Vermont Quilt Festival - The Dear Jane Exhibit!

Since the temps have been in the 90's, with full humidity, and my brain has turned to mush......I totally forgot that I hadn't finished posting about the Vermont Quilt Festival!  Sheesh!  Seriously......I was never meant to live in this kind of heat and sweaty mess!  Ugh!

One of the special exhibits at the show was 'Dear Jane Through the Years' honoring the 150th year since Jane Stickle finished her quilt in 1863.  Author of the Dear Jane book, Brenda Papadakis gave a lecture tour of the quilt exhibit!  Awesome!

Here are most of the Dear Jane quilts......some were just too blurry to post.  Notice how different border treatments and colors change the whole look sometimes!  Fun!  Enjoy!

 "No Pain, No Jane" by Cindy Garcia, Racine, Wisconsin.

 "Infinite Gratitude" by Deborah Semel Bingham, New York, New York.  "This quilt was made in 2011 for Joanna Semel Rose in thanks for her exhibition, Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts.  Thirty six quilters worked together for nine months, in time for her 81st birthday.  We knew this was one quilt design she did not have in her vast collection!"

"Kitschin' Jane" by Amy Ronis, New York, New York.  "I wanted elements of humor, surprise and "kitsch" in my version of Jane.  I viewed each block as an individual design challenge, and looked for "kitsch"  worth images, prints and iconic midcentury designs - a passion of mine.  Even Elvis makes two appearances in the quilt."

"Not Perfect Jane" by Goldie Morrow, Rumney, New Hampshire.  "I started the quilt in 2000, finished the center in 2006, and completed the borders and scalloped edge in 2012.  I loved the challenge of making this quilt that took me 12 years to finish!"

"Sentimental Journey" by Carol Archuleta, San Ramon, California.  "I started the quilt with Brenda in 2003 and finished it in 2011.  (Brenda shared some of her dear friend Rebecca's indigos with me.)  Indigo fabrics used are 1800's repros, some no longer available.  It was hand quilted, each scallop different, and made in loving memory of Rebecca, my mother Rose, and my husband Robert."

"Nancy's Dear Jane" by Nancy Ritter, Oakley, California.  "It has been a 4 1/2 year journey making Dear Jane and another year being hand quilted by the Amish.  It was a great diversion through a long illness from which I have recovered."

"In Our Time (aka Technicolor Jane)" by Judy Doenias and Diane Rode Schenck, New York, New York.  "We started our quilt in 1999 as a class sample at The City Quilter in New York.  We had no great plans and no goals in mind.  We weren't certain we'd ever finish it!  We chose colors we love!  Fourteen years later, our classes are still going strong and Jane's quilt continues to amaze and inspire us!"

"Empty Nest" by Linda Reid, Danville, CA.  "After seeing a Dear Jane quilt at PIQF, I knew I wanted to make one.  The opportunity came when a group was started by our local guild.  I used an around the world color placement and extended the triangles into the scalloped edge.  Empty Nest is my first hand quilting attempt and my legacy."


.......JoAnne.....check this one out!  :o)

"The Spirit of Jane Stickle" a group quilt.  "The Spirit of Jane was made by 225 members of the Dear Jane Internet group and quilted by an Amish mother and daughter.  It was presented to Brenda at the first Dear Jane Gathering at VQF 2000."

"Never Say Never" by Laura Fraga, San Ramon, CA.  "I finished my first DJ Quilt in 2002.  In 2009, I started a DJ mini group at my guild.  I began a 2nd DJ so I could work along with the group.  The best part of making a Dear Jane quilt is the friendships that have blossomed."

"Newfangled Jane!" by Gwen Nishida, Irvine, CA.  "Jane's masterpiece has been turned on it's traditional head with the bright, saturated colors and large prints of Kaffe Fassett.  Inspired by a German quilt group, I took this journey one block at a time, learning techniques and having fun with color as I moved along."  Machine quilted by Judi Madsen.

"Birthday Jane" by Kerry Marksbury, San Diego, CA.  "My journey with Jane started in April 2011 with 25 of the blocks given to me by quilting friends for my 50th birthday.  In April 2011, I met Brenda and attended her class at Asilomar.  It was completed in March 2013, in time for a third trip to Brenda's class."

"In Time of Recollection" by Karan L. Flanscha, Cedar Falls, IA.  "My Dear Jane quilt was the beginning of a wonderful journey.  Every stitch in my quilt is by hand.  I started the original Dear Jane support group, and helped Electric Quilt create the software.  I have met friends from all over the world because of our mutual love of Jane Stickle's sampler quilt."

"Mini Jane" by Barbara Larson, Chaska, MN.  "I knew I wanted to make a Jane using Civil War colors, and I did not want a large quilt.  At a Dear Jane retreat, Claire Baker shared her Dear Jane with 2" blocks.  I loved it and knew that was how I would make her."

2" blocks!!!!!!!!

"Happy Birthday, Jane" by Deb Kloss, Minneapolis, MN.  "Happy Birthday Jane was made of blocks swapped over a five year period with members of the Dear Jane email list.  These blocks were made in thirties prints and swapped in the month of April (Jane's birthday is April 8).  I love them all!  Quilted by Keri Schell."

"Shipshewana Rose" by Edith Shanholt, Elkhart, IN.

"Amish Buggies" by Nancy Hayes (deceased), Cedar Falls, IA.



My next post will be the rest of the show!  I hope everyone is tolerating this weather better than I am!  I feel like a big sweaty mess!  Let's all hope the weather turns on Sunday as predicted!  :o)

Stay cool!!!

regan