Anael

I've never printed those lists so I don't know how to help you. With the blocks I will help whenever I can.

QuiltingNinaSue

Thanks, Anael. I appreciate the offer.

CindyA

Glad you are taking the plunge with Dear Jane, QNS. These blocks are addictive. I did over half of the quilt using the book only but finally went ahead and got the software. I don't find it very intuitive and am still trying to figure it out myself. Lots of helpful people on this thread who've been using the software all along, so I'm sure someone can offer good tips.

Cre8tvlwyr

Welcome QNS!! I have both the software and the book. I'm not exactly sure what or how you were trying to print out lists. What I will say however is that you can print out the schedule that I made in the first post of this thread. I integrated Brenda's difficulty chart into the list and tried to make it "beginner heavy" the first few weeks. I took the advice of "Janiacs" who had been in a prior DJ thread on the QB a few years ago who wanted to be able to "see" their progress a little better than the previous schedule had given them, so the schedule roughly goes fro row A to M with tris scattered throughout the 18 months.

At any rate - the schedule will show green for beginners and red for advanced, as Brenda did. You may or may not want to follow the schedule if you are doing a BOM with a quilt shop but this will at least give you a visual on the difficulty.

Book vs Software... I only printed the software patterns a few times, primarily because I hate wasting paper and ink I guess! I am mathematical and intuitive, so I usually will look at a block and figure out the most economical way to cut parts. I think paper piecing is very precise, however, tearing away itty bitty pieces of paper is not my thing, so I only do this when absolutely necessary. [I guess I'm giving an anti-printing from software reason for me.... not everyone thinks so though! You have to find what works for you.] I normally will examine a block to see if it has half-square triangles or flying geese sections, I measure parts to a block carefully and strip pieces together whenever I can. Where I have found an easy way for me, I have attempted to share it with the group. I am compiling a list of post numbers of these pointers from me as well as others that will be useful to future janiacs.

Software advantages...
-- not all book sketches match the original Jane, but the software has variations on many of the blocks and many times the pattern for the original is actually a variation.
-- there is a chart in the software where you can import photos of all of your finished blocks to see what your quilt will look like
-- the software is similar to EQ, you can look at a block in Jane and test different fabrics or colors to decide how you want to put a block together.

I'm going far off track ....kooky me! I probably answered none of your questions, but I will be around to answer them once you begin!
Have fun
Gus

Anael

LOL no you didn't Gus I almost always use the software for printing the blocks.
The list with solutions would be great! I guess this thread will stay here but will be closed once we start a new thread?

Cre8tvlwyr

The plan at this point is this....
We will continue here until the end of this month at which point we will begin another thread - dk exactly what the name will be - something with "Jane" - QuiltE and I will start it and there will be an additional Group thread to go along with the new thread.

The new thread will be a place to share ideas, pictures, advice, on Jane blocks, assembly etc.... We will be slightly less structured - although I have to say we've not been "structured" for a while! We have all developed our own pace and we will all be at different levels. We will post a schedule or two in the first few posts that members can chose to follow or not. At the point the new thread is started, this one will be closed to posting, but always open for viewing. There will be a note telling everyone where to continue.

Only one of us will be able to post to the group thread but all will be able to view it. This will eliminate pages of comments and give members one "go to" place for ideas, tutorials, links to helpful techniques that were in this thread along with the block numbers those techniques relate to whenever that is available. Additional information and helpful techniques can be added by one person as time progresses.


I'm thinking about contacting those who started with us on this thread as I have kept an interest list of usernames. This way we will at least let people who dropped out for whatever reason know that many are restarting - or continuing where they left off.

Happy sewing!!
Gus

Cre8tvlwyr

Meanwhile - if anyone wants to start - just Jump In!! you can either refer to the schedule on the first post on this thread or pick a block that appeals to you - there are many many of us that will help along the way if you get stuck!
Gus

Anael

Thank you Gus for all the information!

xsquilter

Thank you Monica (Gus) or is it Monigus! for the updates. I continue to follow & have been doing a bit at a time. This is my year to finish my PHDs (projects hardly done) & my Jane is on that list.
Maureen

Pink Lady

I have just started my first Dear Jane block My plan is to start at the beginning of the book and do one block a week sometimes more. I have lots of ufo's to do this year so only going to plan on one a week. I am going to use civil war fabric. My question is I have about 20 fat 1/4's if I buy 40 more from Keepsake quilting would this be enough for the quilt?
Kendra