Needing some tips about Dear Jane

Trish Brown · 2011-07-20T10:01:29+00:00

Well! It's only a couple of weeks since I found out about a thing called 'Dear Jane' here at rctq. I wonder why I so badly need to make one???Oddly, my quilting buddy (who now lives at the exact opposite end of the country) has been infected independently of me and mentioned it yesterday in a phone call. We had an 'AHA!!!' moment and began planning how we could do a quilt-along, even though we're thousands of miles apart. This is good! We figure:i) we can work slowly along and support each other by emailii) we can share/swap fabrics to keep costs downiii) we agree we'd both like to use 1930s prints and solidsiv) there are lots of online blogs with tips and instructionsv) a Dear Jane would be a Very Good Idea - think of all the experience we'd gain!Our main problems are:i) we're really only beginning quilters without all that many difficult blocks behind usii) neither of us has anyone nearby to offer help/advice in personiv) it's *really* hard to find a big enough selection of fabrics in the 30s prints we likev) even though we've ordered 'The Book', we can't figure out how to buy the fabrics.So, with all the above as background, and keeping in mind that our plan is to make each block from a different print and use toning 1930s solids as background, here are my main questions:Roughly how much fabric do you need for each block in a Dear Jane?Is it a good idea to collect charm packs? Is a 5" charm square big enough to make one block? Should/can we buy fat eighths? (Easy here in Oz, not so easy in the US) Should we buy fat quarters and share them? Would it be cheaper/more sensible to just use white fabric for the background and buy 15 yards each of it?Finally, does anyone have any recommendations for good online US shops? We really need to count our pennies on this and it's *lots* cheaper to buy online than from local sources.If anyone's done/doing a Dear Jane, would you please share your wisdom so Trisha and I can get started? Thanks heaps! ;-D

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Trish Brown 14 years ago

LOL! Mostly, it's not enough $$$ in the bank! Also, like the real quilters, I think I have more ideas in my head than I have time or resources to complete. As soon as I clapped eyes on the Jane A. Stickle, I thought 'Gotta do this!' Like all needlework, it progresses one stitch at a time, so I do hope to finish it one day.

Oh yes, I liked the Kaffe one enormously too. The one that really appealed is the 1930s prints (hadn't seen any of those in my LQSes and fell immediately in love).

Great idea! One thing that led me gently from stitching to quilting was the chance to do huge, enormous quantities of appliqué on my first quilt. It was all hearts and butterflies and nine patches for DD: quick to do and fun to work at. I think that's the secret: if you pick a design that really makes your heart sing, you'll finish it well because you're more motivated.

A little girl! How lovely! My little girl is big now - in her second last year of high school. Sigh. Make sure you watch yours carefully: they have a habit of suddenly growing up when you're not looking!

Why don't you come back to N'cle and we can be quilting buddies? ;->

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Nann 14 years ago

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

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Steph 14 years ago

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

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Trish Brown 14 years ago

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???

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Steph 14 years ago

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

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Trish Brown 14 years ago

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.

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Needing some tips about Dear Jane

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