the big reveal

My life has been the challenge quilt.

Come home from work, throw together dinner, sew.

Repeat.

Easter weekend I didn't get nearly as much done as I wanted, and when Monday afternoon at work was slow, I asked to take personal time.

Those extra four hours allowed me to complete my challenge quilt early.  And have time the next few days (before getting a cold...yuck) to get the basics of housecleaning done again!

So, here's a photo journey of the quilt to completion:

 (the fabrics, etc.)

 (help from my little sister)

 (scary with the drawing)

(but it came out okay!)

 (border)

 (deep breath and...cut!)

 (making it square again)

 (another deep breath and quilt!)

 (that didn't take so long...2.5 hours...)

Ta da!

"Under the Microscope"

You probably can't see them without blowing the photo up, but each organism is labelled and the "sticky notes" in the bottom right corner identify each one.  They're all real bugs.  Ones you're familiar with even if you don't know their scientific names.

Thursday night was the due date for my guild and we had 9 quilts to choose from.  Only 8 can go, but one wasn't quite finished.  Binding and whatnot.  So we had to vote.  That was by far THE HARDEST vote I've ever made.  And probably ever will have to make.  The unfinished quilt didn't make the cut and the makers (sisters) were understanding and gracious about it.

Today, in a short while, I have to go get it photographed for the official submission to AQS.  Fingers crossed that we'll get in, but I know it's a long shot.  The other quilts were amazing.  We had "Down Under," a second down under, but it was under the ocean in Australia with diver silhouettes and such, "Under the Influence" (very 70's), "Under the Bridge" of an awesome knotty bridge, "Under the Membership" with a very nice saying about our group and the love we share coupled with a lighthouse, "Under the Tuscan Sun" with chickens dancing on a background that reminded the maker of Tuscany and and "Under Cover" that was a little girl who made a tent using a quilt and chairs that is 3D so you have to lift the quilt to see what's going on.  What didn't go was "Under the Old Oak Tree" which was very neat with all sorts of summery things going on under a big old oak tree.

And I went looking for that bridge, as she said there were a number.  This blog post talks about them - go look because they're amazing.  And not made of wood!

Now I have a big list of other things to complete, among them catching up on my block challenge blocks, so off to sew and play.  Yesterday was the worst day of the cold and today I feel mostly like myself.  Though I'll probably need a nap...

Happy quilting!

Katie