Thursday, March 24, 2011

It's finished!

I've been working on an I-Spy Quilt since February. It's going to be a surprise for a really good friend of mine. I can't wait to give it to her! It is NOT professional by any means, but I think it turned out really cute. I especially like the yellow corners, stitching and ties; I think it goes well with the denim. The only thing I bought for this quilt was the binding. I already had everything else at home. My goal this year is to use up all of the fabric I already have before I buy any more. (There! I put it in writing!)
Zoe and Gabe, my cute and crazy quilt holders.
Gabe was so amazed to see it all come together.
I really enjoyed having the kids watch me and help me as I worked on it.
Close up of one cornerI tried to get it all in one shot...

It's so satisfying to create something. Writing this post made me think of the talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: "Happiness, Your Heritage" . Here's just a part of this great talk:

"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—and I am not talking about the process of cleaning the rooms of your teenage children.

You might say, “I’m not the creative type. When I sing, I’m always half a tone above or below the note. I cannot draw a line without a ruler. And the only practical use for my homemade bread is as a paperweight or as a doorstop.”

If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.

If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. If you are not a mother now, the creative talents you develop will prepare you for that day, in this life or the next.

You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.

What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you—whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside.

If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create, write a letter of appreciation, learn a new skill, identify a space and beautify it.

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."

I really love this talk and I love Pres. Uchtdorf. Now I've started making pillows (LOTS of pillows!) for my bedroom and living room...

19 comments:

  1. I love that talk by President Uchtdorf and I love that quilt too! I have to finish all my current projects so I can start another one. I'm putting an eye spy quilt on my list of things to do.

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  2. That quilt is AWESOME!!! It's so cute! I love the yellow corners too :) I love reading your posts. I always come away feeling so good, thanks.

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  3. Last week I reviewed a book for a book club. I decided to make bookmarks. Not because it was required of me, but quite the opposite, because it was not expected. It felt so good to be creative. I quoted that talk to Lee. I have an extra bookmark, I'll give you one. It's nothing great, just something that I enjoyed doing because I wanted to.

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  4. I love it!! What a great idea!! On your earlier question about our green cookies, it was Kristi's recipe...yummy!!

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  5. I LOVE IT! This is on my to do list! Thanks for the fun idea! Any tips you could share for making one?

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  6. Kristi, I am a very novice quilt maker; this is only the 5th quilt I've ever made and only the 2nd quilt I have made with my rotary cutter. My rotary cutter is a must for all of these small pieces and exact sizes.

    That being said, I was SO careful to measure and cut the pieces the right size, but I don't think I was super careful sewing each seam the same width. I was close (within 1/8" -- all you professional quilters please have mercy!), but all those "close enough" seams added up to an inch or so difference in the length of each strip!

    So I will be much more precise in sewing the seams and I think I will connect it differently, maybe start with a square shape and add to it. The long strips were too hard for me to keep even all the way.... that was my experience.

    I would love some advice from someone more experienced with quilting... Dedra? Kate? Felicia?

    On my other post, I listed the measurements: 5" squares, with 2" x 5" strips of denim in between.

    I would love to see other I-Spy quilts too :)

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  7. I can legitimately say that quilt is GROOVY!! (I am a child of the 60s). I foresee many happy picnics and park days and family nights and Fourth of July nights ahead for that one. Well done. President Uchtdorf would be proud.

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  8. Great job! You started it in Feb? You are a fast quilter!!! I love the idea. I also love President Uchtdorf. His talks are so memorable and always seem to speak to something that I have been needing to hear.

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  9. Love it! My MIL makes I-Spy Quilts. And she will be teaching me to quilt sometime (eeek!). I am NOT crafty. So we'll see how it goes!

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  10. Acy! That is amazing! And you have so many talents. I am so glad you are my friend!

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  11. Love the quilt! love the strips of denim too! I made one levi quilt and swore off of them because I was so dang tired of cutting out the squares. For some reason the strips look like something I could tackle.

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  12. This is amazing! You are incredibly talented -- and patient, too, probably. Quilts are a very tedious task! Congrats on its completion. xo style, she wrote

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  13. P.S. I love love love any and everything I spy style. The quilt looks great! (I can't find the red apples.)

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  14. Thanks for all the comments :) It was really fun to make.

    Lora, do you have a rotary cutter? A MUST for thick fabric like denim.. it's awesome. You can borrow mine if you'd like.

    Becca, some of the items are a little tricky; there are three dark squares you can see -- they are navy blue with tiny red apples on them. I need to do another close up :)

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  15. BEAUTIFUL!! You did a fantastic job. You need to give me tips. All the quilts I make, I don't like. And end up falling apart at the seams :( But yours is amazing! Just like you! And YOU HAVE TO POST YOUR PILLOWS! I wanna see!!!

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  16. that quilt is amazing! you did a fantastic job. great that you can use up the fabric you have. you're so creative!

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  17. Jessica! YOU are my inspiration for the pillows :) I can't wait to show you.

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  18. Cool! What a fun idea and it turned out beautifully. And what a great friendship that you and Julie share. There is nothing like a really great friendship.

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  19. I love the quilt! What I really like is the written border with the stuff to look for on it. That is really clever!

    Nice job! (hopefully I will get around to posting what I have done lately, but am too lazy to get my camera out. :(

    I LOVE seeing other people's finished projects. It is such an inspiration to me to finish what I start.

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