Melons for Jane

C6 - Ashley's Aura

B12 - Starflower

Last week, I completed this Dear Jane block, B12 -Starflower. Had I made this block years ago, I would have created the "melons" as an applique. However, the Dear Baby Jane group just finished a couple blocks that created circles with a piecing technique taught by the group leader on her blog, Dear Baby Jane: A Quilt Journal. I adapted her machine-piecing technique for hand piecing. That experience gave me enough confidence to try hand piecing these melons and, I was very pleased with the result.
Years ago, I appliqued this block, C6 - Ashley's Aura. If I made it today, I'd hand piece it as I prefer the depth created by piecing -- versus the effect of melons floating on the surface. Hand piecing also creates much sharper points. As I recall, Jane's version of block C6 was pieced. O well. This is still a nice block.
PS. I redrafted Ashley's Aura several years later -- read about it here. 

See more melons on May 2.