Dear Jane, M-7, M-8 & M-10

I am having decent progress and have finished all the triangles on the bottom of the quilt, have a few more squares on that side before moving to the final edge which is the top.  I have used my time quilting to pray for my friend, Jane and her husband and family.  Jane went home to be with the Lord last Saturday, I don't have words for my feeling of loss.  She was a sweetheart and will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved her.  I don't mourn for her, but mourn for those of us who are left behind.....I am so grateful for the day we spent with her, just a few days ago and hold those moments and memories close in my heart.  She is now woven into the story of my quilt as she lived her final days with us.  I love you, Jane and praise the Lord for allowing me to share in a part of your life.

I have three blocks to challenge you with this time.....all from the row M, as that is where I have been quilting lately.....

M-7 Junko's Rose Garden

Do you like the inking on this block?  I added all the names from our families that fought during the Civil War to my quilt. We both have family members who fought for the North and the South and we also represent the picture of "brother fighting brother."  As we have some from the same family on opposing sides.  This name does not have a star beside it, so he is not a direct descendant, but probably an uncle or brother of one that is.  Jacob happens to be from my side of the family and fought for the Confederates.

Here is a little history lesson on the 13th Regiment and oh, to personalize it and realize my family was there and lived through that horrific time.

M-8 Enchanted Square

M-10 Simple Simon

There's a simple one for ya!

Dear Jane Progress

I am so excited today to be in blogland with fiber optics for the first time.....yea!!!  We have noticed a wonderful improvement in our service.  It has been too long in coming, so hoping a lot of my computer frustration will be eliminated because of it.

I have kept at my Dear Jane nearly every day even though I haven't been writing about it.  I have completed 2 of the borders, right and left sides and have quilted 2 blocks in on both of those sides too.  I am currently working on the bottom border and blocks.  I love the look of each block when they are finished, so that helps to keep me motivated.

I recently received news that a dear friend of mine does not have long on this earth.....her name is Jane.  And a sweetheart she is.  So while I am quilting I spend part of that time praying for her, her husband and family. I am always taken by how our quilts take on lives of their own....people, places, memories are packed into these threads and take us back to those times.  So my quilt is writing it's own story to include my friend, Dear Jane.

Here are the challenge blocks for this time....... I foundation pieced all of these.

L-4 St. George's Cross

L-4

M-2 Duff's Bluff

M-2

M-4 Stepping Stones

M-4

This block reminds me of our visit and time spent at Stones River.  If you have not heard of this battle, check out the link.  The rocks and terrain are nothing like I had ever seen and then they are moving soldiers, horses, cannon over these rocks......unbelievable!

Slaughter Pen, Stones River Tennessee

Dear Jane .......B-1 Batchelor Buttons & B-2 Sweet Tater PIe

I really didn't do so well on my hand quilting of Dear Jane last week....not sure what happened at the end of the week, but little progress was made.  I did a little extra quilting yesterday, but I will just keep moving on.

I have been enjoying Bonnie Hunter on Quiltville for awhile now.  I'm really having fun going back and watching past Quilt-Cam's while I hand quilt my Dear Jane.  They are usually about an hour and a half, so I don't start one, unless I know I will have that time to sit and quilt....but it seems like the time flies by while I am listening to her.   Check it out....if this interests you.....She does great things with scraps.   Past Quilt-Cams

This week's challenge is B-1.....Tips for B-1

I see according to the picture in the book.....I need to quilt inside the circles.  It will make the block look better, I think.  I did in the ditch around the circles, but it's not enough.

Our next challenge block for this week is B-2 Sweet Tater Pie....Tips for B-2....Have some stretching in our skills this week....circle applique and curved piecing!  Let me know how you are doing.

150 years ago today, the Battle of Spotsylvania is continuing. 

The caption reads.....Bringing in the Wounded.
This was taken at Spotsylvania.....from the Library of Congress

I like maps....I don't have real knowledge of this battle.  For me I can read about a battle, but I really don't understand it, until we personally visit and walk it.  And unfortunately we have not visited any of the battlefields in Virginia.  Hopefully, some time we have that opportunity.  So if you like maps too, I hope you enjoy this one.... Map of the Battle of Spotsylvania

Happy Stitching on your Jane.....

Dear Jane.......A-1 Pinwheel Gone Awry & C-1 Trooper Green's Badge

Janiacs, for this week......I am suggesting 2 blocks for you.  Only because many of you have already done A-1 and that way I have this block included in our challenge.   A-1 Tips

A-1 Pinwheel Gone Awry

For my second challenge block this week, I want to suggest C-1.   It is quite an easy block and will take you longer to pick your fabric, than to piece it together.  C-1 Tips

C-1 Trooper Green's Badge

Today in 1864, General James Longstreet was shot and wounded by his own men.

Dear Jane C-3 Rayelle's Fence

OK, my little Janiacs......you are doing awesome.  Plugging away and getting lots of blocks completed.  I am so proud of you ALL!  This week is another easy block and it won't take you long, if you haven't completed it yet.  C-3 Tips

C-3 Rayelle's Fence

Look at those little 4 pack blocks in the corners and a couple log blocks, then sew it altogether like a 9-patch.....another one crossed off the list!

April 29th in 1862 was the scene of the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi.  We visited there several years ago and it was an important hub for the railroad, so very strategic for the Union to get control of that area.

photo from the Library of Congress

There you can see the "X" across the middle of the map where the railroad lines cross through the area.  They have a interpretive center there, that is wonderful......worth the stop.

Cabin Fever Friends

Sorry about the gap at the top, for some reason, I can't seem to get rid of it.  In my editing screen, I am at the top, but when it posts.....I've got all this space....I apologize.

Tonight my Cabin Fever quilt buddies are coming....oh what to make....when cooking is increasingly not my thing.  I spent a few minutes combing through a few cook books and entertaining several ideas.  I finally came up with Poppyseed Bread baked in my flower Nordic pan, a Mother's Day gift from one of my girls several years ago.  This recipe is from my friend Betty. She shared it will me many years ago and it has been a family favorite ever since.

Need to start with beating 3 eggs together.

Do you have any of these?  I keep one in my flour tin and another one in my sugar tin, then you can scoop out what you need or using the markings you can measure as well.  Very fun, you may need to get a couple of these, when you are out antiquing.

Here is the batter all mixed up with all the ingredients together, except for the sugar glazing.  You will mix that later.  It is a fairly runny batter.

I don't think I have ever shown you where I keep my mixer.....love, love, love this cupboard. It has these special springs and brackets on the side, so it swings up and locks in place like it is, I do move my rug underneath while I work, because "stuff" happens.  Then when I am done mixing, I pull the latch and it swings right back down into the cabinet.  If you ever re-do your kitchen.  I would get me one of them again in a heartbeat.  Very nice! 

Here is the topping mixture all ready to drizzle over the bread, hot from the oven.

Don't they look yummy right out of the oven.....

I had some batter left over so I filled a mini loaf pan.

If you use one of those Nordic pans, you will need to turn the little flowers out and you might need to trim the bottoms, so that lay flat.  I can't tell how good the kitchen smelled while I was drizzling them with the sugar glaze.

Karan, Helene, Dee & Mary.....love my besties!!!

Well doesn't that look yummy, wished I could have ate one too!  But glad my friends liked them!

Poppy Seed Bread Recipe Card 

If you print this out on card stock, it should be ready for your recipe box.

Celebrating Easter

What a special time of celebration with our church family this morning....then we enjoyed part of our family for lunch today.  And it was a beautiful day here in Iowa....80 degrees!  Can you believe it?  So wonderful to have our windows open and the birds are singing today!  

I found this piece of clip art recently, so sweet.  I have been making necklaces with clip art lately.  I used this for one of them.  I buy tiny little frames with slide glass in them at the craft store and I printed out a whole bunch of different pieces of clip art various sizes that I thought would be close to the size I needed, then printed it out on matte photo paper.  Auditioned the clip art and cropped them if I needed to, cut them out and put them in the frames.  Then I also bought ball chain necklaces that went with the finish on the tiny frames.  I also bought some word charms and added them too.  So very cute and inexpensive!  In the boutiques, these necklaces are $25-30.

The Easter buckets all ready for the hunt!

Kirsten all dressed up in her Easter finery, with my dolly bed not quite full of doll quilts, but I am working on that.  

My vintage postcard album, displaying some wonderful vintage Easter postcards!  Both of my grandmothers enjoyed doing ceramics, so I have quite of few of ceramic Easter eggs....such pretty colors!

In the footed candy dish, the red egg on top is hand painted and the marbled eggs below it are from the Amana Colonies.  I made them probably 30+ years ago out of furniture glue and dyes.  Check out the link, if you would like to order them for yourself!  It is a tradition brought from Germany.

All ready for our 16 guests!

A ceramic bunny with a sweet face done by my Grandma Thedens, a little knitted chick done by my Grandma Kullmer and I crossed stitched the eggs in the basket many years ago, still love them!

A dear friend, Karen, just gave me this little bib set and it came folded up in the little embroidered pocket.  So darling!  I have never seen anything like it.  She gave me two of them, the other one is embroidered in orange thread and is just as cute!  The pictures are of my Grandma Thedens as a baby/child.....love the hair bow!

The eight of the fifteen that were able to be with us today!  We ate lots of good food, hunted lots of eggs and ate lots of candy!  Good day all around!  Easter love to those who were with us today and those we were missing.  We love you ALL!!!!