Christmas Cookies 2010

So these were the yummy treats we left for Santa this year. Clock wise from the top, Rolo Cookie, Yummy Lemon Cookie, Magic Cookie Bars.

The Rolo Cookies were a new treat this year. I got the recipe from my friend Terisa at work and the kids loved them. We had lots of fun making them.

The Yummy Lemon Cookies is a recipe from my sister Julie. They are so easy to make and are a favorite of my sweet husband!

The Magic Cookie Bars are a long time favorite from my childhood. I remember my mom making these every Christmas and it was fun to make them for my kidos!

I will post each recipe individually over the coming days. I have been having Internet problems so I am late on getting these posted but I hope that now that the major storm has passed our neck of the desert things will get better!

I will also be posting instructions on how to make the 3D snowflakes as promised from my family blog.

Also for 2011 I will be making monthly posts on my favorite tools or helpful hints that I have discovered over the years! I am really excited to share these with you.

Have a wonderful and safe New Years Celebration!!!
CCG

Our Favorite Neighbor Christmas Gift

This year for our neighbor gifts (as well as Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching families gifts) we decided to go with our families favorite tradition, the bottle of sparkling juice and poppers. I decided to update it this year and called my friend Shelley and asked her to design us a tag for our bottles. I gave her the basic ideas and then she took it from there and made it FABULOUS!

So I bought a case of sparkling juice, bags of poppers, and curling ribbon and printed out the tags and Costco and went to work! I put a popper on a string for each member of the family and then attached it and the tag to the bottle with the curling ribbon. Then curled all the ribbons and Wa-lah!!! Instant fabulous neighbor gift for a New Years Celebration!!!

Now that fireworks are legal in Arizona I think I might include a few sparklers next year!!!

Christmas Sewing

I have been a very busy crafty girl this Christmas season. I wanted to share with you what I had been up to but had to wait till after Christmas as these gifts were for my family and I did not want to ruin the surprise! Some of my Christmas presents this year were monogrammed gifts. I had so much fun designing these and sewing them on my embroidery machine.

I also learned a new technique on my sewing machine, Pin Tucking!!! I bought myself an early Christmas present. A twin needle and a pin tucking foot. I had a little trouble learning how to double thread my machine but after I got the trick and the right thread (you must use the same brand and type of thread or this project is VERY frustrating!!!) it was a breeze. Now I just want to find another project to use pin tucking on!!!

What We are Having For Dinner Tonight

Crockpot Rotisserie-Style Chicken

1 whole chicken, skinned (4-5 pounds)
2 tsp kosher salt (if you like it as salty as at the store add 1 more tsp)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of chili pepper
4 whole garlic cloves (optional)
1 yellow onion, quartered (optional)

Directions

Skin the chicken and remove items from the cavity of the bird as well as the neck.
In a bowl combine all dried spices.
Rub spice mixture all over bird, inside and out.
Place bird breast-side down in crockpot.
If desired place garlic and onion side bird.
DO NOT ADD WATER!!!!!!!!

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8 hours in a 6 quart crockpot for a 5 pound bird. The meat is done when it is fully cooked and has reached desired tenderness. The longer you cook it, the more tender the meat.

To find this and other great crockpot recipes go to my favorite cooking blog Here
A Year of Slow Cooking is one of the best crockpot blogs out there!!!

Our Favorite Saturday Morning Breakfast!

This is a recipe that I grew up on and have used with my little family. It is a Saturday (or Sunday if you don't have 8 am church) morning favorite around here. Sorry about the bad picture. This is what we call German Pancakes or I have also heard them called Monster pancakes.

German Pancakes

6 Eggs

1/4 cup Butter

1 tsp Salt

1 cup Milk

1 cup Flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter into 11X7 baking pan and place in oven while preheating. Place all six eggs in blender and "liquefy" until all the eggs are blended. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Remove pan from oven and pour mixture from blender into pan and bake for 30 min. This will rise a lot while in the oven and then deflate when you take it out. Serve with syrup, powdered sugar and some fresh fruit if desired. Sooo Yummy!!!

Makes approximately 6 servings (If you only have one helping!)

Sometimes I add a little vanilla for a different taste.

Enjoy!!!

CCG

What We Had For Dinner Tonight

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg (6oz) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes with liquid in medium bowl. Add garlic and stuffing mix and 1/2 cup water; stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside.

Place chicken in 13 X 9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture.

Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 6 servings.

This was a huge hit with the whole family!!! It is super quick, super easy, and super yummy!!!

Enjoy!!! CCG

Sew I've Been Keeping This Under Wraps!

I have been dying to post this picture for months now!!! As many of you know I am a pattern tester for Jona Giammalva, a pattern designer and fabric store owner (and fun friend too!!). Here is her latest creation, The Sunny Scallop Dress. I had soooo much fun working on this pattern test. I wanted to use some fabric that could be great for the 4th of July and other occasions as well. The dress is fully lined and soooo beautiful!!! You can see all of Jona's new patterns HERE. Have a great weekend!!
CCG

My Cutified Laundry Room

So earlier this year I had a contest to see who could give me a super cute quote to put up in my laundry room. As a family we chose our two favorite quotes and the winners received a prize.
Well I decided to go with only one quote and to put it on my middle cabinet instead. I really love how it turned out!!!
I had my friend Shelley over at Simply Words Online.com make up the vinyl letters for me and I think it turned out sooooooo great. (Shelley always does such an awesome job!!! Thanks Shelley!!!)

I left the laundry room doors open all day just so I could stare at it!!!! (Crazy I know but I am the Crafty Camper Girl!!).

Anyway look for another fun post soon on how I solved my kids tooth brush problem!!!

2 Skirts for $4

I got a call from a friend who told me about a sale on fabric for $2 a bolt. I jumped in my car and ran over and picked up some super cute fabric. So I was able to make myself and my sweet little girl matching skirts (I know again!!) for $4!!!!! This is one of my favorite patterns, the Edith Twirl Skirt from my friend Jona at Fabritopia.com. My sweet little girl wore this skirt four Sunday's in a row. (It's a good thing we were out of town for two of those weeks, people might start to think she has no clothes).
She just loves to tell everyone that we have matching skirts and then she twirls around to show them!!!! I love having a little girl.

What We Had For Dinner Tonight

Stove Top Apple Pork Chop Skillet

1 TBL Oil

4 boneless pork chops, 1/2 inch thick

2 Granny Smith apples, chopped

1 cup apple juice

2 cups Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken in the canister

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chops and apples; cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove pork chops from skillet.

Add juice to skillet. Stir in stuffing mix just to moisten. Top with chops; cover. Cook on low heat 10 minutes.

This is a super yummy dinner that is super easy to make. I usually have all the ingredients in the pantry/freezer so it is a great last minute dinner idea.

Enjoy!!!

CCG

Mr. Crafty Camper's First Post, The "Scotty Potty"

So now for his first guest appearance Mr. Crafty Camper will give his tutorial on our favorite latrine accessory. (When you camp as much as we do you like to have a few creature comforts!!) So Mr. Crafty Camper adapted an idea from a friend of ours and made us this little gem!!!


The "Scotty Potty" - in honor of our friend.

First start with a tube framed folding chair like the one above. I found this one at Goodwill for $3. Turn the chair over and remove the screws from the seat. Once the screws are removed the tabs pull out and you can remove the padded seat.





Go to your local hardware store and pick out your favorite toilet seat. For added comfort you could pick the padded version. :) To reduce the number of purchases, cut the existing white tabs from the bottom of the seat. You can see in the picture were I made my cuts. Keep the screws and white plastic tabs for later use. The top of the seat can be tossed (or decorated if you enjoy toilet seat decorations). If you don't want to cut the white plastic tabs, then you will need to find shorter screws to attach the seat to the chair frame. The last thing you want is to be poked in the bottom when you use this contraption.

Take the toilet seat and line it up over the tube frame. Use the metal tabs that the seat came with to secure the new seat. You may need to slightly bend the tabs prior to drilling or screwing to make sure the seat fits level. Decide where you want to attach the seat to the metal clips and then after everything is level, drill the holes in the metal clips only. Line the toilet seat up again and mark the holes from the tabs on the toilet seat so you pre-drill the toilet seat in the correct locations. Drill about 1/4 inch into the toilet seat. Be careful not to drill to far or you will go all the way through the seat.

Use the original screws and the white tabs from the toilet seat and screw them all together. The screw should go through the white plastic tab, then the metal tab, then into the pre-drilled holes in the toilet seat. Make sure they are firm, but do not over screw them or you could break the plastic tabs (spacers).

You are done. Clean up the mess so Mrs. Crafty Camper doesn't get mad at the mess you left for her to clean. Either dispose of the left over parts, or keep them around for some unknown upcoming project.


I hope you enjoyed this funny tutorial from my sweet husband, Mr. Crafty Camper!!! We took this contraption to Girls Camp with us and it was a huge hit!!! The girls thought it was so funny but after they used it they loved it (especially the padded back)!!! I think we are going to have to make another one for camp next year.

Let us know if you make one and send us pics!!!
Also check out the "Bathroom Box" post, it is the perfect companion to the "Scotty Potty"

CCG

Chicken Chinese Salad

I brought this salad to a little pot luck dinner last night and everyone loved it!!!! I got this recipe from my college roommate Heidi K.'s step mother Susan L. and adapted it for my families preferences. It is soooo very yummy and a great lunch or dinner during the hot summer months!!! Enjoy! (I did not have a pic of the salad but found this one that looks a lot like this recipe, I just don't like to do a post without a pic!)

Chinese Chicken Salad

Salad:

1/3 pound maifun rice noodles

2 chicken breasts

1 head lettuce (shredded)

3 green onions (sliced at an angle)

1 cup celery (thinly sliced)

1 small cucumber (seeded and thinly sliced)

3 TBL spoon toasted sesame seeds

3 TBL spoon toasted almonds (slivered)

Dressing:

6 TBL spoons sugar

7 TBL spoons rice vinegar

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup oil

Directions:

Break apart rice noodles and deep fry a small amount at a time in hot oil. Noodles will fry within seconds and will be white and crisp when done. Drain and set aside.

Mix all of the dressing ingredients in a bottle, shake well and set aside.

Cook chicken breasts. They can be steamed, boiled or roasted which ever you prefer. Cool, shred, and then add about 1to 2 TBL spoons of the dressing mix to the chicken and set aside.

Toast almonds and sesame seeds. (Be careful, they will brown quickly)

Cut up all the veggies and place in a large bowl. Refrigerate all the veggies, dressing and the chicken till cold. Just before serving, lightly mix fried rice noodles, veggies, chicken, toasted sesame seeds, and toasted almonds. Pour dressing over salad and mix again.

Enjoy! CCG

My Best Teacher Gift Ever!!!

My adventurous son had the coolest teacher this year, Mr. C., who is a HUGE Star Wars Fan. Mr. C's classroom had tons of Star Wars stuff everywhere!!! We were soooo excited because we are Star Wars fans ourselves. So for Mr. C's teacher appreciate gift I thought I would make him some really cool Star Wars hall passes. I came up with the idea of a wall board with lanyard passes. Here is what I did.

For the wall board I got some MDF, Black and Gray paint, some kitchen knobs on clearance from Lowe's (not pictured yet) and some custom vinyl (in Star Wars font I might add!!!) from my friend Shelly at simplywordsonline.com Thanks Shelly it turned out great!!!!!

I painted the base coat black and then flecked gray paint with a tooth brush to make it have depth and look like outer space. After it all dried I added the vinyl letters, measured and drilled the holes for the knobs and attached them.Now on to the lanyard hall passes. I got some Star Wars stickers (which were really hard to find!), some clear ID Badge covers from Office Max, some black gross grain ribbon (there was no Star Wars ribbon to be found anywhere, bummer!) and some clips.

I cut the ribbon into 30" pieces and burned the edges so they wouldn't fray.

Then I sewed the ribbon around the clip.

I downloaded the Star Wars font off the Internet (there are tons of these fonts on the net!!!) and made the inserts for the ID Badge holders. I liked the black background best!!!

I embellished the passes with stickers on the front and die cuts on the back.

Taa Daaa!!! Didn't it turn out great!!!! Mr. C. really loved it and asked me to make a few more passes for him. I am really happy with this teacher gift. The teachers at school said I might be setting myself up for some high expectations. Now all my sons teachers will be expecting something just as cool!

Also Mr. Crafty Camper asked for an extension on his post, so hopefully next week I will feature his post!!!

CCG

Memorial Weekend Craft Projects Part 2

OK now for part two, the Sewing Project!!!
This one I made up on my own with no pattern. It really is super simple and doesn't require a lot of fabric. Scraps are great or if you have some fat quarters hanging around you can use those too!

Here is what you will need:

1 Blue back ground fabric
1 Red back ground fabric
1 White or Off White back ground fabric
Thread
Scissors
Rotary cutter and mat
Batting
Sewing machine

Ready to get cutting!!??!!

You will need to decide on the overall size of your wall hanging. This will depend on how much fabric you have.
Take your blue fabric and cut a square.
Measure your stripes so that (with seam allowances) three stripes will fit the length of the blue square. (or you can cut your stripes and then cut your blue fabric to match up with the three stripes)
Cut your stripes out of the red and white fabric. (you will need 5 total stripes)
Sew the first three stripes together and then sew them to the blue square,
Now sew the remaining two stripes to the bottom.

Make sure that you trim any long pieces and make the top piece as straight as possible.
Measure out a piece of batting and backing fabric.
You may wish to put binding on or use the rollover method from the backing fabric.

Sandwich your top, batting, and backing fabric and secure with pins.
Using coordinating thread and "stitch in the ditch" of the stripes to secure.
You may wish to do some decorative sewing in the blue area by sewing a big star or something creative like that.
Now either bind or rollover the backing fabric and top stitch by hand or by machine.
Waaa Laaa!!! Now you have a fun wall hanging or even a cute place mat!!!

******************************
Also check back next week, I will be featuring my first Guest Crafter!!!!
Mr. Crafty Camper will make his debut post to the blogging world!!!
I'm soooo excited!!!
CCG

Memorial Weekend Craft Projects Part 1

I love the Memorial Day weekend. First and foremost I love that I live in America where as a woman I have amazing rights. The right to vote, the right to own property, the right to religious freedom and so many others.
My second favorite part of the holiday weekend.......... It's a great time to get CRAFTY!!!
So in honor of Memorial Day and to get a head start on Independence Day I thought I would share a few fun quick crafts that can be done in a weekend!


This one is sooooo easy and can be done for free if you have a great stash!!!

Here is what you will need:
2X4 or 2X6 piece of scrap wood
Red, White, and Blue Paint (and brushes)
Ribbon or Fabric scraps (that match your paint choice)
Jute or Twine (a scrap from your stash)
Buttons (pre-sew the button holes so they look like you just cut them off a shirt)
Old Toothbrush (this is for flecking paint, you will want to keep this in your craft stash now)
Hot Glue Gun
Hand Saw or Circular Saw or Band Saw (or a really great neighbor who will cut wood for you)

OK, are you ready to start!!??!!

Take your wood scraps and cut them into 3 descending pieces. You can make them a tall or as short as you like, just make sure they can stand up on their own with out wobbling. Sand your wood pieces.

Now it's time to paint!!
Measure down from the top about 1/4 to 1/3 the length and mark a line all the way around the four sides of the wood. Paint a base coat of blue.
Next, paint the remaining part a base coat of white and let dry.
Now you can fill in your red stripes. You can free hand this or use blue painters tape to make the lines straight. You decide if you want vertical or horizontal stripes or both!!! Remember to do both sides!
Paint some stars in the blue area or use some fun vinyl cut outs.
For the final painting step grab you old tooth brush and dip it into some white paint. Dab it off on a paper towel and use your thumb to fleck the paint onto your project. Do this until you have the coverage you desire.

While you are waiting for this to dry.
Plug in your hot glue gun
Cut your ribbon or fabric scrap to size, along with the small piece of jute or twine.
Sew the button with thread so that the holes are full with the thread.
Tie the ribbon or fabric scrap around the wood where the blue and white paint come together and secure with hot glue.
Next add and secure the jute or twine scrap and then secure the button.
Taaa Daaa!!!! Isn't it soooo cute!!!

I borrowed this idea from my friend Angela many years ago. (Thanks Angela!!!) She went one step further and drilled a hole in the top and glued in a festive metallic topper that had starts and streamers.

Have fun with it and make it your own, and send me pics if you make it. I would love to see what you come up with!!!

CCG

Cutified Pillowcase in a Yard!!!

This is one of my favorite projects, and it is soooo easy!!! So here is what you will need:

1 yard of super cute fabric

1 yard of super cute ribbon

I found my fabric at Joann Craft store and had the blanket binding in my stash!!

Get out your rotary cutter, ruler, and your self healing mat and lay your fabric down lengthwise on the mat.

Now measure 2" from the side of the fabric. (The finished selvage edge that the manufacturer puts their color dots and white edge on)

Cut 2" off the side of the entire length of the fabric. (Save that small strip of fabric for a later project or a strip quilt if you have a stash going for that like I do!)

Now from the top raw selvage edge, measure down 8" and cut across the width of your fabric.

So that now you have an 8" by 43" panel of fabric. This is the cuff of your pillowcase, and the remainder of the fabric is the body of the pillowcase.

Take the panel that you just cut and fold it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, so that the raw selvage edges match at the bottom. Press with a hot iron. Now you have a 4" cuff for your pillow case.

Next, take your ribbon and match up the selvage edges with the 4" cuff. (If you are using grosgrain ribbon just place one edge with the selvage edge of the 4" cuff)

Then make a "sandwich". Place the width of the body panel of the pillowcase on top of the ribbon and 4" cuff.

Then pin the "sandwich" together, placing pins approximately every 4" or closer if the ribbon is slippery.

Now it's time to sew!!!! Using a 1/4" seam allowance sew the cuff, ribbon, and body fabric together. If you have a serger go ahead and serg the raw edge after you have finished sewing across the entire width of the "sandwich".

Next place your fabric, right side up, and open the seam and press with a hot iron. Isn't is looking great!!!

Now comes the easy part. Fold your fabric right sides together and pin along the length and width (or side and bottom) of the fabric. Make sure that the cuff of the fabric matches at the top so you have a nice even circle with the cuff.

Sew along each side using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Again if you have a serger, serg the edges of the fabric. (You can also use a zig-zag stitch in place of the serger or clip the edges with pinking shears) Clip the threads, turn right side out and press your seams.

Taa Daah!!! Isn't it soo cute!!! Super easy, super cute and super fast, what else can you ask for in a tutorial!!!

My Favorite Denim Quilt Tutorial Part 2

So if you have seen part 1 of this tutorial and have all of your squares cut. Congrats! You are now ready to start piecing together your denim quilt! For those of you who have made a denim quilt before you should know that I might make mine a little different than you have seen previously. That is why I titled this tutorial "My Favorite Denim Quilt." Because this is my favorite (and I might say the fastest) way to make a denim quilt. I DO NOT use batting and I DON'T use the "Sandwich Method." This being said let's dig in to how I DO IT!!!!

First you will need to select your backing fabric. I usually use a nice Polar Fleece, but I have used flannel too. (Flannel is great for baby blankets but you might want to consider using the "Warm and Natural" batting. It will make the seams more comfy for baby). Polar Fleece usual comes 60" wide so I use that width and then I usually use 2 - 3 yards for the length, depending on how tall the person is I am making the quilt for. For this tutorial I am using 2 yards.
Pre-wash and dry your fabric. Then find a big open space to lay the fabric on the floor so you can start arranging your denim squares.

Start by arranging one row horizontally and one row vertically. Then you can multiply the number of squares in each row to calculate how many squares you will need for your quilt. You may find that you don't have enough denim squares, if this is the case, count how many more squares you will need plus add enough squares for one more row. (You may find that after you get them all sewn together you can fit another row on. It is always good to be prepared). If you have enough squares great! Let's move on to the next step. If not, neatly pack everything up and start finding more jeans to cut. It really is better to have everything you need before you start.

You might notice when you are placing your squares that your denim squares will overlap the backing fabric. That's OK! Once you get your squares sewn together the seam allowance will reduce the overall length of the row.

Now comes the fun part!!! Arranging the squares. Your collection of jeans might yield a few different shades of denim. Have fun placing light and dark squares throughout the quilt, or place all the lights on one part and all the darks on the other part. This is where YOU get to be creative!!!!

I always like to throw a little whimsy into my quilts by adding a pocket square or two or three! (My girlfriend likes to hide the remote from her husband in the pocket squares of the quilt I made for her!)

Now it's time to sew!!!!

NOTE: THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!

In order to maintain the overall design that you have worked so hard on you must pick up, stack, and sew the squares in the same order every time. Otherwise your quilt will not look the same after it has been sewn!!!!!

This is what I recommend.

Decide on a top and bottom of your quilt.

Pick up your first square of your first row and place it on top of the square to the right of it.

Then pick up those two squares and place them on top of the square to the right of them.

Repeat these steps until all of the squares in your first row are complete.

If you can't leave your project out, repeat the same steps for all of the rows making sure to mark each row with a corresponding number from top to bottom to maintain the design of the quilt.

Now take your first row to your sewing machine and let's start sewing!

FORGET EVERYTHING YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT IN HOME ECONOMICS CLASS!!!

You are going to place your squares WRONG SIDES TOGETHER!!!! I know this goes against everything you have been taught, and I can't tell you how many times I have gotten 4 squares in before I realized that I was sewing right sides together and had to pick it all out!!! (@#&**$#)

The easiest way to sew your row together is to sew it "Quilters Style."

Take your first two squares and line them up wrong sides together and sew it all the way down the length of the square. Just before you get to the end of the square, take your next two squares and place them wrong sides together and butt them up next to your first set of squares and continue sewing. Repeat this step until you have finished all of the squares for your FIRST ROW.

I usually use a 1/4 inch seam allowance because it is easy to line the fabric up with the side edge of my presser foot, but you can make your seams as big as you would like. (Just remember the bigger the seam the less length your row will have and the more dryer lint you will have to pick out (more on that later)).

Take your completed row and clip the thread in between each set of squares. Make sure that you put them back in their original order. I usually start at the bottom of the row, clip the thread and place the two square set on the table and then repeat that step so that I have a nice pile of squares that starts with my first squares again.

Now repeat the same "Quilters Sewing Method" with the two square sets and the four square sets until the entire row is attached together.

Take your first row back to your quilt project. Now you can see how much length was taken up in the seam allowance.

Continue sewing all of the rows in the same "Quilters style" until you have all of your rows finished.

Now it's time to start assembling the finished rows together.

I call this the "two by two" method. Take your first two finished rows and place them WRONG SIDES TOGETHER. Making sure to match the seams together for each square. You can pin it if you like. I usually just grab the next seams that need to match and make sure that they all match up all the way down the row as I am sewing. You may have to stretch the fabric a little to get them all to line up but that is OK.

Now take rows three and four and repeat the same step as you did with the first two rows.

Then take rows five and six ....... do you see the "two by two" pattern. This method makes it very easy to assemble the rows with out having to deal with all of the weight of the quilt as you are sewing until the very end.

Now continuing the "two by two" method take your completed row 1&2 and your completed row 3&4 and sew them together following the same steps.

Repeat the same steps for your completed row 5&6 and row 7&8 so that you quilt now looks like the picture above. A quilt divided in half. (You may have an uneven number of rows, if so just tack it on to the end of your last "two by two" set.)

Now take the two halves and repeat the same sewing procedure of lining up the seams of the square so they all match, stretching as needed. This is the most difficult part, the quilt is heavy so make sure you have a lot of table room to the left of your sewing machine for support.

Can you believe it you are almost done!!!!

Lay your completed quilt top on top of the backing fabric. As you can see there is a lot of length and width lost in the seam allowance. For this quilt I went back and added another horizontal row. (Aren't you glad you cut those extra squares!)

Now you can trim the excess fabric and sparingly pin the two pieces together. (It doesn't need to be ultra pinned, just enough to keep them together without it moving around.) Then sew the two pieces together (WRONG SIDES TOGETHER) using the same seam allowance that you used for your rows.

If you are making a large quilt you will want to do a little "Stay Stitching" in a few of the seams of the quilt so that the quilt will lay nicely and stay together while washing. I usually count in two or three squares from the top and the side, or the bottom and the side, and sew a little back and forth stitch right next to the seam in all four corners. (This stitching won't be noticed after you have clipped and washed the quilt because the fray of the fabric will cover it.)

Now comes the tedious part, the clipping!!!

I have made countless denim quilts. This part is my least favorite! But after I found these wonderful Heritage Cutlery Rag Quilt Shears (VP7)I couldn't believe the difference in the performance and the pain of my hands. These shears are a little pricey but if you plan to make a few of these quilts it might be worth the investment. These shears cut through the denim like butter!!!

This is when I usually sit down during a CSI, Castle, or The Mentalist episode and clip to my hearts content. You will need to stop periodically to rest your hand, (grab a snack) or watch a particularly exciting part of the show. I choose one direction (horizontal or vertical) and clip all of those rows and then flip the quilt and clip the next direction of rows. (Sometimes I lay the quilt on the back of my couch so I don't have to move so much bulk of the quilt as I clip, just make sure you have comfy shoes if you choose to use this method.)

Make sure that your cuts don't cut through your seam!!!

Now it's time to wash your quilt!!!!

If you have a front load washer it might take two times through the wash to get the fray of the quilt just right. Without the agitator it just takes a little longer. (For wear and tear on your laundry machines you might consider taking it to a laundry mat.)

When you have the look you want, place the quilt in the dryer and dry that puppy. You may find that it is not quite dry after your first cycle. I usually just hang it out on the line to finish drying.

ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL!!!!! AND IT'S SOOOO COMFY TOO!!!!

Everyone I have given a denim quilt to has loved it!!!!

NOW A NOTE OF IMPORTANCE!!!!!!!!

Do you remember earlier in this post I mentioned cleaning the lint trap? Well you will have to clean out your lint trap at least two or three times during the drying cycle.

THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL!!!!!

This quilt produces so much lint is could be a fire hazard. So please clean it out as much as possible!!!

Your washer may need a little clean out as well.

After the quilt has finished drying and you have emptied your lint trap, take a flashlight and look in the space where your lint trap goes. If there is any remaining lint grab a Swiffer Duster or one of those fuzzy synthetic dusters and try to get as much of the lint out as you can.

The quilt may continue to put out a good amount of lint for the first two to three washes but should diminish after those washes.

So that's it! This is how I make "My Favorite Denim Quilt."

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you have any questions leave me a comment or send me an email. And if you make a quilt send me a pic, I would love to see what you created!!!

CCG

*****Crafty Camper Girl Update #1
 If your frayed edges do not fray as well as you would like them to, use a stiff brush and brush them to break down the fabric. This will really give you that "Rag Quilt" look with out having to keep washing and drying it over and over again :0)

*****Craft Camper Girl Update #2
I have another version of this quilt using military uniforms instead of jeans. Check it out HERE and HERE. And yes I broke my rule of not using batting, I am ok with it, and have forgiven myself, ;)