Here I am, engrossed in the task of basting my Jane Stickle top! It was quite a peaceful and relaxing job, I must admit! I sat there, getting to know every single block again...kind of like reuniting with old friends!! Since I've been working on this for over five years, I found myself thinking a lot about events of the past while basting. Each block also brought back warm memories of choosing fabrics, learning new techniques and just enjoying the whole process of creating them.
I did run into a little problem while layering with the Hobbs Wool batting. Actually, it wasn't the batting that was the problem, but rather my inexperience in working with wool! I opened the bag, spread it out over the backing and wondered just how this crumpled, wrinkled mass of sheep fur was going to be part of my quilt!!! I put out an online call for help on the Dear Jane list, and with the advice of lots of great quilters, I was able to proceed! I misted the batting with room-temperature water and allowed it to relax for a couple of days. This was the best thing I could do! To my amazement, it settled right down, laying nice, flat and ruly! Now, it's become a wonderful, lofty filling for my quilt!
I just have to give a little plug here for Roxanne's Basting Needles!! I'm a huge fan...they're so great! They just glide through those three layers like a hot knife through butter! They're also nice and long, so you can get a good grip on them! I like to use cotton thread that I find in flea markets to baste with. Usually, I choose a contrasting colour that's not too hard on the eyes! Since this is probably going to take five more years to hand-quilt, I don't think I could handle anything too bright and distracting!!!
Kiki, as usual, is my trusty quilt inspector! She's been kind enough to give me the paws up for past projects!! Kiki has always been a great support throughout my DJ journey! Here she is, offering to do a bit of basting for Mom! I think she'd be good at it, because with claws like hers, who needs needles?!!
I did run into a little problem while layering with the Hobbs Wool batting. Actually, it wasn't the batting that was the problem, but rather my inexperience in working with wool! I opened the bag, spread it out over the backing and wondered just how this crumpled, wrinkled mass of sheep fur was going to be part of my quilt!!! I put out an online call for help on the Dear Jane list, and with the advice of lots of great quilters, I was able to proceed! I misted the batting with room-temperature water and allowed it to relax for a couple of days. This was the best thing I could do! To my amazement, it settled right down, laying nice, flat and ruly! Now, it's become a wonderful, lofty filling for my quilt!
Kiki, as usual, is my trusty quilt inspector! She's been kind enough to give me the paws up for past projects!! Kiki has always been a great support throughout my DJ journey! Here she is, offering to do a bit of basting for Mom! I think she'd be good at it, because with claws like hers, who needs needles?!!
13 comments:
Oh, it is just beautiful. I can't wait till I am basting my quilt too.
I love it - I bet you can't wait to take your first quilting stitches!!
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
Your DJ quilt looks incredible Mary Ann!! It looks so perfect. I'll be interested to hear how you progress with your quilting of it using the wool batting. I bet you're back will be aching!! Take care, Elly
Absolutely beautiful Mary Ann. So looking forward to seeing some progress photos.
Please keep showing us photos of your Dear Jane as you quilt. It is so inspiring to see it. Just beautiful.
WoooHooo! Looking good, Mary Ann! I am quilting each evening lately, and I am working on my 11th block. It is slow going, so many seam allowances. I've given myself permission to not worry about the stitches, they are hard to make perfect with this quilt..but then Jane's weren't either were they? =-) I'm enjoying being underneath the quilt as I work! =-)
Your DJ is b beautiful. I am thinking about starting this quilt over again. I had over 60 blocks made some time ago, but I gave them all away because I did not like my color choice. Now I have a big box filled with repro fabric that I might use for this.
That looks quite a task and the batting process sounds amazing. I still have great admiration for someone who finished that quilt.
Your Dear Jane is just gorgeous...and I've never heard of Roxanne's basting needles...so thanks for the tip!
Your quilt is very beautiful. l still have a lot of blocks to make.
Mary Ann! . . you don´t have five years . . . more like three!
Will we not have a Nordic Baby Jane exibit at NQT in Reykjavík in 2012? . . . . !!!!!
Please put up a schedule right now on how to accomplish this huge task in time . . . I have already started verbal preparations for this exibit , , heehahha
Hugs from Reykjavík my dear!
p.s. Kim will have too come too btw!
I am thinking about doing a dear jane. Thought I would do some online browsing and came across your site. I haven't seen any closeups of the quilting on this quilt. I was wondering if what kind of quilting you plan to do on it.
Hi Carla!
I am still not 100% sure how I'll do the hand-quilting. I'll probably stitch around each block and then just high-light the individual pieces. I have a link to some close-ups of the "mother quilt" if your interested...just email me at hike_robson@hotmail.com and I'll forward you the info!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mary Ann
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