Faced with Challenge

The 'Bloomin' challenge is coming along nicely. Not an art piece, but certainly an interesting use of the challenge fabric, and (most importantly...) within my comfort zone.

It didn't look like there were a large number of Diamond challenge quilts turned in at the Guild meeting Monday. The 8 best are submitted to AQS, and I wasn't sure I saw 8 in the turn-in pile, which makes me wonder if they all just automatically move on if they met the challenge criteria? (There is no way they could have possibly sent mine, even if it were the only one.). I tried to sneak a peak, but they were all in big Ziploc bags, with the good side folded in. I would have liked to see a couple just to assure myself that I was truly out of my league. Guess I'll have to wait until April, but I'm confident that they are all works of art quilting that I can only aspire to at this point in my limited experience. (And I made a note to find some art quilting classes.)

(I'm watching American Idol while I'm typing/sewing/reading email, and it's painful (second girl contestant). I almost want to turn it off. When the audience is all clapping and cheering, and booing when Randy says the performance was 'excruciating'  it makes me wonder what kind of drugs they inject them with on their way in the door (and where do I sign up).)

So after a couple of hours, I've got this to show for my Challenge efforts:

Yep, got a bit of paper piecing going on tonight. Still need to construct 8 more blocks and then trim them up before bed. I'm on a mission to complete a few things this month. This would be one thing

And I'm hanging this applique in the Guild's quilt show, which means I need to sandwich, back and quilt (and embellish with a few crystals). It's hand applique, from a class I took in my quest for future Baltimore greatness (yeah, that's in line in front of Dear Jane greatness, but still behind Art Quilt greatness).

And just in case I didnt' bite off more than I can comfortably chew, I also entered the convergence quilt. I figured that's the only way I'd actually get it quilted and bound. At least it's sandwiched and pinned, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Well, enough for tonight. I need to get back to work on the paper pieces. Check back tomorrow or Friday to check my progress.