I remember the first time I saw the DJ..... I thought what a stunning project but there's no way I could manage one of those.

It's only being a part of this group that make it seem totally possible.... that not only can we do this, we can do it well. Some blocks may take only minutes, some may take several goes and days of frustration. But knowing there's somewhere to go to share frustration, and triumph, where people are on the same journey and know exactly how you're feeling.... that's pretty special.

thats how i felt about jane too. i always knew i had to make one because every quilter in this area tells you from day one "its a milestone quilt that every quilter must make".

and i'll share this little story because i'll be writing about it on the blog.

about 7 months ago i found 3 lumps in my breast. i never said anything to any one - but the first thought that popped into my head was.........

i better start that jane quilt. then i thought i better get some friends involved in case i die or get to sick to finish it (did i mention i'm a very dark person and always play out the worse case scenario).

DH had no idea why i was talking about jane, buying all this stuff for jane, organizing a group, etc.

then i finally went to the doctor and had tons of scans and lucky for me its just benign cysts and nothing to worry about.

so i finally told DH why all the jane stuff and he turn around to me with a dead serious face and said

"so, you thought you might only have 6 months to live and the only thing you wanted to do was make a quilt????"

i said "its not the only thing, i planned on eating alot of bacon."

ROTFLMAO

I'm so very glad to have met you, you're a legend. :-)

How utterly scary, my skin goes cold just thinking about it. So glad that you're all good. :-)

DH was laughing too from that last comment and said to me "thats my girl"

i only have bacon twice a year at thanksgiving and christmas - although i think he sneaks it when he out on his own having a meal.

Esqmommy - well said.

Brazen - Your block looks great.

Klue - You are a dark one aren't you. lol You're better then me about not eating bacon. Got to have it every month or two. :)

Random thoughts:

This board is wonderful place. It allows each one of us to get as involved as we want to be or not. Or just check in once in a while to see what everyone is doing.

We have people with so many different backgrounds and skills brought together by our love for quilting. I love it. I true melting pot. This is a very creative bunch.

I am not a writer. I am more of a talker. So many of my posts will always be short (as you have already seen). Everyone's plans for their DJ are great. It makes me what to make more then one. Doing a DJ with the board is going to help me get it done and not another one of my UFO. LOL

Thanks everyone.

Thank you Klue, Blue and SewSew!! I wondered if I would feel the "addictive" part of this, and I do! I hope that feeling carries me thru the 18 months so this doesn't end up as another UFO for me.

So I broke out the DJ software to see about printing up our first blocks' pattern: M8

I'm only familiar with Amma's tutorial.... and when I printed out the paper piecing pattern for M8, it's in sections, and not one whole block that I sew the fabric on to.

So this time, I work in sections? And when all of the sections are complete, THEN sew those together to finish the block? That does make sense; even typing it out here helps me figure it out.

Section B's #5 pieces are INSANELY small!

Oh, and I didn't mention last night in my post (at 2am!!!) that I now know what you all mean by "waste" fabric that PP'ers have. I wasted ALOT doing that one little block up there. It seemed that if I cut my piece of fabric right down to 1/4" bigger than it needed to be, it was too small. So I was using very large chunks of the fabric to do it.

Wow, I just got caught up on this thread, so much going on!
A blog sounds great to generate outside interest.
I like the name you've all come up with.
Klue - glad to hear the cysts were benign, one of my sisters just went through the same thing.
As for eating the bacon - you only live once! My BIL was a vegan and ate only organic foods, he had to have a kidney removed because of cancer - he said, I ate that way and still got cancer, so now I eat what I want!

Klue you posted a color chart for those who might want to follow your color way. I want to see if I am reading it right. For the first week using the strip fabric Blocks M8 and K9 you use the 3 red section assuming your going left to right. You are not using the section closest to the selvages (red with white dots) so moving to the 3 red section that would be the one with the very small heart pairs. Okay for I9 it's the 2nd white section which I describe as grape bunches. Then the TR5 is the 1st red section looks like a border print with flowers. Am I reading your chart right?

oops

You are a dark one. You are also very Brave.
I don't believe we would be making DJ if we had not met you.
Remember in the beginning Klue, I told you I would make DJ but wasn't a big fan. It is so addicting. Now, I can't wait to Let Jane begin!!!!!
That's the nice thing about this Cyber Quilting Group (if you will) all of the different talent that everyone brings to the table.
I'm so glad to have met everyone here and hope you all have a Happy Holiday and prosperous and healthy New Year.

Love Bettia