Possible Changes to Pattern

When I posted the picture of the original block next to my sewn block, I noticed that some of Jane's corner pieces don't look pieced.

I was hoping to get a close-up view when I visited the quilt this past weekend. However, this year the quilt was displayed in a different area, with less light, and you had to stand further back. So I really couldn't tell if there were seams or not, even in person.

Jane's Block
Photo of Jane's Block

I've stared at all the photos I have, and the poster, and the quilt, and it always looks like one of the corners is pieced (the bottom left corner) to make a complete circle, the way my pattern is. But a couple of the corners definitely look like they're not pieced. So I created a second pattern without pieced corners.

Pattern Changes
TATRWJ - Row 6, Block 6 - Changes Marked in Green

If I make this block again, I'm undecided as to which pattern I'll use.

TATRWJ - Row 6, Block 6

My seventh "Trip Around the Rainbow With Jane" block.
TATRWJ - Row 6, Block 6
Completed on Sept. 16, 2010 (25pcs)
TATRWJ - 7 Blocks, 0 Triangles, 0 Corners, 123 Pieces

Jane's Block
In War Time - Row 6, Block 6
Photo of Jane's Block - With Blue Lines Added to Outline the Block

This block was put together like a nine patch, and then the pieced together circles were appliqued onto the background.

I cut the circles out of my freezer paper pattern. Then I pressed the background freezer paper section to the background, and the freezer paper circles inside the fabric circles. I find this makes it easier to place the circles where they belong because you can feel the edges of the paper through the fabric.

I like to sew a basting stitch around the circle in the seam allowance, and then pull it tight to bring the seam allowance inside. Then I press it, and then I baste it down from the top, going through the right side of the circle, and the freezer paper and the seam allowance. It's more work, but it helps me to get rounder circles.

TATRWJ - Row 6, Block 5

My sixth "Trip Around the Rainbow With Jane" block.
TATRWJ - Row 6, Block 5
Completed on Feb. 12, 2010 (9pcs)
TATRWJ - 6 Blocks, 0 Triangles, 0 Corners, 98 Pieces

Jane's Block
In War Time - Row 6, Block 5
Photo of Jane's Block - With Blue Lines Added to Outline the Block

TATRWJ - Row 6, Block 5 - My Pattern
Drafted using My Photos & Scans of Bennington Museum Poster

For this block I printed a freezer paper pattern, and cut out the appliques. Then I pieced the center applique.

After that, I pressed the freezer paper for the center applique onto the back of the joined piece, then folded the seam allowances under and basted them to the paper, and pressed again. I did the same with the 4 melons. This way I had nice sharply outlined pieces to applique.

Then I pressed the remaining piece of freezer paper (the background with the appliques cut out) onto the center of a 6 inch square (I wanted extra that would be trimmed off at the end).

When I held the background square up to the light, it was easy to see where the appliques should go, and I pinned them over the holes in the paper that I could see. After that, I could just sit and sew until all 5 appliques were done.

Then I slit the back of the center (careful to cut ONLY the background fabric!) and cut the background down to about 1/4" seam allowance, and removed the basting and freezer paper. For the melons I only cut a slit since they were so small, and removed the basting and paper.

One final press and trim, and DONE! The freezer paper inside the applique gives a nice edge to sew against. I liked this method, and will use it again.

TATRWJ - Row 5, Block 9

My fifth "Trip Around the Rainbow With Jane" block.
TATRWJ - Row 5, Block 9
Completed on Feb. 9, 2010 (21pcs)
TATRWJ - 5 Blocks, 0 Triangles, 0 Corners, 89 Pieces

Jane's Block
In War Time - Row 5, Block 9
Photo of Jane's Block - With Blue Lines Added to Outline the Block

TATRWJ - Row 5, Block 9 - My Pattern
Drafted using My Photos & Scans of Bennington Museum Poster

This block went together similarly to Row 5, Block 7, except the circle was MUCH easier to applique than the odd shape in Block 7. I paper-pieced the rays (Section B), then joined them into a circle.

After basting down the edges of the applique circle and pressing it, I sewed the circle onto the rays. Then I added the three remaining background strips. I like the way it came out.

Small Again!
This is another block that I used one of my patterns that I had printed before adding the extra seam allowance to the patterns. It came out a tad small again.

I'm convinced that the extra around the outside edge is needed, at least for me when paper-piecing. So I'm going to re-print my patterns onto freezer paper WITH the extra seam allowance on the edges. I had already printed all 25 patterns for the center, but re-print I must!

TATRWJ - Row 5, Block 7

My fourth "Trip Around the Rainbow With Jane" block.
TATRWJ - Row 5, Block 7
Completed on Feb. 8, 2010 (12pcs)
TATRWJ - 4 Blocks, 0 Triangles, 0 Corners, 68 Pieces

Jane's Block
In War Time - Row 5, Block 7
Photo of Jane's Block - With Blue Lines Added to Outline the Block

TATRWJ - Row 5, Block 7 - My Pattern
Drafted using My Photos & Scans of Bennington Museum Poster

I paper-pieced the fabric pieces that are around the center applique (Section B), and then joined it.

After basting down the edges of the center applique and pressing, I added the applique on top of the pieced section. I can feel the edges of the applique's freezer paper, and the pieced sections's freezer paper as I sew, so it makes it easier to keep the applique from shifting out of position.

Then I added the four background strips, pressed the block. Then I removed the freezer paper, and gave it a final press with a dry iron.

My applique skills are beginner at best and I had a hard time in the inner points. Hopefully the next one will be better!

TATRWJ - Row 5, Block 7, Old & New

My two blocks side by side.
                Re-Drafted 5" block         and         4 1/2" sashed block

In my new block the center applique motif is much less round, and the strips are wider than my 4 1/2" block. When I made the new block I forgot to use the mostly ORANGE sections of the fabric when I cut out the fabric for this block, so this one is more red than I had planned, even though it's the SAME fabric.

I like the look WITHOUT the pieced section under the applique better, I left it in on the 4 1/2" block and don't care for it as much. From now on, I think I'll cut away any pieced sections under an applique.

Old Blocks - Un-Sewing & Re-Sewing

I've "un-joined" some of the old 4 1/2" blocks that had been sewn together for the my original quilt plan, in the quilt-as-you-go method. I had 5 blocks sewn together for one row, and the other 2 joined together for a second row.

Five blocks, quilted and joined

Five blocks, view of back and quilting

Then I "re-joined" the blocks into the new rows for my "Starting With Jane" wallhanging.

Blocks Sewn Into Rows - Rows Not Joined Yet

I've got lots more work to do to make the wallhanging, but I've got all the patterns for the "filler" blocks done.

TATRWJ - Row 5, Block 8, Old & New

I wanted to see the difference between these two blocks, one done in my new pattern drafted from Jane's quilt, and a 4 1/2" block made from the software. I added a "simulated" sash strip to the 4 1/2" block to show 1/2 of a sash strip around all sides. (With the sash strips, the 13 blocks in each row plus the sash equals 65" across, which averages out to 5 inches per block.)

This brings both blocks to 5" square, since Jane's quilt is made entirely with 5" blocks, and DOES NOT have sash strips. Jane did add borders to many of her smaller blocks to bring them up to a 5" size, but many others are a full 5" in size.

Jane's Block
In War Time - Row 5, Block 8
Photo of Jane's Block - With Blue Lines Added to Outline the Block

My two blocks side by side.
                Re-Drafted 5" block         and         4 1/2" sashed block

Jane's block has a higher ratio of the focus fabric (red) around the outside of the design, and more background fabric around the block.

Lots of Jane's blocks look smaller, and when you put them next to the ones that use the full 5" for the block, the differences are more noticeable. It really gives a more random, and less structured look to the quilt. I think this is what really attracts me to Jane's quilt. The various sizes of the designs in the blocks is part of its beauty to me.