Starlight-Starbright Block A-13

Jane - You were a better woman than I ! I have tried piecing this block by machine, paper piecing and applique. I am not having a lot of luck. Enough for today. Tomorrow I may try this block my making little tiny freezer paper templates, ironing them to the fabric, adding 1/4 inch seam allowances and then hand piecing.

I'm off to make an apron! I really need to work with some larger pieces of fabric for the rest of today!

My Journey With Jane

This picture is of "THE" Dear Jane Quilt.
This is not a picture of my quilt.

“In War Time 1863 - Pieces 5602 - Jane M. Stickle” is painstakingly embroidered on the lower right hand corner of the quilt. This quilt masterpiece is now housed in the Bennington Museum in Bennington, Vermont. It comprises 225 pieced squares, triangles, and corner "kites." Many of the blocks contain pieces no larger than 1/4-inch square. Jane's completed quilt measures 80 1/4" x 80 1/4" and contains 5,602 individual pieces.

The Stickle quilt was made famous by Brenda Papadakis, who lovingly studied the quilt and drafted patterns for each of the intricate blocks. The patterns were made into a book and thousands of quilters across the world have re-created (or attempted to re-create) this quilt.

Given the fact that the quilt was finished in 1863, I would assume that Jane completely hand-pieced her quilt, no doubt without the very tools that today’s quilter deems necessary. In addition, today’s piecing methods do not always work for the blocks in this quilt. The journey becomes a learning experience in hand piecing, foundation piecing, miniature machine piecing, applique, etc. In fact, I soon learned that a combination of all of these methods and “what ever works” is the mind-set that is needed to complete each block!

It also becomes necessary to SLOW DOWN, enjoy the PROCESS instead of the RESULT and to become very good friends with your seam ripper!

My journey with Jane’s quilt started in 2005. I completed about 20 of the little 4 ½ in blocks, became frustrated and threw the whole mess in a box.

I came across these litle blocks the other day and decided that there was absolutely no reason why I couldn’t do just ONE little block a day - or even a week - but I did need to give this project another try! I also hope my piecing has improved enough in the last few years that I will be more successful and less frustrated!


In reviewing some of the hundreds of blogs and websites devoted to this quilt and the methods most likely to be successful in recreating the block, I see a LOT of applique. I HATE applique. I actually think I hate applique because I'm not good at it. So, I shall learn!

Professional Tote

My niece Nicole will start her student teaching this semester and requested a "Professional Bag" like the one I made for my daughter. Here is Nicole's bag. I hope she likes it!

It's been a beautiful Spring

It's been a beautiful Spring and lots and lots of yard work has been done around here. I basically act as a "sidewalk supervisor" as my DH does the work. But, even supervising outside caused this redhead to get burned to a crisp over the last few days.

Today - DH will install my new little fountain and I have flowers to plant. I can no longer work on my knees, so will be putting flowers in various barrels and pots about the house.

Then - back to my studio. I have lots of things lined up that need to be done and even more things in mind that I WANT to do.

I MUST learn to use this serger!

I needed to use the new serger I got last summer and when I pulled it out, I realized that I didn't have the foggiest idea what I was doing! I have used a serger for years, but this new Babylock Imagine serger is still very new to me!

I was able to make the "jet air threading" mechanism work - and I love that as much today as I did the day I purchased it! I was also able to use the needle threader. Another big plus! But then, I was stuck......

I reviewed the book that came with the serger and I reviewed the book that I downloaded by by Janet Spink who is an authority on the Babylock overlockers.

I really think that I need to sit down with this machine and take it thru all of the different feet that came with it and see if I can duplicate all of the neat things that Ms. Spink says it will do!

If I get to the big city this week, I may stop by the dealer and see if they have one of the workbooks that Babylock put out to assist people in learning to use this machine. They are very pricey and that is probably why I didn't purchase it when I purchased the serger.

I will put that on my list of things "to do" this week. The first thing I need to do is finish the "special request" bag for my sister in North Carolina. Then I need to make sure that I have enough tumbler blocks cut for my newest quilt top. Then I can start putting them together. Looks like it could be a busy week in the studio. Have a great day!

Hand Piecing a Trip Around the World

One of my "stashbuster" friends was looking for some easy hand piecing to do while away for a few days.

Several years ago, I went home to live with my parents to be a private duty nurse for my dad during his last few weeks. I took with me a box of squares, all cut from Christmas fabric. I also took just a few needles, several pins, a spool of white thread and these fabulous directions on "Concentric Piecing".

It is believed that the pioneer women pieced the Trip Around The World in circles around the center piece, rather than in strips as often done now. Here is the link for the directions to do the piecing. I do not know who the person is that posted these directions in her Webshots album, but she is a genius!

I did finish that quilt top before my Dad died. It did take me a few months to be able to put it on the frame to quilt it, but I did - it's done - and one of my most precious quilts! Here is a picture of that quilt.

Another bag finish

Another bag is finished.

The bag is pretty, bigger than I expected to be and most of all DONE!

This was the bag from #$%^ The pattern itself - not for the faint of heart - and definitely not a "first bag" had no pictures or diagrams, only text to explain what needed to be done for each step.

Now, I've been sewing for 40 years, quilting for 20 and making bags for a couple of years and this one was awful! The company really needs to do something about the directions for this pattern!

Also - the pattern specifically called for each piece to be basted to lightweight cotton batting. I used the lightest bat they make and there were times I was sewing thru 8 thicknesses of "stuff".

Before I make this one again, (and I'm sure I will) I'll be rewritting the directions and deciding what does and does not have to be padded! Whew! My shoulders, wrists and hands will need a day or two to recover.

Have a great day

Beth (in rainy Michigan)