What mehtod are you going to use? I was thinking paper piecing but now I am thinking maybe the old fashion way with templates. Can't wait to see your progress. Please share. No pressure here. HA

Robin in TX

May I ask a dumb question? What is a dear Jane?

Not a dumb question. :) Here's a picture and info about the original quilt made by Jane Stickle during the Civil War. http://www.dearjane.com/ Lots of people have made their own versions- anywhere from complete replicas using reproduction fabrics, to wallhangings made from batiks. There is a book about it, as well as software. There are a LOT of blocks, they are all different and small- 4 1/2" blocks. If you go to the photo gallery here on this board, you can see some that others have made. Making a Dear Jane is a challenge for any quilter!

Well, I like to make things hard on myself, so I'm tracing the pattern out of the book (software is not in the budget) onto freezer paper, cutting the pieces apart, ironing them onto the fabric, then sewing it all together. Whatever method that may be! lol It works for me. The little star in the middle of my first block came out a little wonky, but it's 17 pieces in a square inch for crying out loud! I'm satisfied with it, and expect decent results in general.

I will add- I'm thinking now would be a good time for me to learn how to paper piece, at least for a few of these blocks! The first one I made, I was licking my finger to make the tiniest pieces stick, in order to pick them up, they were just specks! lol

I wouldn't do it over either, I recall seeing this one done on Simply Quilts, may even have it recorded somewhere. the small triangles on the center star weren't sewn as such, they were folded back to make them dimentional. You did a great job with this challanging block. Mine are sitting under a pile of fabric waiting to be turned into somthing - I know they are there ready to torture me someday ;-)

Thanks! I'd be interested to see the other way they put this block together.

Good Luck. I made blocks for a Dear Jane quilt, it took 4 years (in a class) at making 5 blocks a month. Be careful and look at the size of the quilt before you start. I made 10 squares before I realized that the quilt top would be too small for my queen bed. I then started over and made 6" blocks. Beware, there are a lot of errors in the patterns and not so good instructions. The class has ended and I have 22 more blocks to make. I was on such a roll and then came to a screeching halt. I have to get back to that quilt because it is going to be beautiful. I was the only one in the class whom made the quilt with scraps. I did not want to invest in all the civil war fabric since I had so much fabric already. I just love the results. It will be done some day!

I'm always impressed by the Dear Janes I've seen! Hope you post as you go along, becasue I would love to follow your quilting journey!

Sure, I posted the first two here yesterday :) -
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-150808-1.htm