Dear Jane Sampler Quilt | 169 Unique Civil War Reproduction Blocks | Hand-Quilted by Amish Artisan Edith Yoder | 84" x 84" 

This is an amazing Dear Jane Quilt, made to replicate the Civil War masterpiece by Jane A. Stickle of Vermont whose wonderful 169-block quilt was so thoroughly documented in Brenda Manges Papadakis’s book "Dear Jane’s Cousin." The original 1863 quilt resides in the permanent collection of the Bennington Museum in Vermont. Because of light sensitivity and textile fragility, the museum only brings the original quilt out of dark archival storage for public exhibition once a year (traditionally during a limited autumn window from September through mid-October).

The quilt and the book inspired quilters who dubbed themselves "Janiacs" and banded together to try to make communal versions of this very challenging quilt. The quilt pattern was at one time named the pattern most likely to be started but never finished.

This is one of the communal quilts produced to replicate Jane Stickle's quilt. It was made in the late 1990s through a collaborative international block exchange assembled and completed by renowned Missouri quilter and quilt designer Raeann Lenzini who arranged for it to be meticulously hand-quilted by Amish artisan Edith Yoder in Pennsylvania. 

The way the international communal swap worked was that every quilter agreed to make a particular block 169 times then send all 169 blocks to the "hostess" at the international exchange, who would assemble the 169 blocks sewn by 169 different quilters then turn around and send each quilter a full set of the 169 blocks.

This particular Dear Jane quilt was assembled from hundreds of authentic Civil War reproduction cotton prints—including Turkey reds, double pinks, mourning prints, Prussian blues, madder browns, and delicate shirting calicos.  And organizer Raeann Lenzini ensured that no two cotton prints were ever the same, meaning every print in this quilt is used only once.

Once the 169 blocks were returned for this quilt, they were assembled by Raeann Lenzini, who also personally pieced the 52 intricate perimeter border "kites". The back is white cotton while the binding is chestnut brown cotton that has been machine stitched to the front and handstitched to the back. The batting is lightweight and thin.

CONDITION: The quilt is in excellent vintage condition. Please examine the photographs closely as they form an important part of the description.

Provenance & Construction
Project Lineage: Modeled directly after the 1863 Jane Stickle sampler (169 center blocks, 52 pieced triangular border "kites," and 4 corner blocks). 
Block Exchange: Created through an organized international maker exchange. Each participant drafted and pieced 169 identical copies of a single complex 5" pattern over the course of a year before swapping via a central coordinator to compile a completely unique set of 169 historical blocks. 
Finishing & Borders: The 52 intricate perimeter border "kites" and scalloped edges were drafted, pieced, and assembled by Raeann Lenzini. 
Hand Quilting: Individually hand-quilted in Pennsylvania by Edith Yoder, an accomplished Amish hand-quilter. Stitched with precise, fine hand-quilting stitches outlining the piecing and appliqué motifs, accented by traditional geometric background fills clearly visible against the whole-cloth backing. 
Dimensions: 84" × 84" (Generous Queen / Double coverlet size or substantial display hanging) 
Block Scale: 169 center blocks, each measuring exactly 5" × 5" 
Border: 52 pieced triangle kites and 4 corner motifs set into a graceful scalloped perimeter bound with dark navy contrasting bias tape 
Techniques: English paper piecing, miniature hand/machine piecing, fine needle-turn appliqué, and Amish hand quilting 
Fabrics: 100% fine cotton Civil War reproduction prints; whole-cloth white cotton backing 





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