unveiling my sister's quilt

Finally, after squealing and busting at the seams... Here's what I have been working on. A quilt for my little sister.

I used the yellow brick road pattern based on several recommendations from quilty friends. Kimbo actually picked out the fabric. She didn't know what it was for, though. I sent her a link to the Fat Quarter Shop and said "which one of these do you like best" and she picked it. She had to go through about 75 fat quarter bundles! I coordinated fabric to make up the rest of the FQs since the bundle only came with 15 and I needed 24. I had the blocks done and then... nada. The Texas Rubies retreat has been taking up a large chunk of my time the last week and a half. Co-op before that.

On Friday morning (as in the day before the shower), I laid out all the blocks and started flipping and turning them around and around until I got it balanced and just the way I liked it. My mom came over to get the big kids to take them to her house for the day. She said it in all it's unsewn - spread out on the vacuumed floor - glory. Then I "went to town" and started sewing that afternoon. Big P took 3 of the little ones to the Discovery science museum in Tyler and I started boogieing (that spelling was actually in my word check!). I decided to "chunk" this quilt and see if it came out straighter. It did! I also felt that it went together faster! Recently I listened to a podcast on documenting your quilt - so I asked Pete to take pictures of me sewing it and such. He's become Mr. Photographer ever since I let him switch the Nikon D60 to Auto. Isn't he cute! :D

I wrapped the quilt in a Keurig box. Kimbo wants a Keurig - I wanted to tease her. It worked. But I figured she would like what was in the box more - so it was justified. There were tears. Happy tears. I knew everyone would be giving her stuff she wanted and needed to make their home a happy home (a fed hubby is a happy hubby), but I wanted to give her something that she would LOVE because I love her! I'm excited with the way it turned out and will be taking it to the longarm quilter very soon. We already have a pattern picked out for the quilting: