Crazy Quilt - Olympic Dreams

I started this crazy quilt during the 2008 summer Olympics and finished it during the opening ceremonies for the 2010 winter Olympics, so I felt it was appropriate to name this quilt Olympic Dreams. Although it took me a couple years to finish, this quilt was really easy. One of the best things that I love about this quilt is that I only used fabric from my stash. The only thing I had to buy for this quilt was the batting. You can't get any better than that.

1. First cut 36 blocks of coordinating fabrics to 11 inch squares. (This is a great quilt to use random fabric from your stash.)
2. The quilt blocks are made by stacking 9 squares of random fabric and cutting them with random cuts using your rotary cutter. Repeat this 4 times until you have 4 unique stacks of blocks.
   
3. Once you have cut up the blocks, you rotate the pieces of the blocks until you have a different piece of fabric showing for each piece.
4. Next, sew the pieces of the block back together in the reverse order that you cut the pieces.
5. Once all the blocks are sewn back together, arrange the quilt in rows of 5 by 7. You will have one block left over, use it for a pillow or something fun. Sew the blocks into rows and then the rows together.
   
6. I used 6 inch strips to add a border to the quilt. Do what ever you like, make it your own.
7. Layer the quilt backing, batting, and top. Quilt however you desire. I machine quilted my using my regular sewing machine and a free style quilting foot.
   
8. Cut binding strips that are 2 1/2 inches wide and long enough to go around you quilt. Bind the quilt.
9. Enjoy your new crazy quilt.
   

• To keep the pieces organized, I took a 12 x 12 piece of paper, traced the block, and numbered the pieces. Then I pinned all of the pieces to the paper. This helps to ensure you keep the blocks in the order you have shuffled them. Place a safety pin the the top layer of each deck.
  

• When sewing the pieces back together, sew two pieces of one deck at a time. Don't cut the thread after you finish sewing a couple pieces of a block. Instead keep sewing off of the same pieces until you have created a chain. This helps to keep your pieces in a specific order. The safety pin will help to signify which piece belongs to the top block.
  

I machine quilted by wandering and placing a random star every once in a while.

FINISHED!!!

February: Love

I made these Valentine's crafts as examples for our Relief Society craft we are going to do in February.

We got the wood from the Wood Connection in Salt Lake.

First, I painted the wood. Next I traced the letters and cut out the scrapbook paper and mod podged it onto the wood. I also used mod podged as a glue for the craft glitter.

January: Snow

Skye-o place challenged people to learn new things and create something each month for 2010 with the theme. I'm going to take that challenge. January was easy. I had some wooden snowflakes I found on clearance at a store a few years ago which I never finished and always meant to. I just painted them white and blue and used craft glitter to add a little bit of sparkle. Nothing much, just easy and fun. Take the challenge and see what you can come up with.

January: Snow

February: Love

March: Green

April: Family

May: Flowers

June: Baby

July: Sunshine

August: Summer

September: Apples

October: Orange

November: Squares

December: Gifts

The Desire to Create

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Temple Square Pillow

For Chirstmas I made my Grandma a Temple Square Pillow. I was completely inspired to make this pillow. One Sunday I was trying to take an afternoon nap when the idea for this pillow came to me. I had to get up right then and start it. Two days later my grandpa ended up in the ICU in the hospital for weeks. I know I was inspired to make this for my grandma because of the hard time she was just about to have.


The pattern for this block comes from Susan M. Hinckley called Temple Square.

Mini Muffin Tin Advent Calendar

We created these great mini muffin tin advent calendars for Relief Society Enrichment. Each number hides a place in the tin with a candy inside. My daughter loved getting a new candy each day. This was a great way to show her how many more days were left until Christmas. The best thing about this calendar was that it was so easy. It can be done in under an hour.

We got the digital kit from Little Dreamer Designs: click here. I actually know the designer. She lives in my neighborhood.
The numbers were printed on photo paper at Costco.
We got sheets of thin craft magnets from Roberts.
We found the tins at Walmart for only $5.

Car Seat Tent

This week I made a Car Seat Tent for my baby. Although she is almost too old for it, I figured it is going to be cold for the next few months and the tent will keep her warmer. Also, it might keep many people from touching or coughing on her while we visit the stores and hopefully help to keep her from getting sick. Also, it is so much cuter than a blanket and blankets always fall off or make the handle hard to carry.

I got the fabric at Quilter's Haven, the top is Michael Miller and the bottom is Moda. I LOVE IT! It was so easy I am tempted to start making them for ETSY. I got the car seat tent tutorial from: infarrantly creative and the flower tutorial from: sew ritzy.