Well I am thinking of doing the dear jane sew a long in Jan. with everyone and Klue. Don't know if I will finish but may still try. I am stuck though on color choice! I have looked at so many beautiful pics of different dear janes and am trying to decide the colors for mine. I was thinking Black and White or scrappy.

Ok the question is what color will you be doing?????

(I did see a few posts of material and saw some beautiful reds)

:?: :D

Star - I did a post a while back with my DJ fabrics. I'll look for it and give you a connection to the thread.

I have one warning on B/W quilts. I'm making one now, so it's not coming from a "bad" place...b/w quilts are very pretty, but much more difficult to make than you would ever imagine. Perhaps you are experienced, and this is not something you don't know. Sorry in advance if it is. Anyway, it is very easy for many of the whites to come out grey and washed out looking. Also, unless you know what you are doing, it's very easy to end up with just a bunch of b/w and little to unify what you are doing. Take a close look at a really well done b/w and it's way more going into than most of us put into other fabric choices.

So, that's my warning. I would hate to have you do a B/W quilt on something as challenging and time intensive as the DJ and end up with a quilt that is not spectacular...

I hope this doesn't sound like I know how to make perfect B/W quilts, because I don't. I am learning this lesson right now on my NY Beauty quilt and it's a good lesson. I wouldn't want to learn it on my DJ!!

okay,found my original thread: http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/23502.page

My colors are browns, reds/salmons/corals/cream/turquioise - hard to describe, except I know it when I see it!

Thanx for the info!! I don't want to mess this project up any more than I already will!! I was kind of wonderinag about that also, as I am doing a lap quilt for x-mas, b&w pinwheels but my white has sparkles and I am prewashing, do you think this will also be a problem??

I honestly have to say that I have no idea...I'm still working on my first B/W!!! I am doing a class and actually went to the instructor's house one day. She showed me samples of various b/w quilts to demonstrate how easy it is to lose the effect you want, and to end up with basically a quilt that is black and white, and not at all interesting! I had no idea until she told me and showed me!!!

Hey, just saw you and your familiy on the show your face thread - so beautiful!!! Your kids look great - dig your son's mohawk. My son gets them periodically, but the hairdresser cuts "Fo-hawks" so that if he doesn't spike it you can't really tell!

My colors are pretty much like the original DJ because I'm using civil war reproductions. My backgrounds are all white on muslin, and I got enough of one white on muslin for sashing.

I agree with esqmommy, I'm not sure this is the quilt to use black & white. I've seen a version where it is blue & white and it just didn't seem the same. The different colors make it look more complex, IMHO.

Another consideration is the size of the print, since these are such little blocks even a medium size print can get lost. Some of the pieces are only a 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size, so little of fabric shows.

Hope this helped

Star - I'm in the same boat - can't decide on a color scheme. I'm quite sure it will be scrappy, but would like something to unify it, and at least need to decide on what kind of background(s) to use.

eqsmommy - thank you for the heads-up on making b/w quilts. I think that was valuable advice, and I'll look at those quilts in another light from now on. I do like the fabrics you chose for the DJ.

Thanx NorBanaquilts- I have also thought of using the repro fabrics to stay in the theme, but of course that means ALL new fabric to buy, which really isn't a bad thing :twisted: Guess I will have to just go looking at the fabric store!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I have lots, we could trade.

I am useing up my stash.. I can't think of a better way to get rid of some fabrics than this undertakeing. Plus it really needs to be cleaned out.... I have just moved and mercyyyy do I have ALOT of fabric!

So scrappy it is!

I am using all Civil War repros. I got 4 different bundles, #9, #10, #11, and #12, on eBay from seller 40yearhoarder (pretty sure that is the name). They are 9"x11" pieces of 50 fabrics in each bundle that have been specifically selected for a DJ quilt.

Lazy... sure. I just want to make the quilt and not agonize over every fabric. :lol: