What is YOUR best work?

In last Thursday's post, I wrote about my Great Grandma and a newspaper article that called her apple head dolls her best work. Ever since, I've been wondering what set of standards you use to pick someone's best work.  Is it the hardest one, the one that's the most technically perfect, or the one with the most pieces?

Ten years ago, I would have said without hesitation that this was my best work. I've stitched other larger cross-stich designs, but this one is framed and was the easiest one to grab and photograph. The pattern, in case anyone is interested, is Ironwork Gate by Graphs by Barbara & Cheryl.

I've made quilts that I absolutely love, lots of them. Over time, quilts that were my absolute best work have been replaced by others. Some of those "best quilts" have been completely forgotten until I went to pull something else out of a closet and saw them again. My best quilt tends to be whatever I've just finished.

And then there are a few things that I just can't explain. Like my Endpaper Mitts. It's hard to see the colorwork in this picture, but it's there. And I got gauge, so they fit. But today I couldn't do colorwork to save my life. This is my one and only success.

And there are the lace shawls. A few of those could definitely qualify as "best work."

I think that there's some luck involved with what turns out to be our best work once all is said and done. Maybe it's just what survives the years, what our loved ones still like after all that time, and what conjures up the best memories.  So what's your best work?  Weekly Stash Report  Fabric Used this Week: 0 yards Fabric Used year to Date: 17 1/2 yards Added this Week: 0 yards Added Year to Date: 102 3/4 yards Net Added for 2014: 85 1/4 yards Yarn Used this Week:  0 yards Yarn Used year to Date: 6675 yards Yarn Added this Week: 0 yards Yarn Added Year to Date: 4210 yards Net Used for 2014: 2465 yards
This post is linked to Patchwork Times.