Seven days gone by, fast as lightning, it seems - but that means it's time for us to get our whoop whoop on again!! Are you ready? Let's get started!!
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Have you ever written a bucket list? You know, one of those lists of things you want to do before you die? If I had a quilt-y bucket list, the number one thing on the list would be to go to Quilt Market - but you also might (just maybe) find "Finish a Dear Jane quilt" on that list too. Well, I can mark that one off the list right now!!
Now, let me clarify this first of all - the operative word in that bucket list entry is "finish"! My friend Leann started this quilt, making all those beautiful tiny blocks (they are 4.5" square!) and putting the center together before she died unexpectedly last year. She also made the pennants and three of the corners in the border although the borders weren't assembled yet. One of the corners was started (the bottom right one) but not finished. It was needle turn appliqué, which is not in my wheelhouse, so I asked my friend Pam if she would finish it for me. She did a great job and it fits right in with the rest of the blocks! Then I had the incredible pleasure of finishing this work of art, building the borders and attaching them.
This was my first experience with set-in seams (the corners), and doing the first one invoked a lot of grumbling (ok and maybe a few words, too!) but after two hours of sweat and hard work, I mastered it. Thankfully the next three went much faster!
Leann did an amazing job on this quilt, fussy cutting so many of the tiny blocks. My favorite was a block with tiny fussy cut crickets playing pool, of all things! But it was obvious she took a lot of care in planning the blocks.
Here you can see the border and binding - I made my first scalloped border on this quilt, and it was quite a learning experience! I'm pleased with the way it turned out, though.
I quilted this one simply by stitching in the ditch around each of the blocks and pennants, then doing a very small meander in the background pennants and muslin border. After quilting, I took it off the frame and traced the scallops on the muslin border and cut them out. I don't do it often, but this binding is sewn down by hand.
And one last picture of the quilt, just because it's beautiful!
So now I can mark "finish a Dear Jane quilt" off my bucket list, because I actually did "finish" one, even if I didn't start it!
Can I get a whoop whoop??
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And now it's your turn!
What are you whooping it up about this week?
What's got you dancing a little happy dance?
Share! We want to dance right along with you...
...And it's always more fun to dance with friends!
The party will stay open until Sunday midnight.
Hope to see you there!
Hugs!
Sarah
I'm so sorry your friend died, and she never got to see her magnificent quilt finished too. It is a wonderful tribute to her that you finished it though and it is beautiful. You made a wonderful job of finishing it going our of your comfort zone to do her proud. I am sure she is looking down on you smiling her approval.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss. You did a wonderful job with finishing the quilt. A perfect tribute and I think she would have been very happy!
ReplyDelete-Soma
What a gorgeous quilt - and so wonderful of you to finish it! So sad and sorry to hear of your loss. You made a special memory by finishing this quilt!!
ReplyDeletehaving made and finished two complete Dear Jane's by hand I know the work involved - so nice that between two of you the work that your friend started was finished.
ReplyDeleteThe Dear Jane turned out lovely. I finished a quilt for a lady with brain cancer, but, she died before I could finish it. I got it back to her husband, on their daughters birthday, and the quilt turned into a gift for the daughter, from the mother (hubby didn't know till I told him that mom planned it to go to her daughter).
ReplyDeleteBeautiful - and what a great collaboration and tribute to your friend!
ReplyDeleteThis beautiful finished Dear Jane will be such a treasure for your friend's family. You have completed a lovely act of love.
ReplyDeleteThe Dear Jane turned out beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you took time to finish LeAnn's Dear Jane! What a tribute to both of you. It is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThis is just gorgeous! What a wonderful tribute to your friend.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations indeed! What a labor of love - and it's such a special quilt now. <3
ReplyDeleteSarah, it looks fantastic! Love the quilt and the quilting and the fabrics... Wow!!!
ReplyDeleteYou and your friend did a lovely job finishing this quilt. I love the scalloped edge. What a great keepsake of your friend
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful act of kindness finishing this quilt for your friend and her family. I can't even imagine all the work that went into making all those blocks and now her family will have a finished heirloom to cherish <3
ReplyDeleteYour Dear Jane Finish is beautiful! I somehow made a duplicate link again :( I think what this tells us is I need to quit linking up from my phone. #32
ReplyDeleteWhoop, Whoop. You deserved it. Great quilting on a beauty of a quilt. Wowzers.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tribute to your friend, to finish her work. It is a beautiful quilt!
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely quilt and so good that you were able to finish it for your friend, it will bring back memories of her every time you see it. I did buy the book but not for me so have passed it on to a friend to have a go at
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt! And no, I'd never make a "Bucket List" for the simple reason that I've always been so irritated with the concept: what you want to do before you die. As if there could be a list of things you wanted to do at any other time!
ReplyDeleteYour friends quilt turned out wonderfully - thanks to you. Are you keeping it in her memory - or giving it back to her family, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful quilt finish and tribute to your friend....love the scallop edge too!
ReplyDeleteSarah, that is just beautiful! You did a great job. I hope I can finish mine before I die!
ReplyDeleteThat is one serious Whoop Whoop! Leann would be so HAPPY!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on a lovely finish and a bucket list checkmark! I'm sure Leann's family will treasure this wonderful keepsake for many, many years.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I saw glimpses of this on Facebook, but to see it all done and hanging there in the light of day, it is really a work of art! While I'll never (never say never?) make a Dear Jane quilt, I do admire those with the patience and persistence, not to mention creativity, to do it. Big Whoop-Whoop to you for finishing this beauty. You did an awesome job!
ReplyDeleteIt's so wonderful to see her energy in this quilt, and i am sure you feel it to hold it.
ReplyDeletePerfect. xo
Whoa, Sarah!! How did I miss this post? This is absolutely amazing - you did a stunning job finishing this Dear Jane for Leann. Did she have the binding fabric gathered with the project, or did you choose it? It's perfect for the quilt - and I love the idea of pool-playing crickets on a Jane! You did a very nice job with the scallop border, and the little peaks at the corners look cool. I'll have to remember that when I finally get my own Jane quilted up! Do you get to keep this as a remembrance, or did you send to someone in her family? Having finished several of my cousin's quilts after she died way too young, I know what a nice, poignant, feeling it is to finish their works for them.
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