Three Completed Projects!

Never before in the History of Jenny have three projects been completed within a week of each other! It truly is coincidence that the completion dates ended up so close, as I started Saw Tooth Star in Nov, Daisy Vest in Feb and the SAQA Challenge Quilt this month. It is a rush to actually complete anything, let alone three projects so close together-I’m on a high for the moment! Each year Studio Art Quilt Associates holds their major fundraiser, an on-line Benefit Auction. SAQA asks its members to create and donate quilt art that is one square foot. The auction begins in Sept and this will be the second piece I have donated. My inspiration was the Lily-of-the-Valley piece that I already completed and blogged about here, here, and here. This time I scaled it down to 12″x12″ and made a few design changes. I added a few beads around the border at the last minute and I’m happy with the added detail. I forgot to take photos of the back-dang.

As I worked this piece it took me back once again to being crouched in a flower bed of Lily-of-the-Valleys and ferns, surrounded by that bucolic mix of the smell of the moist earth and the heady fragrance of the lilies and the ferns. It is a sweet memory. I am embarrassed to write that I had to rush ship it to make the deadline. I always worry a bit about the safety of my quilts in transit and this time I came up with what I think is a good idea. I wrapped it tightly in “Press n Seal” before inserting it into the envelope-I think that will give it an extra measure of protection. I’ve chronicled the progress of Saw Tooth Star here, here, here, here and here. I had a lot of problems with the thread that were self-inflicted. This was supposed to be simple, a quick romp and problem free-it was none of those things but still I am pretty pleased with the final quilt. The piecing is far from perfect but I sure had fun doing feathers all over it! The border was fun and I am really happy with my choice of YLI Silk Sparkle thread-just enough to glimmer but not gaudy. It’s a bold move to put a contrasting thread in your bobbin, especially when the back reads solid-the stitches really show up. I bought the thread several years ago-it’s Clover silk with a label entirely in Japanese. It is the most luscious silk I have ever worked with-the spool was $35! I’m guessing it is 50 weight. I know, I know, and I put THAT in the bobbin! But I love backs like this! The sheen of this silk in the bobbin-mmmmm! I finished my Daisy Vest and I’m pretty pleased with the outcome. Next time I will probably carve that racer back out a little more. This is one of the details that I especially like-the arm scythe. Look at the very center of the photo and you will see a daisy that is not connected. This is not a grievous error but I’ll bet when I launder the vest that that daisy will curl up. Note how there are fuzzy threads all over the cut outs. I have no intention of tidying them up as I like the kind of Bohemian feel they give to the vest.

I’m going to have to reward myself for completing all these projects. Think I’ll start on some garments I have been itching to make for months……