Dear Jane With Benefits

Perhaps you remember Dear Jane.. This little quilt is a baby jane and she is sweet. Last year I participated in two block swaps, the fall frolic and Christmas swaps of Dear Jane blocks. I received these lovely little treasures from friends around the continent and put them together. Like any baby, I had many labor pains.

It isn't my first quilt, but the piecing looks as if it were. I started to unsew but instead I ripped the sashing. Needless to say, I wanted to cry. I decided to sew it back together and just move on. To make it more complicated, I wanted to make a curved binding, which I have never done, so I freehand quilted a feather on the border. After individually quilting the blocks, I proceeded to feather the sashing. The more I worked the worst it became..... practice made pitiful. I have heard people say, "the quilting makes the quilt" not in this case. The blocks make the quilt, I just gave them a place to gather. I decided to accept my limitations on the feathered sashing and move on. I removed it from the machine and THEN, I noticed a few places the seams were pulled apart. Of course, I will have to fix this but I pressed on. I sewed the curved binding and it turned out okay for a first attempt. When the quilt is viewed from a distance,she looks wonderful. She is a sweet little quilt, the blocks are so special to me and I smile each time I look her. The blocks do make the quilt.

I chose the name because I hear people use the term.. Friends with benefits. My cyber friends created beautiful blocks for me and that was certainly a benefit. As a footnote I do love the border fabric I chose, it "compliments" her well. She hangs over my stairwell, strategically placed at the perfect distance from the quilt patrol.