
viridian61

1800's Christmas Jane 106, 31, 1, 3272
Pretty in Pink Jane 76, 26, 0, 2337
Minature Madness! 35, 0, 0, 518

Found another Mini-Jane!

OK a quick posting.
Following links on some of my favorite blogs, I found Mary Ann's Corner. She has been working on a mini Jane with 2.5 inch blocks! Her is her blog entry with a photo.
And she is done with piecing of her full-sized Dear Jane quilt and is now basting it. Hurrah for Mary Ann in Denmark.
Viridian61

Older thift store find

After blogging about my recent find in thrift store A (see previous post), I decided to look in my closet for another worn quilt that I had found previously in the same store, some time ago. The receipt says I bought this one March 5, 2005. I just about fell over when I saw this one folded up on a hangar.

An Anne Orr type pattern, based on cross-stitch, each square one inch across. And yes, the ENTIRE white background is ALSO one inch squares, cut out and sewn together, corners matching. Insane! Probably from the 1930's or 1940's. The top area with a separate design to covers the pillows is badly worn and ripped. How was this quilt abused to look like this? Covering springs on a mattress? Used as furniture padding? And why would anyone cut a hole out of the middle of the quilt?

This quilt cost me $10.00 as you can see. I also note that the quilt arrived at the store on 3/3/05 and I purchased it two days later. Hmm, maybe if I go thrifting more than 4-6 times a year, I could pick up the interesting things that Nancy-Rose does.

As I was opening up the quilt today, I noticed these stamps on the back. What does this mean?

The quilting is intact, and is pretty well done and you can see by these photos.

Viridian61

Thrift store finds

Nancy-Rose in Canada certainly has great thrift stores in her area. On her blog she posts almost weekly on some great find or finds. I have found a few things in my area, but rarely.

Friday was one of those days. I visited two thrift stores in town, ostensibly to find good used clothes for my kids, but I always go up and down the linens aisle. I saw this folded up on a hangar. I grabbed it and didn't even open it up.
An antique quilt, by the style of it made before the Civil War, I would guess between 1820 and 1860. It has been used, washed, used again, and abused. It still has its original binding in some areas. A classic American pattern. Perhaps once a family heirloom, now subjected to the final indignity:

Yes I paid $8.00 for this quilt. The white fabric and the quilting have held up remarkably well. As has the pink-on-white flower petals in the central flower.

Where is it from? What is its history? This thrift store gets its items from the general area (southwest Ohio) but also from cities and towns up to 60 miles away, judging from the school and summer camp t-shirts that are on the racks. I'll never know, other than it is probably from Ohio, it is about 150 years old, there is no date or signature on it as far as I can tell, and I probably saved it from being cut up for craft projects. It is certainly not a museum piece, and not worth restoring, but it still has the dignity of a completely hand-made object. It represents the hand work of a long ago woman who otherwise is lost to us.

In the second thrift store I found this in the aisle with various wooden plaques and scratched picture frames. Not shown is the handle on the back. It really looks hand-carved. It looks like a large stamp to stamp fabric.

This thrift is run by the Vietnam Veterans of America. Where did this come from? How old is it? What was it used for? For 99 cents I found it very interesting.
viridian61

First kite done: BLC Goshen!

A bit of a struggle with this unusual shape, but it is done. I would suggest cutting the outside pieces a bit bigger/wider. My first kite! Yay! I will be doing all kites in green.

70 pieces the DJ software program says. By my count, 74 pieces.
viridian61
105 blocks, 31 triangles, 1 kite, and 3223 pieces for this Jane Stickle project

No hand applique for awhile

Though I really would like to do some Dear Jane applique, especially of some simpler blocks in my 3 inch size. I also have a binding on a quilt that I need to sew down. However, my hands are in dreadful shape. With the winter temperatures and low humidity, my skin is dried out, and yes, chapped and cracked. I stopped an applique block 2 weeks ago when I noticed a touch of blood on the thread (luckily not on the fabric yet). So have done a bit of machine piecing (see previous post).
It turns out that Goshen is the triangle of the week this week! I must get the rest of the pieces ready and finish my first kite.

viridian61

Change can inspire

Sometimes taking a break can refresh and inspire. Then again, the old project can be shoved into a bag and become a WIP (work in progress) - implying it's not been worked on lately. My break with the 3 inch mini blocks has been exciting - and it's got me thinking of my other Jane Stickle quilts.
So... we have here the center of my very first kite (Goshen - still needs some bits added) and Chase a myth for my pink and white Jane quilt. My skills are better and I am moving faster on my paper piecing!
Viridian61
1800's Christmas Jane 105, 31, 0, 3149
Pretty in Pink Jane 75, 26, 0, 2315 Silver!!
Minature Madness! 35, 0, 0, 518