My Dear Jane Fabric Collection
08-18-2009, 07:58 AM
#131
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It's one of the reasons I'm chosing a Kona color, because they keep making 'em and they are widely available. Otherwise I'd have to make sure I bought 10 yards of whatever just to cover my anticipated mistakes!! I found one good deal (see above) and I'm pretty sure there will be more before/during the "Jane-A-Long."
08-18-2009, 08:19 AM
#132
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i've never made an entire jane so i have no clue how much fabric you really need.
i'm going by what the software says which is always over estimated. every EQ project i've done always has more than enough fabric estimated.
if you're going for a scrappy look i think its ok to just buy as you need because nothings supposed to match any way.
if you're not doing a scrappy and pulling from your stash i'd be a bit more careful and double check online that you can still buy some of that fabric, if need be.
i'm going by what the software says which is always over estimated. every EQ project i've done always has more than enough fabric estimated.
if you're going for a scrappy look i think its ok to just buy as you need because nothings supposed to match any way.
if you're not doing a scrappy and pulling from your stash i'd be a bit more careful and double check online that you can still buy some of that fabric, if need be.
08-18-2009, 09:02 AM
#134
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Location: Sleepy Hollow, NY
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the software has a statement from brenda this is it.
Amount
In my Dear Jane book, I recommend five yards of background fabric. I wish I could tell you that was a typing mistake. The truth is that I couldn’t image anyone making this entire quilt – I have learned a great deal since 1991 – and I thought 5 yards should make anything! (A special thank you to all of you Dear Janes.) We now have a rule of thumb for buying fabric for a Dear Jane:
A. Hand pieced –- you will need about 8 yards of background.
B. Variety of techniques – hand piecing, machine piecing, some foundation piecing – you will need about 15 yards for your background.
C. Foundation piecing – when you plan to use this technique for most of your blocks, you will need about 20 yards of background fabric
Amount
In my Dear Jane book, I recommend five yards of background fabric. I wish I could tell you that was a typing mistake. The truth is that I couldn’t image anyone making this entire quilt – I have learned a great deal since 1991 – and I thought 5 yards should make anything! (A special thank you to all of you Dear Janes.) We now have a rule of thumb for buying fabric for a Dear Jane:
A. Hand pieced –- you will need about 8 yards of background.
B. Variety of techniques – hand piecing, machine piecing, some foundation piecing – you will need about 15 yards for your background.
C. Foundation piecing – when you plan to use this technique for most of your blocks, you will need about 20 yards of background fabric
08-18-2009, 09:03 AM
#135
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then the software has another statement because brenda constantly gives out the wrong information and this is that statement.
Background Fabric
If your block background fabric will be different than your sashing, and outside border, here are the figures. (I belong in the "stingy" or "frugal" category, so I don't feel I'm calling anyone names here.) These amounts are also good if you want all your blocks to be done with the same fabric for the "coloured fabric."
Stingy: 7 1/3 yards
The "received lore" says a 6" square will get you by on a block as an average, and I would estimate an 8" square for a triangle. If you are really careful when you cut, this should be sufficient. Buying 44" wide fabric, you will need 6 yds 14". Add 10 % shrinkage to that, and you will have to buy 7 yards.
Normal: 12 yards
If you're not stingy, not wasteful either, I would suggest you plan an 8" square for the blocks and a 10" square for the triangles. This means 10 yards 32", + shrinkage 10 % = 12 yards.
Paper-piecer: 16 ½ yards
If you do lots and lots of paper-piecing, or know that you will waste a lot of background fabric as you go, aim for both the sqaures and triangles. You will need 15 yards + shrinkage = 16 ½ yards. I have estimated a "working-width" of 42" in the above calculation, taking off 1" on each side for shrinkage and selvedges. The calculations, naturally, are entirely different if you use wider fabric.
Background Fabric, Sashing and Outside Border
If your background fabric, sashing and outside border will be the same fabric, you will need the following yardage
Stingy: 9 yards 10"
Normal: 14 yards 10"
Paper-piecer: 19 yards
"Stingy" is based on the 6" square that lore says is enough for a block, and an 8" square for a triangle. "Normal" is based on an 8" square for each block, and a 10" square for triangles.
"Paper-Piecer" is based on a 10" square for both blocks and triangles. In both cases, I have added 10 % shrinkage.
Sashing and Scallops Only
For the way the quilt was made originally, ie ½" wide (finished size) sashing between all blocks, and ¼" wide (finished size) around all the blocks, you will need 1 yard 10".
To that, you will need to add the fabric you may or may not need for the outside border / scallops. My guesstimate (based on a 4" wide outside border, that may or may not end up as scallops, is that an additional yard (if same fabric as your background fabric) will get you there.
Block Fabric other than Background Fabric
Scrappy
If you plan a "scrappy" look, a quarter of a fat quarter, 9" x 11", will make two blocks, or a block and a triangle, with relative ease (unless you are a snip-happy paper-piecer, who cuts big, big chunks and throws the rest away).
Focal Fabric
If you choose to use just one focal fabric, I would say the calculation is about the same as that for the background fabric. You will need to add extra in order to get the single-fabric triangles (that would be about 1 ½ yards including shrinkage), but you will not need to add for sashing and border.
A really good piece of advice is to cut all the sashing strips and outside-border bits from the same piece of fabric. If you buy a 3 yard piece, you can cut the outside border (without any seams!), the looooooong sashing strips for the outside of the blocks, and between the rows, all the short sashing-strips that you add as you go.
Making the sashings from the same fabric will make your quilt "hang together" even if there are slight differences in the background fabric on your quilt.
Background Fabric
If your block background fabric will be different than your sashing, and outside border, here are the figures. (I belong in the "stingy" or "frugal" category, so I don't feel I'm calling anyone names here.) These amounts are also good if you want all your blocks to be done with the same fabric for the "coloured fabric."
Stingy: 7 1/3 yards
The "received lore" says a 6" square will get you by on a block as an average, and I would estimate an 8" square for a triangle. If you are really careful when you cut, this should be sufficient. Buying 44" wide fabric, you will need 6 yds 14". Add 10 % shrinkage to that, and you will have to buy 7 yards.
Normal: 12 yards
If you're not stingy, not wasteful either, I would suggest you plan an 8" square for the blocks and a 10" square for the triangles. This means 10 yards 32", + shrinkage 10 % = 12 yards.
Paper-piecer: 16 ½ yards
If you do lots and lots of paper-piecing, or know that you will waste a lot of background fabric as you go, aim for both the sqaures and triangles. You will need 15 yards + shrinkage = 16 ½ yards. I have estimated a "working-width" of 42" in the above calculation, taking off 1" on each side for shrinkage and selvedges. The calculations, naturally, are entirely different if you use wider fabric.
Background Fabric, Sashing and Outside Border
If your background fabric, sashing and outside border will be the same fabric, you will need the following yardage
Stingy: 9 yards 10"
Normal: 14 yards 10"
Paper-piecer: 19 yards
"Stingy" is based on the 6" square that lore says is enough for a block, and an 8" square for a triangle. "Normal" is based on an 8" square for each block, and a 10" square for triangles.
"Paper-Piecer" is based on a 10" square for both blocks and triangles. In both cases, I have added 10 % shrinkage.
Sashing and Scallops Only
For the way the quilt was made originally, ie ½" wide (finished size) sashing between all blocks, and ¼" wide (finished size) around all the blocks, you will need 1 yard 10".
To that, you will need to add the fabric you may or may not need for the outside border / scallops. My guesstimate (based on a 4" wide outside border, that may or may not end up as scallops, is that an additional yard (if same fabric as your background fabric) will get you there.
Block Fabric other than Background Fabric
Scrappy
If you plan a "scrappy" look, a quarter of a fat quarter, 9" x 11", will make two blocks, or a block and a triangle, with relative ease (unless you are a snip-happy paper-piecer, who cuts big, big chunks and throws the rest away).
Focal Fabric
If you choose to use just one focal fabric, I would say the calculation is about the same as that for the background fabric. You will need to add extra in order to get the single-fabric triangles (that would be about 1 ½ yards including shrinkage), but you will not need to add for sashing and border.
A really good piece of advice is to cut all the sashing strips and outside-border bits from the same piece of fabric. If you buy a 3 yard piece, you can cut the outside border (without any seams!), the looooooong sashing strips for the outside of the blocks, and between the rows, all the short sashing-strips that you add as you go.
Making the sashings from the same fabric will make your quilt "hang together" even if there are slight differences in the background fabric on your quilt.
08-18-2009, 09:10 AM
#136
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Sleepy Hollow, NY
Posts: 4,727
then in the software, when you color your Dear Jane Quilt exactly how you want it to look, it will tell you how many yards of fabric you need in each color you've chosen.
i purchased my fabric based on that.
i've found it to be in between brenda's general statement and the software general statement.
it said i needed
6 yards of white with red
7 yards of red with white
12 yards of indigo
the above fabric covers all pieced units (blocks & triangles) and the scalloped border.
then i'm doing my solid triangles in indigo also and i need 2 yards for the solid triangles.
then on top of this i'm doing the binding and sashing in indigo so i need about another 3 yards for this.
i purchased my fabric based on that.
i've found it to be in between brenda's general statement and the software general statement.
it said i needed
6 yards of white with red
7 yards of red with white
12 yards of indigo
the above fabric covers all pieced units (blocks & triangles) and the scalloped border.
then i'm doing my solid triangles in indigo also and i need 2 yards for the solid triangles.
then on top of this i'm doing the binding and sashing in indigo so i need about another 3 yards for this.
08-18-2009, 09:37 AM
#137
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okay, so the 30 yard estimate is not far off...especially with room for errors. Sounds like I get to keep on shopping!! I also had it opposite in my head, I thought paper piecing would use a little less fabric but it requires a bit more...Oh my, I have so much to learn. This DJ is going to be an amazing learning journey for sure.
08-18-2009, 11:00 AM
#139
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: California
Posts: 3,502
I received the DJ fabric that I ordered from eBAY. Exactly as shown in my previous post about it. I'll wash it in a bag as Klue suggested. I have some large mesh laundry bags that would work. I haven't yet received the 15 yds of background fabric that I ordered.
When I'm working with that large of amounts I have cut 1 yd pieces off to work with at a time (also don't want to wash 15 yards at a time in one piece!). I guess I'll do the same and hope that it doesn't eat up much in figuring yardage. Not too worried about it since it is a standard Kona color and I can get more. Won't be the same dye lot but, if I need it for borders and triangles or something like that then I don't think a slight difference will matter.
When I'm working with that large of amounts I have cut 1 yd pieces off to work with at a time (also don't want to wash 15 yards at a time in one piece!). I guess I'll do the same and hope that it doesn't eat up much in figuring yardage. Not too worried about it since it is a standard Kona color and I can get more. Won't be the same dye lot but, if I need it for borders and triangles or something like that then I don't think a slight difference will matter.
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