Sunday Slowdown with Dear Jane

 

I got motivated yesterday to put Dear Jane on the frame. It has been years since I finished the top. Maybe during Covid? I've been terrified that I would mess it up with the quilting. It is rainbow of course, in a trip around the world setting. 

I searched back through the blog to find the overall photo of the flimsy. It was started in 2013 and finished in 2021. Feel free to use the labels at the bottom to see the long slow work in progress of this one. 

I needed to extend the frame though for the log cabin quilt, and so that required a bit of manual labor. I usually keep my Handiquilter at a shorter size, but the table is adjustable with leaves and it can get quite a bit longer. 

I am trying to put most off the quilting in the white areas which will help the colors to pop out. So far  am using a combination of micro-stippling and outlining. Each block just gets its own treatment. Whatever it seems to need. As much as I would love to hand quilt this one, I just need to move it along after all these years. It isn't perfect for sure. As I revisit each block, I am finding all the little imperfections. And you know what? I love it or all its imperfections. I had to hand stitch the corners where the corner kites met up with the side triangles. There were bit holes where the set in seams didn't meet. I also replaces a small goose in one corner that had gotten singed with the iron. So far there is only one bit of machine quilting that was so bad I decided to tear it out. That was orange peels that I tried to outline on the focus fabric. It stood out way too much!

So one row is done. I am saving the setting triangles for now, at least the ones on the top and bottom. I've got school work to get done today and then I need to work ahead because we will travel next weekend for the celebration of life. After that it will be a week and a half on a bus, so I plan to stich lots of hexies while we travel from one school to another. I hope that your Sunday is restorative and relaxing. I know that a big portion of the US is dealing with ice and snow right now. It isn't cold here, but we are watching the cabin weather and It is quite chilly. Anna is at Virginia Tech and she has been sending us daily updates. Fortunately, she is able to work from home on her graduate school work, but her fiancé Jordan has to drive for his job so I hope that things have been cleared up a bit before the new week starts. 

Yesterday I was able to finish sewing the Saltwater Taffy blocks together. I have an empty project tote now! Also a lot of extra 2 inch strips that I can turn into the sizes that I am using or this year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks, both the Dot Blocks and the Propellers use 2 inch wide units. This one might want a border. I will wait a bit on this one before making finishing decisions.

 Just one more blue week to get done what you can for RSC January. Remember, its all about making things with scraps, that doesn't mean you have to use them all up. It is all part of the cycle as you use up the old to make room for more. I am going to link up with Slow Sunday Stitching and Kathy's Quilts. Even though I am finishing this one up on the machine, it represents to much hand stitching of melons and diamonds and more. Snow storms are a great reason to stay inside and soothe the soul with needle and thread. Please stay safe and warm inside if you can.