Uncle Homer

I have been advised not to do all of the easy Dear Jane blocks first and I really do intend to try some of the more advanced blocks soon, but I figured I would do an easy one just to be able to say that I sewed something today! Just 15 minutes in the sewing room and I now have one more Dear Jane block, A-6 Uncle Homer.

Laundry and Chocolate

Every college student needs at least one laundry bag, right? I made this laundry bag for our daughter-in-law's sister, who is heading off to college at the end of the summer. I modified a shopping bag tutorial that I found at craftster.org to make the bag a bit wider and longer and added a large pocket to the front of the bag, which will be perfect for holding a bottle of laundry detergent, stain stick and a roll of quarters for use at the laundry mat. Speaking of quarters...did you know that the pastic container that mini M&M's come in will hold a roll of quarters perfectly? I covered the container with matching fabric and then filled it with quarters. Of course, that means that I had to eat the M&M's first. Sewing and chocolate...life is good!

Thank You Sharon Schamber!

Not long ago I discovered the Sharon Schamber Network and found that it is a goldmine of information for all quilters! While looking through this website I found a video demonstrating the Pinless Painless Basting method. This basting method involves a table, two 1x4 finished boards, a spool of DMC cotton thread and a needle. The best part of this method is that it does not require you to crawl around on your hands and knees on the kitchen floor for hours and you don't even need a trip to the chiropractor after a day of basting!

Today I put this "new to me" basting method to the test and basted this disappearing nine-patch baby quilt. I had it completely basted in just a couple of hours and the quilt is smooth, flat, straight and ready for quilting. I don't think that I will ever baste a quilt on the floor again!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Every once in awhile a girl just needs to sit down and reflect on life with a few warm cookies and a glass of ice cold milk...today could be one of those days!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups shortening

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 12-ounce package chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine first five ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Add flour, baking soda and salt gradually, mixing well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for two minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 6-8 dozen

Farmer's Market and Fabric

Yesterday I was invited on a fabric shopping excursion to the Lewisburg area with several friends. First stop was Verna's Fabrics on Red Bank Road in Mifflinburg. Verna's is a wonderful store full of all kinds of fabrics and notions with prices that can't be beat! After some serious fabric shopping we took a side trip to the Lewisburg Farmer's Market. It would be easy to spend a whole afternoon at this farmer's market...the fresh produce, meats and baked goods were amazing! (The next time I go I am taking a cooler and bringing it back full!) After a trip through the farmer's market was lunch at the Country Cupboard and then several more stops at a couple of sewing centers and another fabric shop on the way home. What a wonderful day we had!

Simple Simon

The Dear Jane block, M-10 Simple Simon, is certainly appropriatly named! What could be easier than a plain old nine patch? Only 167 blocks to go!

1 Down...168 To Go!

My Dear Jane journey officially began last night at the first meeting of our guild's Dear Jane club or would "support group" be the better term? I completed my first block, A-8 Florence Nightingale, at the meeting. This was a straight forward paper pieced block and came out pretty darn close to perfect, but keep in mind that it was an easy one!

A Little Dear Jane History

The following is the story of Jane's quilt as posted by the Bennington Museum in Bennington, Vermont...

"This unusually large sampler quilt has a unique pieced and scalloped border, and is made up of 169 five-inch blocks containing a total of 5,602 pieces. Within this complex quilt, no fabric or pattern is used for more than one block. The patterns are a combination of original and traditional designs. The quilt is backed by a cream fabric.

Jane A. Blakley was born in Shaftsbury, Vermont, on April 8, 1817 to Sarah Rein (1776-1864) and Erastus Blakley (1786-1831). By 1850, she was married to Walter A. Stickle. Through the couple never had children, school district records note that they had assumed responsibility for three children. The 1860 census lists Jane as living by herself, while her husband Walter is listed as living with his brother-in-law. This arrangement was most likely work related, since the 1870 census shows Jane and Walter living together on their farm. The couple lost their farm after declaring bankruptcy in 1877 and lived as boarders. Walter died on February 19, 1883, and Jane died on March 2, 1896 at the age of seventy-nine. Jane is buried in the Shaftsbury cemetery on Route 7a."

Oh my goodness! Does that actually say 169 five-inch blocks containing a total of 5,602 pieces? What in the world have I gotten myself into???

Tonight is the first meeting of our guild's Dear Jane group. We will be doing a show and tell of the blocks that we have finished, sharing DJ tips and hints and working on our blocks together. I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone has accomplished so far and getting started on the first of 169 blocks for my quilt. I must be crazy!

Those Unruly UFOs

I've decided that it's time to tame some of the unruly UFOs that seem to have taken over my sewing room closet. My goal is to finish at least one UFO before starting a new project, so before I really commit myself to the Dear Jane quilt I am going to finish this Scrappy Trips Around The World quilt that I started over a year ago. This project was not just a step outside of the box for me...it was more like a leap! I am not a huge fan of working with bright fabrics, so I'm not surprised that it ended up packed in a box in the bottom of the closet, but now it's time to get it finished!