Dear Jane in person
 

While on a three week vacation in Oct. up the East Coast, VT, and back home, my wonderful DH decided instead of going to Niagra Falls and home, he would drop us down in VT and take me to the museum in Bennington to see the quilt. He said it was because he did not want to put another 600 miles on the car or himself. ;) Apparently they display the quilt every year in Oct. so we got there with one week to spare.

It is one thing to read about the quilt, another to make your own, but standing in front of it where you can see the fabric, tiny stitches, and the love and devotion that went into it, well it is amazing.
Then you think about how she had no modern tools, no electricity, no sewing machine, and the fabrics used were probably pieces of clothing that did not have alot of good use left in them, and Wow!
It really is an inspiration.

Hope you enjoy and get inspired to start or complete your DJ. Guess I 'd better get to cracking.

Enjoy.

That is one amazing quilt! Thanks for sharing.

I am resisting as best i can. Great fun to see the original, I bet.

Oh, that is one of my dreams to see this quilt in person!! You are sooooo lucky! I bought the DJ software at a garage sale recently as I certainly want to give this quilt a shot.

I can't imagine what it would be like to actually be in the same room with this quilt. I get misty eyed just thinking about it!

I have saw it in person a few years ago. It is much more beautiful in person. I stopped in the gift shop and bought a coffee mug with the DJ quilt on it.

I am glad you were able to see it too!

how fortunate to be able to visit the quilt. thanks for sharing

I am ashamed to say I live a mere 20 miles from this museum (for more than 20 years!) and have yet to go see it. They display it September and October, it is always on display during Benning Quiltfest which is mid September. Every year I promise myself to go see it and every year goes by without me stopping in. Shame on me.

Thank you for such nice pictures! Would love to be able to a quilt like that!

What a special quilt! Thank you for sharing the pictures.

That quilt is just so beautiful. You were so lucky to see it. Thank you for giving us a peek. I just can't imagine all the hours of hard work she put into it. How she must of treasured it.

From those of us who are working on this quilt and will likely never get to see it in person- THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Great pictures and good to see it closer-up. Now off to sew today's block!

Wow!!! I know nothing about the Dear Jane quilt, but I realize that someone made it by hand years ago now. It is something to behold!!! Thank you for taking pictures for us!

The ability to figure out the mathematics for the blocks, cut and sew with precision and quilt with no electricity or calculators, etc. boggles my mind. Amazing in photo, and would be even more so in person.

Definately labor of love. Thank you for sharing with us.

Isn't that quilt marvelous? What a dictionary of quilt patterns. When books and patterns were not readily available, she had only to look at her own quilt to find a pattern for her next quilt. If she could make that variety, surely she could enlarge blocks as well for a never-ending source of inspiration.

I'm so glad you shared! What an awesome quilt!

Beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing this with us!!

Your husband gave you a great gift--he's a keeper. Dear Jane is such a very special quilt.

I am new at quilting and I don't know the story behind it. Would someone give me the background on this fantastic quilt?

Thank you for posting. It is such a beautiful and inspiring quilt! :)

it is a piece of american history and so full of emotion and meaning, you are a lucky lady!

How wonderful to see the original, thank you for the pic's and for posting them.

Here's one write up I found by googling.. http://www.thebluecatcreations.com/dearjanehistory.php

And a video you might like... http://www.hgtv.com/video/dear-jane-...deo/index.html

Thanks for sharing. I would love to make a DJ quilt someday. But guess I've got to learn to applique first!

Thank you for posting! Wow, how beautiful! Debbie

No doubt about it!! Wonderful!!

You have inspired me to dig out my DJ book and take a second look.. would be a way to use up some scraps... Lucky you to get to see it...

Thank you for sharing! Maybe one day I will get there as well.