One, Two, Buckle my Shoe

Pin It "One, Two, Buckle my Shoe", Block A-2

This block was alot of work! It wasn't too dificult but lots of little pieces demand a lot of attention. I paper-pieced this block as well; the results are just so precise.



With blocks as small as these and with pieces even smaller, I can't help but wonder how Jane did it. She didn't have a rotary cutter, a ruler that can measure countless angles, plastic templates, all the tools us modern day quilters have. How did she do it? When I think about these things, I am even more amazed by Jane's quilt.

Tiny 9-Patch

Pin It This is block J-6, Granny Weaver.



This was an easy and fun block to piece. I love the tiny squares. I could have strip pieced it but I decided to stick with paper-piecing because I'm enjoying it so much. If you look close at the original quilt, you will see a faint diamond in the middle made from blocks done in pink hues. This block is one of them. It amazes me at the thought and planning that Jane put into this quilt; not just the individual blocks but also the placement. I doubt she knew what her quilt would become but I be she would be pleased to see all the quilts fashioned after her own quilt.

A New Block

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So... I failed to notice that some of the blocks need to be mirrored if you want them to look anything like the block you are wanting to make. I pieced this block last night and when I went to put it together, it looked nothing like I what I expected to see. Ooops.

I re-did the block today and it turned out perfectly. When all else fails, follow the instructions. :)

This is block A-1, "Pinwheel Gone Awry"

Lace & Flowers

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I just finished crocheting this scarf. It's a birthday gift for one of my favorite aunts. We live in Texas so a heavy scarf is rarely needed. I made this out of Wool-Ease so it still has some warmth but is light enough to wear fall through early spring. It worked up fairly fast and it was a fun departure from my tiny crochet squares for my Babette blanket.



Quite honestly, I'm just thrilled to even be talking about and making a scarf after yet another scorching Texas summer. :)

Chocolate...

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I love these fabrics! They are from Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks line. I made this bag this evening for a friend's daughter who turned 13 this week.

What 13 year old doesn't need a bag like this?? Pink and brown are her favorite colors and I knew that I just had to use these fabrics for her bag. The bag is reversible too... perfect for a teenage girl and her every changing moods. ;)

The bag was very easy to make. Cutting the fabric, working out the pattern, putting a 5 year old in the tub and then to bed, and then sewing the bag took me 2 hours start to finish. The pictures aren't great but I wanted to take a few before I give it to my friend in the morning.



I just might have to make a tutorial for this bag...

New Fabric!

Pin It My name is Jennifer and I am a fabric addict.

There. I confessed.

I have been really, really good about using fabric from my stash but as I am looking at the blocks for my Dear Jane quilt, I am seeing some colors that I am missing. I have been scouring the internet but I have only managed to find Civil War reproduction fabric by the yard, fat quarter, or charm squares. Either too much or too little because if I stay true to the original, each fabric is used only once.



I found my answer today! Aunt Emily's Basket on Etsy sells Civil War reproduction fabric specifically cut for Dear Jane quilters (11" x 8"). She has a good selection and many of her fabrics are no longer in print which is an even bigger plus. So if you are a fabric addict or a Dear Jane quilter I hope you will take a look at her shop.

Yay for new fabric!

"X" Marks the Spot

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This is my third block completed. My five year old says that this block reminds her of a treasure map. She keeps me constantly amused...

This block is H-13, "Farm Fields". I love the rich cheddar color in this block. It is probably one of my favorite colors from the Civil War era fabrics. I paper pieced this block and I am finding myself quickly becoming addicted to paper piecing.

This isn't the fanciest block but I think the color gives it some depth and interest, especially if you pretend that this block belongs on a pirate treasure map.

Next up is G-4, "Shutter Bug"...

A Crochet Break...

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I recently fell in love with crochet. It is repetitive and portable. It is also very calming when I am stressed. My co-workers often find me crocheting at work during lunch which makes me wonder if they catch the drift that the goings on in our workplace might be a little out of the ordinary.

Probably not.

My "big" project is the Babette blanket (pattern by Kathy Merrick). My other project is a giant Granny Square afghan (pattern by a really old granny a long time ago). I don't know why I call one a blanket and the other an afghan. They are both large and both can be used to curl up on the couch with so really, there is no method to my classifications. :)

My first project is a Giant Granny Square. It is super repetitive but the colors are really starting to come to life. The colors are some of my favorites and I can't wait until it is finished...

The Babette blanket is in bright and rich colors made up of 6 different sized squares: 50 two-round squares, 49 four-round squares, 16 six-round squares, 7 eight-round squares, 2 ten-round squares, and 2 twelve-round squares. Yeah... a lot of squares!

So, I juggle multiple crafts and multiple projects at once. I've tried focusing on one but I get bored and my creativity becomes work. Maybe a little mad scientist-like but things rarely get boring!

Two down...

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I've finished my first two blocks of my Dear Jane quilt. Block I-9, "Chase a Myth" and Block B-4, "Chris' Soccer Field". I am amazed at the size of these blocks. In pictures, they look larger than they actually are; but in reality they are only 4.5" when finished. Right now, I'm going in no particular order when picking my next block; I'm just finding an interesting block and piecing it.

I am trying to stay true to the original quilt colors and layout while using Civil War reproduction fabrics. For me, I love history so this process is just as much about history as it is about quilting. I'm usually in a hurry to finish one project and move on to the next one... but not this time! I'm going to take my time and enjoy the process, the beautiful fabrics, the history, and of course the new techniques to learn.

Next block: H-13, "Farm Fields".

Dear Jane...

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I am not new to quilting, not new to blogging, and I am not new to undertaking large and multiple projects at one time. As my sweet husband watched me dragging out new fabrics the other night, he asked me, "now just how many projects do you have going now?". I replied. "three". To which he said, "what about your crochet?". To which I answered, "oh, two crochet projects... do those count?". As sweetly as he could, "yes, crochet counts too".

So I have five projects going on right now. A tumbling blocks baby quilt; a pinwheel baby quilt; a granny square crochet blanket; a Babette crochet blanket; and last but certainly not least... my Dear Jane quilt.

Dear Jane is my latest undertaking. I have only been quilting a few years but almost from the beginning, I have been dying to make this quilt. I am fascinated with the blocks, the techniques, the fabrics and of course the history. What my husband probably doesn't realize is that this one will take a few years to complete. He also doesn't realize that he will be climbing very high above our mantle to hang this quilt once it is finished. But... I have two years to prepare him for that.

I love working with my hands be it quilting, crocheting, knitting, or sewing fun dresses for my sweet daughter. I work full time and I love my job; but I also love going home in the evenings and spending time with my family and squeezing in time spent on my projects. I have a stressful job and I unwind through crafting.

So here I am, creating a blog devoted not only to quilting but also to my love of life, family, and all things handmade.