Quilting with clay and paper

Yesterday I attended a high school graduation party for my neighbor.  On a table filled with pictures of the beautiful graduate, there was also this:

Isn't it wonderful?  She made it out of clay in 5th grade, and won first prize in an art contest with it.  If I were the judge, I guarantee I'd have voted for it, and I haven't even seen the other 5th graders' work!  I love it!

But that wasn't all the quilty goodness to be had at that party!  For her graduation present, her mom made a signature quilt for her. 

I've never seen this paper-pieced block before, but isn't it neat?  Does anyone else see little spread-eagle people standing head to head and foot to foot when they see this? (granted, the people SHARE a head...) 

And her piecing is so PRECISE!  I know that is the whole point of paper piecing, but when I do it, my seams still never really line up.  The top left corner features her kindergarten (or is it first grade?) photo, and the bottom right hand corner features her senior picture.  It is signed by all her classmates (there were only 14 of them) AND by every teacher she's ever had.  What a keepsake!

What talented neighbors I have!

Who needs sleep?

Not me! Donald's joy at seeing his completed signature quilt, ready to be delivered to his departing student teacher today at her going away party, cleared the cobwebs from my head that lingered after getting less than 4 hours of sleep.

I just hope I don't nod off in the middle of something important...ZZZZZzzzzzzz.....

Signed...and partially sealed

Donald collected all the signatures at school on Monday, and I spent Monday evening rearranging and putting the top together. Here's what I finally came up with: (and yes, I said "I"; Donald deserted me to watch TV, the little stinker!)




Then on Tuesday, I sandwiched it and started quilting it with straight lines outlining the diagonal blocks using my walking foot. I am almost done quilting, but not quite because I had to go back to work to speak on a panel on College Access for Underserved Populations last night, and then had to read applications until 11 PM. Ugh! Busy season at work, yet again!!!



I had to come back to work again tonight, and I will be taking files home to read again, but I am determined to finish quilting and attached the binding tonight, because this baby has to be delivered on Friday - the student teacher's last day. Wish me luck (and copious amounts of caffeine!).