Dear Jane Journey Post 4

Today I made more progress on my Dear Jane quilt.  She's coming along nicely.  I had a setback or two but all in all it went very well.  So first I'll share the one I finished the hand applique' on.

Block A-3 - "Hunter's Moon"

I simply cut the pink fabric into a square and then pressed it on both diagonals.  I then made the applique' pieces a little different from other mehods I've read about.

First, I trace the applique' shapes onto the smooth side of fusible interfacing.  

I cut out each piece roughly around the drawn lines.  

With the drawn side up, I put the piece on top of the fabric I'm using with the right side of the fabric facing up.

Next, I stitch the interfacing to the fabric on the drawn lines.

Once stitched all the way around I trim both down to 1/8" around the traced shape.

Then I make a cut/slit with sharp scissors through only the interfacing layer.

I then flip the piece right side out, producing a piece that has the right side of the fabric on one side and the sticky, bumpy part of the interfacing on the other.

I make sure points are as well turned and sides are as crisp as I can get them.

Then I press the pieces into their proper positions on the block.

** I'm going to revise this the next time I create one of the applique' blocks and just use fabric on both sides.  I'll have to pin it in place or use a fabric glue stick instead of having the fusible there, but I think it will produce a better result.

Oh, and I do it this way because I do not like needle turn applique' very much.  I'm willing to learn it but while I am not good at it I don't want to use that for my Dear Jane quilt!

Block A-11 - "Pebble's Protest"

I'm pretty sure I did this one differently than most have suggested.  And I'm not exactly giddy for the larger pink squares in the corners not being whole pieces.  However, I like the way it went together and I didn't have to paper piece too much and I didn't have to do set in seams.

So I cut one - 1 1/2" square for center

Then, I paper pieced all four points and the two triangles by each one.

Then, I made the four 4 patch squares by strip piecing 1" strips of each fabric.
I cut that strip set into eight 1" sections.

These sections go together in pairs to make the four patches.

Now we have this:

Next I cut four 1" x 2 1/2" rectangles from background fabric.
Then I cut four 1" squares from color fabric.

I then cut four 1" x 1 1/2" rectangles of color fabric.

Next I pieced the center 9 squares together in rows then rows together.
Then I pieced the top border and bottom border (3 pieces each) and attached them.

Then I pieced the right and left side borders (3 pieces each) and attached them.

Lastly I cut a 3/4" strip of background fabric to add the skinny outer border "log cabin" style.

I have to tell you that I am extrememly pleased with this one!!

Lastly I finished Block A-12 - "Starlight - Starbright"

I came close to losing my religion over this one.  I think I used the same paper piecing mehod as most of the others have used.  But the problem I ran into was with the four green points of the outer square.  I paper pieced each of those individually as shown below.

 But when I assembled the rows I turned 3 of them the wrong way.  One of each of those green triangles in the corner pieces above is slightly smaller than the other.  And of course, I turned them the wrong way!  So I ripped all of those seams and re-pieced the rows together and they still don't meet up quite right and that irks me!  It's not horrible, but it may very well be one I end up remaking once I get in the groove of these itty bitty pieces!

Blessings y'all,

Lesa-Jane, 10 blocks, 0 triangles, 272 pieces