Dear Baby Jane: C-3

Block number/name: C-3 “Rayelle’s Fence”

Date completed: April 11, 2008

Number of pieces: 25

Notes on block: This one was tough. It seemed like it needed a different approach from the other pieced blocks I’ve done because of all of the seams. Usually, I handpiece the way I would machine piece—make small units and then attach those units together to make a big unit. But I also know that part of the happy goodness of handpiecing is liberation from such method. But there’s still a method. I just don’t know exactly what it is. So I looked about on the Interweb for advice, and didn’t find any inspiration. I finally decided to try it in the same way that I make my hexagon flowers—start in the center and work outwards.

It was awkward. And after every seam, I would look at it and say, “This so isn’t going to work. I should stop right here and start over.” (By about the 5th seam, my husband was looking at me rather askance—because I was actually saying this aloud.) But I guess some part of me (the optimist? or maybe the masochist?) just couldn’t let go. And so I completed the block. And it was truly ugly (as you can see below).


But, the iron is my friend. And it pressed out, not beautifully, certainly far from perfect, but pretty well. And, amazingly, almost at 5” square. And so I’ll keep it –mostly because it was an experiment. Even though it’s not one that I’ll be trying again (at least, not in exactly the same way), it was a good experiment.