"Dear Jane Saga" continues.

Encouraging words of the day:

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. ~ Psalms 143:8, NLT

My "Dear Jane Saga" continues. Here are 3 more “Dear Jane” blocks completed. 

B-7 

B-12

This blocks was really hard for me or I am really bad at appliqué.  Hmmmm, wonder what it could be?  I think I'll be doing this one over some time in the future.

C-6

  
I’ve been doing a lot of prep work on DJ blocks so I can have some hand-sewing prepared for summer trips I’ll be taking.  This takes a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggg time.  One of the things that takes a while is even deciding on the fabric since I don’t really want the same colors together.  SO, I’m laying out the fabric first, then cutting out the templates for the blocks I will travel with.  Anyone have any good ideas for an alternative method?

A few giveaways I've run into: 
"Tales at Wayne Manor" is having a giveaway of a box of fabric. – ends June 1^st.

"Sew How’s This?"  is celebrating 100 blog Posts  with a giveaway of  "something from Gooseberry Patch," 4 patriotic fat quarters, 2 new craft patterns, 3 new purse patterns, and 100, all cotton, 4x4 inch quilt squares. - ends May 31.

"1 Choice 4 Quilting" is having a huge giveaway consisting of fabric, jewelry, and hand creams for 10 winners. – ends May 29^th.

That is all. 

Life got in the way of my blogging.

Encouraging words of the day:

	I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things. Isaiah 45:7, NLT
	God is ruler over light and darkness, over prosperity and disaster. Our lives are sprinkled with both types of experiences, and both are needed for us to grow spiritually.
	When good times come, thank God and use your prosperity for him. When bad times come, don't resent them, but ask what you can learn from this refining experience to make you a better servant of God.

You don’t even want to know what’s been going on in my life lately to prevent my blogging for the last few days.  Suffice to say that “life” and “illness” prevailed but now everything is better and I’m back in time for “One-Flower Wednesday.”  Here’s are the two flowers I completed on  our way back home.

Oh, and I got a few “Dear Jane” blocks completed.  I mainly worked on the appliqué blocks since we were traveling and sitting in a hospital room.  I was able to complete 7 so now my total is 12.  I’ll post 3 right now. 

A-7

B-1

B-2

 

Oh.  And my Penny Haren appliqué block of the week.  It’s called “Starlight.”

A few giveaways I've run into: 

"Sew, It's Midnight Mama"  giving away a fat quarter bundle of 21 prints. – ends May 27^th.

"The Spunky Diva" is giving us the opportunity to win an Accuquilt Baby Go Cutter.  -  ends June 7^th.

"the plaid scottie" is having a giveaway of two prints of 1 yard each,  a Sherbet Pips FQ bundle, and a Bright Hopes Pencil Case.  – ends May 30^th.

That is all. 

Dresden Plate Finished? Yes!

Encouraging words of the day:

Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people. ~ Psalm 66:5, NLT

I’m still working on my “Dear Jane” blocks.  Don’t think I’ve quit, it’s just time consuming to even print out the templates.  So, yesterday I spent quite a while printing through the first 4 rows, i.e. through Block D-13.  I bought the software AND the book.  I realize now that you don’t need both.  I prefer the software because I can print the blocks without going through the tedious process of tracing templates.  As I mentioned above, even the printing takes a while.  So, today I plan to make another block.

It’s  "One-Flower Wednesday" and here are my flowers.

Every week Karen at Journey of a  Quilter hosts One Flower Wednesday.  I really enjoy seeing what everyone else has made and am glad I joined this group as it keeps me motivated in making my hexie flowers.

Oh,  I can finally call my Dresden Plate Quilt UFO as finished.  I sewed up pillow shams so I can use it as a bedspread.  Done!

  

Giveaways I've run into:

It's So Kiki is having a giveaway of a hard copy of the  "Around Town" Bag pattern and all the materials needed to make it. - ends May 25 at 8:00 am.

That is all.

Two more "Dear Jane" blocks

 Encouraging words of the day:

And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life--this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.  - Ecclesiastes 5:19-20, NLT

God wants us to view what we have (whether it is much or little) with the right perspective--our possessions are a gift from God. Although they are not the source of joy, they are a reason to rejoice because every good thing comes from God.  Let us focus more on the Giver than the gift. We can be content with what we have when we realize that with God we have everything we need.

This week the Penny Haren Applique group is making “Shirley’s Star” and here is mine:

 Two more “Dear Jane” blocks completed over the weekend, grand total = 4!  There are a few mistakes but I’m leaving them so I can see how I improve with time.  Yeah, right… The blocks look crooked but really, they're not.  I think it's the photographer that's the problem.  Really.

A-4

A-5

Giveaways I've run into:

"Happy Quilting" is giving away  7 fat quarters. – ends May 20^th.

"Kool Beenz" is giving away a  Moda Trick or Treat Layer Cake – ends May 20^th.

The Quilting Booklady is is giving away the pattern by Pat Wys and fabric to make your very own version of Tic Tac. -  ends tonight May 16.     

Hawthorne Threads is giving away a fat quarter bundle. –ends  May 18. 

That is all.

"Dear Jane" really started.

Encouraging words of the day:

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. ~ Colossians 3:15, NLT

I started my “Dear Jane” quilt.  I ordered the software and it has arrived but I think I need constant access to the photos instead of opening up my software each time I need to see the picture, so I ordered the book also.  I’m still waiting for the book to arrive.  In the meantime, I have made two blocks.  

A-1

A-2

I’ve heard from a few people who have a “Dear Jane” in progress or would like to start one.  I love to hear from you and get your input.

Here's the finished  baby quilt I’ve been working on for my neighbor.  This was done using the cool “Lil Twister” tool I bought recently.  The cutting was the most time consuming.  I like the way it turned out but I probably won’t be making very large quilts with this since it does take so much time to cut each individual square. Also, and I don’t know how this happened, when I sewed the border strips on, they stretched more than the blocks so they look kind of “ruffley.”  I thought that looked rather nice since it’s a baby quilt and I liked the ruffle effect so I didn’t try to fix that.

I’m almost finished with the additions to my “Dresden Plate” quilt.  I’m working on pillow shams to match so that I can use it as a bedspread.

Giveaways I've run into (make that one giveaway):

"1 Choice 4 Quilting" is having a fantastic giveaway consisting of fabric yardage, fabric bundles, a quilt kit, jewelry, cosmetics and creams.  - ends May 29^th.

That is all.

"Bloggers' Quilt Festival"

I’ve already written in my blog about the quilt I chose as my entry in "The Bloggers' Quilt Festival"  but it has become one of my favorites and I thought it would be a good choice for the festival. 

The fabrics used in this quilt are from many different fabric lines and consist of a variety of styles since I started sewing it before I even realized that fabric lines existed.  The pattern was not difficult at all - Log Cabin.  The only part that gave me a problem was actually finishing it, something I finally did in the summer of 2010.  

I started this quilt in 1978 when my little son was a baby.  I was a stay-at-home Mom and looking for something to do.  My Mother and Grandmother had always quilted so I thought I'd give it a try.  My Mother told me that this pattern was fairly easy and I should be able to finish it rather quickly.  Well, I decided I wanted a king-size bedspread and, little did I know, that this project would take me 32 years to complete.  Of course, I didn't work on it the entire 32 years.  In fact, years went by when I never even remembered I was making it.  I was mainly raising 3 children, I guess.  But, back to the story of my quilt:   My Mother and  Mother-in-law both took it home with them at different times and hand quilted several sections but it is SO big that they eventually brought it back to me since they also “had a life.”  I hand quilted for a while, gave up on that and decided to learn to quilt by machine.  Finally, some how, I finally finished it last summer and here it is.  I love it because my Mother and Mother-in-law both helped me to quilt it. 

I also made shams to match:

Close up:

And as you can see, it reaches the floor so it turned out really big.

So, this is the quilt I’m sharing for “The Bloggers Quilt Festival.”   I got worn out from just typing out all of the explanations (excuses?) for not finishing this quilt for 32 years!  AND, since it took almost forever for me to finish, I call it my "Forever Quilt."