The Flu + Zangies = ONE Zangy Chiclet Block

Posted By on March 19, 2008

 This was a GOOD NEWS – BAD NEWS DAY. 

The BAD news is that I have the flu. 

The GOOD  news is that I do not like to stay in bed when I am sick.  I like to distract myself and try to PRETEND that I feel great

(and sometimes this even works.)  

I can hardly stand to waste time.  While I am deluding myself into believing that I feel perfectly tremendous,  I have a little sewing vacation. 

The GOOD news is that I got to quilt today.

However, during one of those “I JUST MUST GET INTO BED FOR A few MINUTES MOMENTS”  I started thinking about ZANGIES and Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com.  Before I explain this connection, I must tell you that Zangies are little people (animals? cloth creatures?) that my grandangel Nanna created from bits of cloth that I have left over from my quilt projects.  I toss everything into two of my favorite TRADER JOE’S – WONDERFUL – baskets.  In fact, as the news has spread into QUILTDOM that I save even the tiniest of scraps,  I even have special friends who save their tiniest of scraps for my grandangels to make ZANGIES from.

Doesn’t this look like fun  – little overflowing baskets of Zangie Parts!   Actally I think my little sewing corner is kind of cute.  I found this old antique table at Midlothian antiques.  I just love it – it is cracked and even has worm holes in it.  (I am not fond of worms – but those little holes are adorable!) 

Baskets of Zangie Material

Sarah (8) and Leanna (11) can both sew their own Zangies……here are some that Leanna and Sarah have made.  Sarah loves to make Zangies with LONG TAILS and the most fun for her is choosing a special fancy stitch to use.  Leanna makes elaborate appendages, long tails and even puts hair on  her Zangy folks.  She gave one to each person in her fifth grade class last year – and even the boys loved them!

Sarah's Zangies

Now you may be wondering what Zangies have to do with  a Zangy Chiclet Quilt Block?  This is where my thinking about Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com comes into the equation.  Bonnie uses every scrap of material – even the tiniest of crumbs, to make quilt blocks.  So I said, “Self, I wonder if I could make a quilt block from scraps in the Zangy baskets.”  My “Self” thought that was a good idea!

I just love the split nine-patch blocks that I am making for an online BLOCK SWAPPERS EXCHANGE – and I had just finished more blocks for this project – putting 4 together makes a CHICLET BLOCK.  Here are the latest nine-patch blocks that I have made for the next exchange.

Split Nine-Patch Blocks for ONINE EXCHANGE  Split Nine-Patch Blocks for Online Exchange

I think these blocks intrigue me so much because you can take the UGLIEST FABRIC EVER and put it with other UGLY fabric – and voila – it turns out to be cute!  SO – YOU GUESSED IT – I decided to try to make TINY spit nine-patch blocks ….. from scraps in the ZANGY BASKETS.

Thus began my feverish (literally) search for pieces of fabric that could produce a 2″ square!

I did it…….here are FOUR split nine-patch blocks sewn together to make one 9 1/2″ ZANGY CHICLET BLOCK (it has 44 little pieces in it.)

Zangy Chiclet Quilt Block

The BAD NEWS is that I have the flu….

The GOOD NEWS is that I also have ONE ZANGY CHICLET BLOCK.

It is so cute, it makes me smile.  SMILING IS GOOD FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

I am feeling better already.  Maybe I will go DANCE IN THE RAIN!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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