Dear Jane - 3 Blocks

Here is another Dear Jane block I finished. It's a super easy one that I don't remember even doing, I just found it in the pile. It is block D-13, Field of Dreams.

And here is another one, D-3, Jasons Jacks I believe.

A-7, Dad's Plaids

Janes Tears

Here is another Dear Jane block, C9 Janes Tears. This is my first ever attempt at any type of real applique. I'm not sure I like applique this way or not. I've always been spoiled and done it the easy way with the iron on stuff. I think I'd better at least resign myself to doing plenty of it for this quilt, as it seems many of the blocks are appliqued.

We took the kids trunk or treating at the church last night. It was a mad dash yesterday to get the costumes all ready. But everyone looked wonderful.

*Note: I found this post saved as a draft that was never published, so I decided to go ahead and publish it now.

The Journey

They say that a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Today I started my journey of what will probably feel like a thousand miles. I started my Dear Jane quilt. Now, I have had the book and softward for this quilt for a number of years, and keep telling myself that I will start it after I finish this project or that project. The day of procrastinating is over. I realize that this isn't a quilt you just sit down and make from start to finish in a day or two (although there may be some person insane enough to do it). Instead you do a block here and there.
A group of quilters at Dear Baby Jane started a blog and work on two blocks a week. They started back in March of this year, and so I will have a lot of catch up to do if I want to play along with them, but more than anything I just find them inspiring. And someone else picks out which block to work on and all I have to do is focus on that one block, not a whole quilt (that whole first step thing).
So, here is my first Dear Jane block. It is B-13 Four Corner Press. I am officially a "Dear Janer," or something.

I am using the "Posh" line by Moda. I had always imagined doing this with Civil War reproduction fabrics, but I love these colors. So this will be my upscale, "posh", Dear Jane.

I also got my Baby Pinwheels quilt all quilted today. One of my girls will receive it for Christmas. I have another one that is the same quilt, and it is next on my quilting list to be done for the other daughter. I will post a picture of it when the binding is on, which my mother has offered to do for me (yeah!).
So off to make another Jane block. Have fun!

Small Update...

Family Life
I know I haven't posted anything in awhile. We went on vacation, and then school started, and then life just stays busy. Our vacation was great. We spent a few days at Bear Lake with my brother's family and my dad and his step-family. The kids thoroughly enjoyed living on the beach and in the lake for 2 days. Warning to everyone though...that new spray on sunscreen stuff is crap. My two oldest kids got soooo burned and I sprayed them down very well.

We then spent the rest of the week in the mountains in southeastern Idaho, near the border to Utah. We did a 50 mile 4-wheeler ride, yes you read that right. 50 miles. I couldn't walk, I couldn't use my arms. I was so tired by the time we made it back to camp. We were racing the sun home, trying to get off the trails before it went behind the mountains and we would be drenched in darkness. They were new trails to us, and we didn't want to get caught out there with the kids and not be able to find the right trails and sign posts to get us back home. But we made it safe and sound.

The next day we spent laying around trying to recuperate until my husband convinced us to go huckleberry picking. I have never been berry picking before, and although I didn't eat any, I did have a lot of fun.

We took the kids to the Oregon Trail museum in Montpelier. I really like that place. They take you back to 1850-something and start you on the trail to Oregon. They even talked a very small bit about quilts on the trail. They asked if anyone was a quilter and my son raised my hand for me. They told about how important quilts were on the trail, not just to keep you warm and to give you privacy, but usually that was all you had to lay your loved ones in the grave with.

I have three kids in school this year. StinkerBoy is in 5th grade, Girlfriend is in 3rd, and Dude is in kindergarten. Squeals is the only one home with me, and she'll start next year. So far they all love being back at school (although I know this is temporary).

Creative Life

I'm putting the last borders on my Orange Crush Mystery Quilt. I'll get a picture of it if I can ever figure out where DH put the camera. I'm not too crazy about my color choices (why oh why can't I ever take the easy road?) But my oldest son loves it, so he'll get it when its done.

Here are a few pictures of a baby quilt I quilted for a friend of mine. These are made with Minky, which I have never worked with before and was very scared to machine quilt on for my first time working with it. But they turned out very cute and my machine quilting turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.

Well, I'm trying out different things with this blog. Today I posted the pictures using html instead of uploading to blogger itself. We'll see how this works.

Happy Blogging!