I love quilts, especially antique quilts, either applique or pieced,
and I want to share my journeys in quilting !

But, my "Threads and Treasures" sometimes include embroidery, painting, or spinning wool
and weaving
.

It is great that you are visiting, and I hope you feel at home here.
I would love it if you left a comment.

My website is www.janequilter.uk




Saturday 30 October 2010

Baltimore Violets

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my Dear Jane quilt. The latest on it is that we have never been so cosy as under this quilt....!
Last night I finished a Baltimore block, and it is the last one for this quilt of 'beginners' blocks, so that I can now start working on the borders.
The autumn is getting rather beautiful out here. The cherry tree that I see from my sewing room, is turning into gold. Slowly the trees on the hills are changing colour too. I love autumn.

It is late now, and I am going to think of inscriptions on some of the blocks, before dropping of to sleep. Perhaps I will wake up with some wonderful ideas....
Goodnight
Jane

Thursday 14 October 2010

"Dear Jane for Dear Alan" is finished !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At last, after working on it off and on for the past 8 years, here she is:

If you click on the photo, you can see it larger. (Especially for Margreet!).
I still can't quite believe it, and I feel quite flat suddenly. After all, lots of people are making one - what's the big deal?
For 8 years, since October 2001, she has been an overshadowing part of my life.
First, our daughter got married, and I made a quilt for her.
Then I was diagnosed with breast-cancer, and a lot of the reproduction fabrics I used, were sent to me from all over the world, as I belonged to the Dear Jane Forum. They were a wonderful support.
Then we moved to Scotland, and after 2 years there, it was my cousin Hetty, who prodded me into carrying on with making the blocks, as I had been too busy with lambs and calves and hens to worry about this quilt.
Part of the problem was that I was re-drawing all the blocks, because I wanted it to be like the original. Nice idea, but it took a lot of time.
Then our daughter started producing grandchildren, so we went over to help each time.
After that our son got married, and I spent several months planning and making the wedding cake.
Finally, we moved to Wales!
So this quilt has seen a lot of changes!
I kept a journal, right from the beginning, with pieces of fabrics for each blocks, and notes of things that were happening when I made each block. One day, it will be interesting to read that again. But for the time being, I have had enough of this quilt. I shall have to keep seeing it though, because it was a present for my husband, and he wants to sleep under it!!!
Have a wonderful day
Jane

Monday 11 October 2010

Last stages of Dear Jane

Today I have been quilting the last lines all around the triangles.
I had made a template so that I would know where the cutting line was, and quilted within that line.
It was a perfect day for doing this exciting job. This morning at 7.00, when I opened the curtains, I saw this:

And all day, it was perfect. Late in the afternoon, the low sun was shing through the dogwood leaves, they have such a beautiful lime green colour.
Then, a bit later in the early evening, the day finished like this:

And then I had finished the quilting (!!!!!), and started cutting the edges.......

Will I be able to sleep tonight? It is getting so exciting, to be so near finishing!
Good night everyone!
Jane

Friday 8 October 2010

Souvenirs from Holland

When I saw this pair at the quiltshow in Holland, I could not resist them. So I bought the pattern, and made them for our bedroom.... She reminded me of myself, as I take my pillow everywhere too.
Another kit I bought there was a beautiful cricket, made from fabrics from the Provence. It has become a lavender bag.

And, since I love sheep and cows, I brought back several of those. Some of them sit on the windowsill.
The good news is that I have only got 3 more triangles to do on the Dear Jane quilt, and then on to the last corner!!
To finish off the day, there was a beautiful sunset from our kitchen window.

Have a lovely evening!
Jane

Tuesday 5 October 2010

Back from Holland

Many apologies to those of you who have been waiting for this next post! We have come back from Holland, stayed with my sister, my cousin and my mother. When we came home, my husband got a very nasty cough/cold, so I didn't feel much like internet. Today he is a lot better though, so here we go again.
We were away for two weeks, and it was a great time! I had taken this block - easy applique - with me, to do in odd minutes. Well, I did one leaf! (I had already finished the bunny at home, the day before we left...

While I was in Holland, they had the annual Quilter's Guild exhibition, and I went there twice!!! It was a lovely exhibition, and of course there were traders, so I bought much more than I should have done..!
Staying with my cousin on the farm was a wonderful experience. On one of the evenings, it was the get-together of the 'Quiltmutsen', the local quilt group. So we all sat in the farmhouse kitchen admiring each other's work. Everyone had brought quilts and bags to show, and I brought my Baltimore blocks, so we didn't really do much stitching. They were working on a hospice quilt, and I was allowed to do a few blocks too.
Of course I took photographs, but unfortunately they did not come out well. So the next day I took a picture of Hetty's quilt in the making.
We had a lovely view from our bedroom:
We also went to a Staphorst, a village where many women still wear the national costume for that area. They had a vintage day, with old tractors and threshing, and I must show you this lovely photo:

 And one of a typical bike in Staphorst:


When we came home I decorated our doorstep with one of my clogs, and some 'pompoenen' from Hetty's garden, to celebrate the autumn.


And now I am working like crazy to get my Dear Jane quilted. I only have 8 triangles and two corners to do and then the binding. After that I can treat myself to my Baltimore blocks!!!
Have a great day!
Jane
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