In my notes for future deadlines, I had next week listed for the Kansas Art Quilters “Raising the Edge” show, so I set aside the fairy to make something for that. It needed to be only between 8 and 10 ” square, so was doable at that late date. These little pieces will be displayed flat in a case and could be up to an inch thick, so I added some beading.

This is made from a bit of commercial batik that looked to me like a reflected landscape. I defined that vision with the quilting in two colors of Sulky rayon. It finished at 9″ square and I have yet to finish the hand work on the binding. When I took a look at the prospectus to see about the sleeve requirements, I discovered that the date next week was actually the date that it should not be received BEFORE and the actual deadline is in April! So for once I am ahead of schedule!  May add some more beading…..

Meantime quilting on the fairy progresses. I thought I might finish it yesterday but it was so nice outside I spent part of the afternoon walking, sitting on the deck and planting three Knockout rose bushes. Today will not be quite as nice as yesterday which was 75 degrees!

Before that I quilted most of the morning and listened to CNN about the terrible devastation in Japan. I was quilting beautiful water while watching how destructive water can be! There are five different threads used in the water quilting, three metallics and two variegated cottons.  I finished off three spools which will make more room in my storage space!

I am trying hard to not put so much quilting on this one. I decided to use a silver Sulky metallic on her wings which worked well I think. I used a Metallica needle so it all went very smoothly.

I thought it might be fitting to carry on the fantasy metallic look into the foliage since I had a nice green Madiera Jewel that I seem to recall was fun and easy to work with. WRONG! I had this section nearly finished, it looked great on the front, but then I looked on the back! The tension was terrible and the whole thing needed to be removed.

That took way longer to do than the quilting did in the first place!! I tightened the tension to where I got nice stitches on the back but then the thread kept breaking. I kept adjusting the tension, but never did get it to work without breaking so I limited that thread to only this particular leaf fabric and it took all day just to do that!

Finally, the handwork on the binding of Prairie Fire is finished, and I photographed it yesterday. I need to find or make a stick to hang it from and get it into place in the living room!  I love how the hand dyes from Ghana worked in the hills! It ended up measuring 70.5 X 26″.

I’ve spent parts of the last two days layering, pin basting and getting started on quilting the Foxglove Fairy.   Here she is ready to be quilted:

So far she, plus three of her wings are finished. Today should see progress on the background.

I went to bed on Feb 28 and woke up in March! February is like that but I forgot; what a rude awakening, especially since I had a Mar 1 deadline to deal with. That took all day but I think I made it in time.

Back to the fairy, I finished her up yesterday. Did a little tweaking and sewed the final seams. I meant to get a final picture before doing the pin basting, but I forgot, so I will get a photo today before I start on the quilting.

In the meantime here is one before those last seams were sewn.