Update: I washed and dried a yard of the background fabric. Ordered the Dear Jane CD from Nancy Notions and I am thinking of doing mine in shades of blue and white......been getting more of the blue and white at quilt stores.....got 2 inch binders and pockets to go in at Staples yesterday. And oh, Ray bought me a new computer at Staples while we were there. I can't wait to have them transfer files into the new one this weekend. Going to Vermont next week and am going to try to see if we can get to see the grave stone......later Norina :

WooHoo JoJo!!! I'm going to wash my background in between doing a customer quilt today.
To press, just go straight up and down, no side to side movement of the iron.
eileenkny

First one done! J7.

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I still need to press it but wasn't sure how to do it without stretching it.

JoJo

My son left for the Air Force on April 1, 2008, and I started it the day after. It really touched my heart because the corner square on Jane's quilt says "in wartime". So now I just have the left side triangles to finish. Hope to finish it by Christmas and then quilting it.

Sharon

Brava, Sharon!! Your quilt is awesome! When did you actually start it?
eileenkny

Pretty quilt, Sharon! I've been working on my DJ for "awhile" I can't put the spiral binding on my book since it's signed by the author--that might ruin the value. Although, I have highlighted some areas and written a few comments after Brenda P's lecture. I made a chart for each block with the corresponding number and when I finish a block, I glue a small square of fabric on the numbered square. This helps me to know what fabrics I've already used and what blocks I've completed. I'm also trying to keep similar colors to the ones in the original quilt. I'd join with others making this quilt, but sometimes I don't work on it for a few months. I've just got too many "irons" in the fire! Judy in Torrance

I ran across a really nice blog that helps with ideas for construction.

Check it out here:

http://thatquilt.blogspot.com/

JoJo

Nancy Ann -- I really wanted to try to use repo fabrics and a nice Kona off white cotton. When I visited quilt stores, I always asked about Civil war prints and only bought fat quarters. Nearly all the blocks are kona and one print, but only a few are two colors. I did graph out how I wanted the coloration to be similar to Jane's. You can see the pink in a diamond, red, green, etc. and I wanted mine to be like that one.

Now that I am on the borders, I am using the fabrics from the blocks for those -- not buying more fat quarters, and I am mixing up those fabrics. If you want to buy an entire bolt of your background fabric I would certainly do that due to dye lots and color changes or go for scrappy. But if you do go with one background get plenty -- I thought I did and still ran out on the 4th border.

Hope this helps, thanks for the lovely comment on my DJ.

Sharon - we're waiting for company from Nebraska tonight for the weekend

Hey Sharon, Your quilt is beautiful. It looks like you stayed with the colors and layout that Jane originally used. Did you also make only one block from each fabric? I'm not sure I have enough fabric, or want to buy enough, to do that. I know everyone uses their own rules, I just wondered what you did!

I couldn't bring myself to "ruin" the book, so a binder with copies of the pages works for me. I use the plastic sleeves and can put the freezer paper templates, cut out pieces and then finished blocks in.

Whatever works!

Enjoying September here in Western NY which makes up for a yucky July! Nancy

Eileen -- there are no stupid questions, and I am by no means an expert, but did survive a DJ. Whine all you want because I am a big whiner. LOL

Sharon

For the book, you can also take it to an office store and have them make it into a spiral bond book. That way you can open it and fold it back on itself. Bobbi

Sharon,
Thanks for the great ideas. I hope you and everybody that's done one of these quilts will be patient with my questions and very possibly my whining down the road .
eileenkny

Ok girls -- here is a few tips from little old me. I saw someone suggest taking the binding off your book -- I know it is brand new -- and punching 3-ring for a binder type book. You will like it MUCH better and the book will be easier to use, and when you do a block, tape a little piece of the fabric with that block. I also photocopied the blocks in the front, just black and white to cross out/color out/black out the blocks as I was completing them.

I will be cheering from the sidelines as I finish my DJ border - half finished with left side and other three sides finished, then the corners. I didn't do triangles along with blocks, now I wish I had, they are buggers.

Oh, just remembered one more thing. I made a paper template of the triangle block with 1/4 seam allowance and took it to a glass company and had them make a plexiglass template for me -- it is a little thinner than our rulers, but works just the same and perfect for me.

Hope this advise helps.

Sharon

For you two who are just starting: I saw 3 Baby Jane quilts at a show in May and none of them had the border triangles. I plan on working my way through as many of the squares as I feel like (I give myself permission to make a smaller quilt if I want to) and won't make any of the triangle blocks until last. That way, if I get to the point of really wanting to finish and get on to the quilting, I can make it with a different border.

I made 5 more blocks this week, so far and would really recommend using a binder like I am. If you're able to make copies on your computer printer, it's pretty simple.

Also, be sure and check out the official Dear Jane website for directions and tips on making the blocks. Also, the quilt is there on display for inspiration. Make sure you look at the red,white and blue version too. Awesome!!

Enjoy the journey and don't hurry! nancy in sunny western NY