About a month ago I was introduced to the Dear Jane Quilt created by Jane A. Stickle in the year 1863. My cousin's business partner and their company (
Paper Pieces) created an English Paper Pieced version of this quilt and they completed one to take to the Houston Quilt Show this year. It was absolutely stunning and I knew that I wanted to create one of my own! So I got the entire
kit complete with all 8 gazillion paper pieces, the book
Dear Jane written by Brenda Manges Papadakis, and am gathering fabrics. There is a quilt along happening with this quilt and it starts December 1st so that will be my official start date and it goes for 18 months. There are 225 blocks for this quilt and I have to say i'm a little nervous! I've been sorting out the first month's blocks and there are some tiny little pieces. But i'm ready for the challenge.
Why Dear Effie? I've been looking at fabrics and ideas online trying to figure out where I want this project to go. Earlier this year we came across some letters written by my Grandpa's Aunt Effie. I've become very familiar with Effie over the past 5 years and was just taken aback by reading her letters to her then beau turned husband. Reading those letters gave me a small glimpse into her life and the person she was and I've always felt such a connection with her. Heck I traveled across the country to visit the home where she and her husband homesteaded in Wyoming. She was born in the late 1800's and died tragically in an accident in the late 1920's so i've decided to have my fabrics reflect those time periods.
I am really excited to begin this project and wanted to find a fun way to document my progress so the blog was born!
-EM
