Well, I did. I bought the book by Brenda Papadakis. And then I bought the software published by Electronic Quilt. And then I subscribed to the blog Thatquilt.blogspot.com. Personally, if you're going to fall prey to the madness that is Dear Jane, I offer you these suggestions:
1. Buy the book and take it somewhere to have a spiral put on the spine. It's just easier and you save your book a lot of grief.
2. Buy the software. It is MORE than worth it.
3. When you start the quilt, go to the ThatQuilt blog for the first several squares. This lady gives you pictures and terrific instruction. After the first row (or three), some of the blocks you can figure out without help. But I am more than half-way through with the center blocks and I still consult this blog before starting almost any block.
4. Be aware that Jane is very, very addictive. It is the quilter's equivalent of eating potato chips - one block isn't enough. Each block is different and each block offers its own challenges. It will make you grow and stretch as a quilter. So even if you're like me, and have several quilts going at one time, Jane will gain particular significance and will become a quilt you spend time with. I find myself alone most Saturday mornings, as that is the time my husband golfs or fishes. And it's in those hours that Jane and I spend quality time together. I may just make one complicated block or several not-so-complicated blocks, but Jane and I have a weekly "date."
5. Many of the blocks are straight up applique. I cut these out, put these in individual bags and stow them in my quilt-n-go bag to take with me on car trips.
6. Organization is critical. One of the suggestions for Jane is not to use the same fabric twice. I know some quilters that do this. I'm using 1930 feed sack reproductions for my first Jane (my family has taken to calling this quilt Depressed Jane or Jane Needs Prozac). Each time I use a fat quarter, I toss the used quarter into a separate box so I don't reach for it again. I also put each competed block in its own plastic bag (I buy the sandwich size) and label the outside of the back with the number and row of the block. I use a hole punch to punch a small hole in the top of the baggie and put it on a ring. I have a ring for each row of the quilt. It's just going to make putting it together easier.
7. You may have caught the phrase "first Jane" from #6. Most people that make one Jane go on to make another. I am one of those people. This second Jane I affectionately call "My Jane." This quilt will be blue batiks and I want to use a warm taupe as the back ground. I will not do all 225 blocks. I have made notes in my book about what blocks I would do again, which ones I wouldn't touch again for all the fabric in the world, and what I would do differently. I am enlarging the blocks I want to do again to six and a half inches and setting these on point. I also will not do the pie-wedge border, but am designing one of my own. I have to believe that Jane Stickle would be proud.
I am now on row H, about midway through. I need to hit the pause button and begin to put a few rows together. But I love making the blocks and find myself procrastinating on this part of the process. I think a trip to Mary Jo's in Gastonia is in order to get the sashing fabric. This will no doubt inspire me to put rows A-G together before continuing on.
Here's few of my Janes....they need trimming -- a step I don't do until the very end. This is a journey of either pure inspiration or pure insanity, but Jane is worth the cost of the ticket!
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