Rajah and what was I thinking
For some reason, I decided I would work on the Block of the Month offered by The Quilt Show annually. The first one was a Sue Garman paper pieced star quilt—the center made and the fabrics and patterns neatly sequestered in a nice hinged plastic box. The next one was Rajah, a quilt made by convicted women on their way to Australia. My version was not nearly so complicated and considerably smaller. The designer/re-creator of the pattern suggested starting with something I liked—and so I did. I surrounded it with some indigo dyed fabrics and some from Africa. It is now quilted and in line for the binding process.
On the left side you can just barely see one of my favorite fabrics–a batik made with circles of color overdyed with black. There are two giraffes facing the dancing woman (also a batik). Those were done pantograph style using my hand-drawn giraffe. Unfortunately I used the raw measurements of the area they are in–not the finished sizes—–but it is done.
I think I skipped one or two Block of the Month but then once again decided I would make the next one regardless of its requirement for paper piecing or applique—-and it was Afternoon Delight—a combined pieced—-TINY ITSY BITSY pieces—and applique. But that is now done, quilted, bound and I am putting on the sleeve and the label—all ready for the next local quilt show—where it will win no prized except for tenacity in taking on a project that challenged my skills.
Sylvia Weir Art 