12x12x12 Challenge - January

During this year for the 12x12x12 Challenge with the Quilt Studio Group, I've decided to tackle my own "Dear Jane®" project. I'm challenging myself to learn more about piecing, appliqué, and quilting - in a more traditional sense!

I must confess that I really don't know where I'm going with this project. My goal is to work my way through the blocks, doing at least four of them each month. This month, starting at the top left hand corner, the top row - Uncle Homer and Mother's Point and bottom row - Florence Nightingale and Chicken tracks. For this block I chose a dark Asian print and light fabric.

The light fabric that I chose has an embossed circle on it that I thought might be too big for the blocks but it seems to work. I'm trying to decide if I run to the fabric store and buy a few yards to use as the only light fabric I use throughout the year.


The nine patch in the Chicken Tracks block are 1/2 inch squares. The precision cutting and sewing is definitely a change for me and clearly a left-brain activity! I enjoyed the process and felt confidant that if I followed the rules and executed the sewing like I was suppose to everything would turn out just fine.

In 1991 Brenda Papadakis began her research of a quilt completed by Jane Stickle in 1863. The quilt was approximately 80 inches square and had 169 blocks, 52 triangle pieces and 4 corner kites.

I don't know how long it took Jane to complete her quilt. I'm committing to do a minimum of 48 blocks - and I have a sewing machine and immediate access to all kinds of of sewing notions!