Easy Peasy Scrappy Quilt
 

Scrappy Quilt

Scrappy quilts are my passion these days. When cutting fabric, I take odd-ball pieces and cut widths of 1-1/2”, 2”, and 2-1/2” strips, and throw them in their own boxes. Having WOF strips simplifies the process of getting the strips ready for the quilt but is not necessary.. When the box is full, I make a quilt for the charity I sew for. I was asked how to do this quilt so I made her a tutorial and will share it with the QB. I know a lot of you are experienced and there is more information than you need, but I want to help the new quilter who may be intimidated thinking this is not easy. This is NOT a difficult quilt to make.

The pictures accompanying this tutorial have been cut at 2”. The second from the bottom is one I made last week using 1-1/2” strips. The block in the tute ends up being 6-1/2” square, and 4 put together to make a 12-1/2” block. (I like the look of the 1-1/2” strips better. From now on will use the 2” for herringbone quilt tops.)

For my first attempt at this, I made this quilt using a 7” square of fabric, marking a 2” wide section down the center on the diagonal leaving the center blank and sewing strips to the end but it was expensive – I bought 108” backing fabric but that first quilt was a king size and used a lot of fabric for the blocks and for the backing. I should have used a wider section showing, and perhaps chosen something with better contrast so the X pattern would have showed up better. But we always learn when we do something new, don’t we? This quilt is shown in the last picture.

Now I have found something fabulous for the foundation instead of muslin. Pellon 830 is for pattern drafting and comes 42” wide and is only $2.49 a yard, and we all have those 40% off coupons from our neighborhood fabric/craft chain store, the one that starts with a J. It is very light weight, stable, and is washable. I cut 7” squares from this product.

So now I have figured how many blocks I want to make. (Make half blocks if you want something wider or longer than the 12-1/2” block will make. The one I am doing now from the 2” strips will be 3-1/2 blocks wide and 4-1/2” long, 42” x 54”, as was the one using the 1-1/2” strips. The length of the more narrow strips will not be the sme as you cut for the 2” strips. I don’t have it here to measure the length but I know you will be able to see how to measure those sizes.

Start by cutting 9-1/2” pieces of dark and of medium and light – half dark, and half light and medium. I do it this way to give my blocks more variety. In the case of this block cut from 2” width pieces, I cut pieces about 9-1/2” long, but at least 9-1/4”, 7-1/2”, and 5-1/2”. Keep scraps for the final little piece at the end. If I had used a slightly wider 9-1/2” piece, it would have eliminated the need for the little piece to fill in those ends. Half of the blocks will use one 9-1/2” dark and two 5-/12 dark and one 7-1/2 light, and a scrap of light for the end. The other half of your blocks will use the opposite – in light or medium, one 9-1/2 and two 5-1/2, one dark 7-1/2 and a dark scrap. I find it easiest to have all the strips cut to length, and assemble all of step one of the blocks starting with a light 9-1/2” strip in all the blocks, press, do the second set of strips, press, do the 3rd set of strips and press. Add the little piece, press and trim with a 6-1/2” square. Then do the same with the ones starting with a dark strip. Put two light blocks with two dark blocks and sew into a 12-1/2” square.

Hope you enjoyed this tute.

thanks for taking the time to show us how this is done

Thanks, you have made it look very easy will certainly give it a go.

Very pretty. I tend to do mine with strips of uneven widths so I don't have to match them when putting them together. I love the look, though, of the consistent widths you have used. Very clear tut!

Nice tutorial! The quilts you've made are so pretty! Thanks for the tip about the Pellon!

Great tut Judy! I love string quilts although I usually just use old telephone book pages, which tear off very easily. The Pellon seems like a good idea. Next one I start I am going to try it. Thanks for sharing.

Pellon is a great idea. Will have to try this.

Love it. Thanks for the great tutorial.

Interesting how no pieces match, yet when included in a quilt as you go, everything goes nicely and fits tog.. I love your quilt.

I use old phone books too...why buy something when you can recycle something...although phone books may become something of the past I believe....as someone else mentioned too, I use any width strip...have a large box now just waiting to be made into something useful!