More "Dear Jane"

If it's Wednesday, it must be Dear Jane Day (from the book Dear Jane, Brenda Papadakis, 1996).  Two more people have expressed interest in our little group.  Here are my blocks so far:

I made the block with the X in the morning.  Very easy, probably ten minutes.  I wanted to balance things out and also work on a more challenging block while the group was here.  The block at the bottom was the one I chose and it turned out to be a real stinker!  I cut out freezer paper diamonds but was VERY unhappy with the points.  When I do freezer paper applique, I baste the fabric to each paper pattern piece, applique, then remove the paper from the back side.  I could not make the points pointed!!!  .I studied the picture of the original in the book and finally figured out what to do.  I appliqued two sides of the diamond onto each of the quarters of the block.  Then I appliqued another colored piece on top of the other two sides of the diamond.  It worked!

The diamonds turned out nice and pointy.  After I sewed the four quarters together, I appliqued the square in the center of the block.

Dear Jane forces me to use a lot of different methods, a lot of problem solving.  Remember the size is only 4 1/2" finished.  But it's satisfying to solve the puzzle and have a pretty little block.......only 218 left to go.