I Heart Zig Zags

I started piecing my zig zag quilt this past weekend. So far, I'm in love. Last weekend I spentseveral hours cutting 5 inch squares out of various fabrics from my stash. This is what my squares look like:

After piecing started yesterday, this is what I had:

So far so good! It's only going to be throw size but my mind is already turning with what to use the other squares for. ;-) Does this happen to you, too? I feel so scattered sometimes when it comes to quilting. Can't. Get. Quilt. Done. Soon. Enough. Always something else lurking in my mind...some other cotton/batting goodness waiting to be created! I'm trying to remind myself to stop and enjoy the process. Deep breath. That's better.

Another yummy thing was the homemade mango and tomato salsa I made on Sunday. Yum!

Summer is in like a lion here in South Florida. Hot and humid. Perfect for staying inside and sewing!

What summer projects are you excited about?

Dinner and a Quilt

I guess it should be dinner and a movie, but I have not seen any movies lately so a quilt

it is! I have been trying to prepare more vegetarian dinners lately, and last night I made

marinated tofu with sobo noodles. It was so delish! Relatively speaking, it didn't take too

long to prepare either. I'm taking leftovers to work for lunch today.

I finished my quilt last week. Sewing the binding on seemed to take forever but I am really happy with the results. Of course, my cat Tex had to be the first to enjoy it!

I started working on a Zig Zag quilt which will be my next quilt project. I spent Sunday,

and most of Monday cutting out 5 inch blocks. Monday night I started piecing the blocks. It's going to take a while but I am already looking forward to getting it together!

Happy 4 day work week peeps!

I Guess I Won't Quit My Day Job

Well gosh, time just flies! Life has been busy around here. Went on my cruise, and have

been fighting this cold/flu ever since I came back. The blog has been languishing. I guess

I won't quit my day job in order to blog since my posts are so scattered! Then again, some

days I wish I had the ability to blog full time from home and make money doing it.I suppose the grass is always greener.

This past weekend I got significant work done on my first full size quilt. We are heading towards the finish line with this project, as all that is left to do is tack down the binding. After debating some time about how to quilt this quilt, I decided to tie it instead. I did not relish the idea of tackling it and *trying* to quilt it on my machine. I know I'll have to get over this fear of quilting full size quilts eventually. Maybe on the next project! In any case, I look forward to putting this quilt on my bed!

Last week I made a quick run to my LQS in order to pick up some fabric to bind my quilt with. I knew exactly what I wanted and was happy to find they still had some in stock. I used the Amy Butler Sunspots print in green. Well, while I was there I also picked up an assortment of 1/4 yards. I already have my next quilt in mind. I'm thinking a zig zag quilt is in order!

Betcha, Bygolly, Wow....

Wow! It has been so long since I posted. Life seems to be really busy these days. Sorry peeps! Like my homage to The Stylistics?! Been listening to some songs of theirs recently and I'm lovin' it!

So, all has not been lost lately, as I have been doing some sewing! My best friend received her birthday gift so now I can blog about it. Win! I sewed her a table runner using a charm pack. I also bought some backing fabric that matched and I think it came together quite nicely. She liked it so that's another win! Here it is....

I also sewed a couple sunglass cases, as I bought a pair of new sunglasses recently and did not have a case for them. One case was for my friend and one for me. I like how they turned out and they were easy to construct.



I started sewing my dress from the Collete pattern and have run into some fit issues. Overall, I like how it is turning out but will need to work on it a bit to get the right fit. For now I have put it aside and moved along to other projects. I find that this is how I seem to sew. If it turns out great, win! If it's not turning out as I had hoped, I usually get frustrated and put it aside for a bit in order to make something else. The good news is that there is ALWAYS something else to sew!!


In other news I am going on a cruise next Friday, the 14th. Super win! And it's with the New Kids on the Block. Super Duper Win! I had wanted to sew some sun dresses to take with me and I was able to get 1 made from some Amy Butler fabric I had sitting around for some time. I am really happy with how it turned out and it didn't take too long to put together. I started it last Sunday and then on Monday night and Tuesday finished it up!



What have you been sewing/making lately?

Could I Please Have Another Day to Sew?

This is what I ask myself almost every Sunday, as Monday morning looms and I gear up for a busy work week. Ah, if there was only more time to sew! The good news is that I went to Joann Fabrics on Saturday, and left with 2 great lengths of fabric. Floral print on dotted swiss. Be still my heart! I already have plans for the small floral print.

I hope to use this Simplicity pattern for the small floral; the view in the upper right.

Last week this charming pattern I ordered from Colette Patterns came in the mail. I spent a couple hours this afternoon cutting out the pieces. I am using a turquoise rayon/linen blend to make it up for summer. I have read reviews of this pattern on other blogs, and I only hope mine turns out as cute as the examples I have seen!

I had had an idea for making a scrappy banner floating around in my head for a while, and last weekend I sewed some up. This is what I came up with:

I used a bunch of leftover triangles I got from squaring up my 12 inch strip pieced quilt blocks. Using selvages I sewed the scraps to them and then accented with some vintage buttons and fabric bows. I am really happy with how they turned out, and have plans to do more. In a short while, the 2 I have made I plan to list in the shop.

Please excuse the randomness of this post! Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

Fabric Booty

Hey peeps! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was swell but, as always, never long
enough! On Saturday I visited our local quilt shop and picked up some fabulous additions

to the stash. I am excited to start sewing with it!

I was interested in checking out the new 3 Sisters line "Martinique" and I liked it so much that a yard of it came home with me. As did a charm pack but who's counting?! ;-) Hopefully this addition to the stash will help me turn my Monday into a Funday!

Yeterday I sewed a bit and put together this soon-to-be-table-runner top. I used stuff I had in the stash which always makes me feel good. And justifies new purchases to replenish!

I like the way it is turning out so far. I didn't use any real pattern but used some 5 1/2 " squares that I had leftover from a quilt project. More to come on this soon!

I hope everyone has a great Monday!

Is it Saturday Yet?

I find myself hoping for Saturday to come earlier every week. Work has been busy and my days lately have been somewhat crazy. I long for Saturdays when I have time to slow down and create. I have been neglecting the old blog because of time constraints but vowed to myself to come home and post tonight. Here I am!

I hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend. We sure did here in Florida. I spent Saturday at an Easter picnic with family and Saturday evening when we came home we decided to order take out. Much to my surprise, this piece of chicken had an uncanny resemblence to the big, white, fluffy guy who visited our place on Sunday!

Coincidence, no? Much chocolate eating ensued on

Sunday. Overall, a lovely weekend.

I was feeling the need to create some this week so Monday evening I finished making some quilted pot

holders. The idea had been floating around in my head for a while. I am happy with how they turned out1 I think I'll be listing them in my Etsy

store soon...though I am tempted to keep 1

for me!

Hope everyone is having a good week! I am already planning my creative time on Saturday:
start a smallish quilt using some pre-cut squares I have at home, start quilting my full size
quilt, and perhaps even sew up a summer sun dress. If I've got a spare couple hours, maybe even squeeze in some crochet time. Over ambitious? This is how we do it at Chez Swing Kitten!