Design Wall Monday - May 7, 2018

My design wall is still empty, but the Jane Stickle Quilt will soon be appearing on it.  I have only three more blocks to make!!!  Here is a picture of the last corner kite I made on Sunday:

The last three - I can hardly believe it.  This quilt was started on 9-11-2001.  I had recently bought Brenda Papadakis's book "Dear Jane", and was reading it when that terrible day unfolded.  I remember watching the television in disbelief.....as an airplane hit one of the towers of the World Trade Center.....and then an airplane hit the other tower.  My husband was managing some large building construction projects, and was flying in airplanes every week.  I got several calls from friends asking if he was flying that day.  He wasn't, but he was scheduled to fly later in the day.  But of course, all flights were cancelled after the tradegy and I hugged him tightly that night.  It was such a powerful feeling that day....."We are at war".....and as I read Brenda's book, I understood a little of what all women who were waiting at home during the Civil War were feeling.  

I wasn't quilting very much then, but started slowly collecting fabrics to make the Jane Stickle Quilt.   About a year later, I went to visit the quilt at the Bennington Museum in Vermont.  I was fascinated by Jane's beautiful quilt and sat in front of it with my folder of prospective fabrics, comparing them to the originals.  I remember someone asking me that day....."Why don't you make your own quilt, of your own design, instead of copying someone else's quilt?".........I didn't know why, but I wanted a quilt just like Jane's.....or as close to hers as I could make it.  I know I didn't answer her, but I was thinking of saying...."Why don't you mind your own business?".....and that wouldn't have been very nice.

That love of Jane's quilt, and copying it has taught me many, many things....scale of prints........value/contrast of colors.........how to applique......how important the 1/4 inch seam is.......all about cutting, piecing, pressing.....I could go on and on.  It really is "Quilting 101" and has taught me so much.   Now as I am nearing the end of making the blocks, I am feeling some nostalgia.

What is on your design wall today?  I am looking forward to spending some time looking at everyone's pretty pictures this week, as I didn't get to look at them for very long last week.  Thank you for linking up!

As usual, I ask that you link to this particular post, and not just to the generic blog web address.  Please link to:

http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2018/05/design-wall-monday-may-7-2018.html

Happy Monday everyone!

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