“Insanity” stitches begin

After a long 4 years from the beginning stitch of this quilt it is on the quilting frame and stitches have begun.  It will be a process that will take anywhere from six months to a year most likely as we will be traveling now and then and breaks are always taken from fingers getting sore.  Breaks are also taken because I start more projects than I can finish quickly and I drop activity on one project to work on another.  I made a good start quilting today.    I loaded the quilt top side first to be quilted and I am quilting from what is the top right corner first.  I am putting as much quilting as I can in this quilt as I feel it will hold up better that way.  Each block, triangle and corner will be quilted in it’s own unique way to go with the pattern.  I am doing a geometric design on the plain triangles all the same.  The thread I am using is called King Tut quilting thread.  This is a variegated thread in a shade called “Autumn Days” it is yellow, orange, red, and green.  I thought because this quilt has so many different colors in it that this thread would go well and so far I love it.   I have already put almost 2 hours of quilting on it today and really have not gotten that far!  I am a slow hand quilter although a persistent one.  I only quilt for about 30 to 45 minutes at each sitting.  I get up frequently to take breaks and stretch and do other things.  I am a great believer in if you sit too long at the quilting frame you get more aches and pains then you should have.  I really do not know how people sit so long without taking breaks – but then my girls have told me that I am hyperactive     LOL I guess that is where my grandson gets it from!  I have read different articles where it states that so and so quilter spends 8 hours a day quilting! I could never do that I have too many other things that I like to do as well.

I will keep you all up to date with progress and pictures along the way.  Some of these will be printed out and taped into my journal.  Not all Dear Janers keep a journal of the journey through the dear Jane quilt but a lot do.  I have kept track from the beginning of how many pieces are in the quilt, time taken piecing, and interesting things that have happened along the way in family life and places we have seen.  I will do the same for the quilting.  Where I stand right now with the quilt is 487 hours 45 minutes of making the top, and 4928 pieces of fabric in the quilt.  The top took 3 years and 3 weeks to complete (of course I made I don’t know how many other quilts along the way and finished them).  Lets see how long it takes now to quilt it 

The very first photo in the top left hand corner is at 8:15 this morning still in my robe and hair not done therefore I am not shown in the photo LOL, getting those first long awaited stitches in the quilt.

EDITED:  I forgot to mention at the top that this is my daughters birthday — I started the Dear Jane on her birthday 4 years ago and that is why even though it was ready to quilt almost a year ago, I delayed putting it on the quilting frame for several reasons one of which was to finish other projects but besides that it was even though it might have been a silly reason — I wanted to start quilting it on the anniversary of when I started to piece it – which was on my daughter’s birthday – so happy birthday Mel – and yes one day after I get to enjoy it for awhile this quilt will be yours – I know you have been coveting it for some time!