I also bought a whole bolt. Was cheaper to do it that way and white can always be used.:)

Well, I disappeared for the day into my sewing room yesterday, and probably spent about 7 hours and got 12.5 blocks done. (I will NOT be able to keep up this pace going forward...)

I'm using an off white background and using up my scraps, trying to stay in "jewel" tones. I'm working from the left hand upper corner down diagonally to the lower right; i.e., A1, A2, B1; then A3, B2, C1; etc., placing the results up on my wall as I go.

I am finding the piecing so incredibly interesting. Each block is a mini-challenge. I am doing types of piecing I have never done before, including my first foray into "negative" appliqué and curved machine piecing. And talk about practice getting those points to match! So this is an incredible skill-builder of a project.

I am making in-depth use of "that quilt" blog, following her instructions very closely. Warning: she assumes her audience is already facile with paper-piecing; as said above, this is also my first foray into paper piecing and I don't always know what she means. But I figure it out one way or another. And now that I'm a dozen squares in, I am beginning to find alternative ways of making the block.

I am using the freezer paper method she recommends, and I am not wasting much fabric. Freezer paper! what a concept. It works so well. Really helps keep the fabric from getting wonky.

What I find so fascinating is the question: "WHERE did Jane get these pieced block ideas from?" Some of them are traditional, but some clearly are not. Some are incredibly intricate. I'm having so much fun. It's difficult to get bored because each block is a new adventure. And I LOVE that I am using up my scraps.

Wonder what I'll do today? I have some MUCH needed house cleaning done, but I'd far rather quilt!

Speaking of quilting, those of you (if any are reading) who have already completed a DJ, how do you quilt this beast?

-- Jillaine

Good for you Jillaine! I found the same feelings as you about making this quilt. However, I also concluded that Jane was...well....INSANE! LOL! All through the quilt as I whined about not being happy with my results of something not right, my DH would remind me that Jane made it....by hand....and she didn't even HAVE patterns! LOL! Yes, it made me want to smack him...and her too sometimes! ;)

As far as quilting...I did my blocks by hand...QAYG (with only the block and batting), then did SITD when I put the backing on and some pebbling on the outer border and scallops. I used my DSM... I've seen lots of people doing the entire thing by hand and I've seen 1 that Greenfairy quilted on her LA. I think it would cost a fortune to have a LA'er do it...thats if you can find one who would touch it.

Sandpat,

when doing QAYG, how did you quilt the squares? Can you post photos?

I am very, very tempted to join. I've got 1 (maybe 2? I'd have to check) blocks finished. I'm making it completely from scraps (or fabric I have left from finished quilts). A little group participation would keep me going, I'm sure.

But I'm not so keen on having to do the blocks in a specific order. Can I still join and just do whatever blocks I want, only matching the amount of blocks each week?

Sandpat,

when doing QAYG, how did you quilt the squares? Can you post photos?

JM, I don't think there are any rules like that. Do whatever the heck you want.

On a related topic (i.e., related to Dear Jane), which block have folks found to be the most frustrating? My seam ripper got very intimate with D-2:
http://thatquilt.blogspot.com/2009/06/d-2.html

Of course, I did it MY way, not hers, so um, that may have been why I was so screwed up by it...

In that case, I'm in! Looking forward to really getting started on "Dear Jane Goes Dutch". (Sad, I know, to name a quilt when you've only got 1 block finished....)

How does DJ go Dutch? I would love to know :D

Scrappy of course! We Dutch are stingy, right? ("Kijken, kijken, niet kopen" :D)