Dear Jane - starting to stitch: G-7

Having decided that I will work from the centre outwards of the Dear Jane quilt, I started with block G-7.  In case you don't know already,  the block layout of this quilt is 13 x 13 blocks surrounded by a border of triangle blocks.  The centre of 13 x 13 blocks are known by their position reference in terms of row (letters A - M) and columns (numbers 1 - 13).  So G-7 is slap bang in the middle and it's where I make my first stitches.

Of course, G-7 couldn't have been a nice wee straight line pattern, could it?  No.  Quarter circles to begin with!  Well, it's a year of giving things a go, so I did.  In the end the curves were no different really from EPPing apple core curves.  It's the teeny weeny squares and rectangles that required the most patience.

My very first attempt at this block ended in a less than satisfactory result after adding the borders and cornerstones by EPP.  I had a quick rethink, pulled out the scissors and seam ripper and decided that perhaps I'd get a neater result if I trimmed the EPP block and added the borders and cornerstones by machine.  This time the finish was much better.  So, that'll be the plan from here on in.  A wee bit of EPP for the pieced blocks but tidying up with machine finishing.

I'm going to try to work my block colours in a sort of Around The World fashion in a diamond direction and this pretty orange print is one of my favourites from my selection so centre stage it is.  The background fabrics for all of my blocks will be a variety of white on white print designs, but the sashing fabric will all be one particular white on white print.

I've chosen this wavy line print from Simply Solids. It's called Ramblings Linea, and it's really lovely.  I hope you can see it on the photo.  I know that white on white prints are not everyone's cup of tea, though I think they might be slightly more acceptable now since the low volume vibe took hold.  Anyway, I thought the linear design on this print might work well on small sashing pieces.  Time will tell I guess.

Eager to keep going I moved on to my second block which begins like this -

but after all that weeny piecing I haven't made it any further yet.  My eyes are in need of recovery time!!

So, there you have it, my Dear Jane start.  Only small, but it's a start, right?