Dear Jane:
    I began my version of the 1863 Jane Stickle quilt in September 1999. At that time DH & I planned a month's vacation on Florida's west coast during October ... and since I can't sit still without having something to do, I prepped all of the DJ blocks which I thought could be completed by handwork. This was my take-along project and I managed to finish all of the blocks I brought during our stay. How great was that ... to be sewing while sitting by the pool?
    Once at home, I was able to paper-piece a lot of the blocks on my sewing machine ... there were a few stinkers, but as the saying goes ... "finished is better than perfect." A couple of concerns ... would the triangle border fit the inner blocks? would the scallop edges be difficult to bind. The answer to both questions is, "yes!"
    I finally completed Jane Sings the Blues on my Mom's birthday (December 6), three years and three months after beginning it. I counted each piece of fabric (including the backing) and found that there are 5,202 pieces in my quilt. This quilt became a journey of patience, learning, and sharing ... the process is not to be rushed, but enjoyed.
    Jane Sings the Blues and Dick & Jane are on my webshot page http:\\community.webshots.com/user/mezeitz
    Jane Sings the Blues has been juried into the 2004 AQS Quilt Show in Paducah, Kentucky! This is a very big deal ... please wish me luck.
    Dick and Jane has been completed! I'm going to enter it in the local Four Town Fair this fall. No triangle border or scallops on this one ... just a meandering leafy vine with primitive flowers encircle the 169 blocks.

Nearly Insane has been sandwiched and basted ... all ready for the quilting ... except that I'm finishing up a few other UFOs first. The quilting will be done in-the-ditch along the sashing seams ... and there will be two more quilting lines through the blocks.

The Dear Hannah blocks are still in the construction stage. Every other block is applique ... so that's slowing me down a bit. I'd much rather machine-piece. But it's coming along ... I usually work on the DH blocks while I watch TV during the evenings. This is one of the UFOs that I'll keep working on ... until I get bored with it and then I'll turn my attention to quilting Nearly Insane.

Peace, Mary Ellen in sunny CT