Dear Jane--One down, 224 to go

Last year I vowed that THIS year I would begin working on a Dear Jane quilt. I know I don't have time to work on this quilt right now, but--here's my first block. I couldn't wait. I'll bet some of you are surprised I actually even got  THIS far, LOL . . . .

                         

I bought the Dear Jane EQ software on sale with a gift card from my sister and just had to take a look at it to see if it worked, you know.

I had a lot of fun poking through my scraps, and then printed out the block pattern on freezer paper and hand pieced it all early one morning. It's not perfect, but pretty darn near, for me. The hand piecing went very well (I love hand piecing and hand pieced a small quilt to go in my next book). Of course, the block I chose was pretty simple--I'm going to ease myself into them and not do all of the easy ones first so I don't get burned out too fast. I've already picked out some scraps for the two blocks I'm planning to do next. I'm excited to make more after February, when I'll be finished working on the book and will have more time.

Here's the good part. My daughter will be a high school senior next year and has recently expressed interest in visiting colleges out east this year so--yay!--I may be able to stop in and see the real Dear Jane quilt at the Bennington Museum in Vermont.

Can you believe it? What timing. When she asked if we would take her to just look at a couple of eastern schools I could tell my husband was almost ready to say "No," because we both doubt she'll actually go that far away for college (and think she'll end up going somewhere in the Midwest to be closer to home) but I am a quick thinker and put my hand up and said "Wait, let her talk . . ." secretly thinking that this was my chance  to sneak in a trip to see the "mother quilt" just when I am about to begin working on one like it. Probably couldn't justify the trip any other way. Thanks, Caitlin!

Stay tuned. One block down, only 224 to go . . . Oh my.