Farmer's Wife or Dear Jane:
 

I have seen the "Farmer's Wife" & the "Dear Jane" quilts mentioned a lot on the QB. Would someone please tell me, what is the difference ?I would also like to know some history on them. I would also like to know which one most of you prefer. Another question, where do I get the pattern?

The patterns are books with a CD. I have them both. There is another one, I am currantly making, it is called Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. It has 140 - 6inch blocks.

The Farmer's Wife is a pattern developed by Laurie Aaron Hird and is available on her website.
The story behind it all is well explained on her website.
111 different 6" blocks (finished)

Another sampler one, also by Laurie is The Pony Club.
90 different 8" blocks (finished)

Several ladies did the FWS as a quilt-a-long ... you can get a look at them on this thread ...
http://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-...e-t148904.html </SPAN>
Mine is at post #203

Many of the same ladies have done the PC as a quilt-a-long too, and are just wrapping up the 45 weeks. Many have the blocks done and you'll soon start seeing the completed quilt tops here ...
http://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-...e-t206507.html

In the meantime you can find the weekly block postings by going back thru The Archive for BOM/W ...
http://www.quiltingboard.com/sitemap/f-9.html

If you decide to do either of these quilts, I hope you will join us and post to all the threads as you make your blocks. The threads are all there, and we love to cheer on anyone who comes along the same journey.

Eva, go to www.dearjane.com for information on the Dear Jane quilt.

From my point of view Dear Jane is more difficult/complicated that the Farmer's Wife.

I have all of the "collection" books DJ, FW, and PC.....have only just started DJ, altho I have enlarged the blocks to 6"finished, some of them are quite challenging.......I bought the EQ - DJ program to help with the enlargement process and even for those doing the original size I think this is a great help-JMHO.......I really don't know if I will ever finish the DJ, thought it might me a "challenge to me", but now I am beginning to wonder......

Thankyou for all the info, & QuiltE your quilt is beautiful.

I love the history behind the Dear Jane quilt. I made a twin size one and it is still my all time favorite quilt.

I too have the collection (FW, DJ, PC and Sylvia) and they're all different. Dear Jane is difficult because there are no directions in the book. Some blocks have really tiny parts! I do have the DJ software to print the foundations or templates. Still you have to figure out yourself how to sew the blocks. There's a site (that quilt) where you can find directions how to sew the blocks.
The PC and FW have their own stories, they're great to read. Somehow I didn't like the PC blocks that much after all, I made a lot of them but not all. I started the FWS but only made about 30 blocks till now but I like them. My Sylvia is almost finished. Some blocks are very easy, some are not that easy but all directions are in the book.

Do you really use scraps or a collection?