I love strings and acraps. Like you, I have enough to make a hundred or more quilts. They do make quick kiddie quilts, just applique flowers or toys around the border, and it's done. :thumbup:

Love scrap quilts. The most fun will be laying them out and making your own design. Enjoy!

LOL Seeing new quilts and new patterns start sparking new brain cells into action. You can only do what you have energy for. Looking forward to seeing finished quilts.

if you know a longarm quilter, ask for the strips cut from their finished quilts when they trim the edges. You will get a lot of strips that way.

Second quilt I ever made was string blocks but I didn't know it then. I was just winging it. I used paper for my backing. maybe that's why I love PP so much.

If you haven't seen some of the ideas for string blocks, my favorite is to cut them across from corner to corner (against the strings) and take four of these and join them for a larger block - you get so much movement. Try them on two of yours. See how gorgeous they are. Quiltville just finished a mystery quilt using this method - if you join there are tons of pictures to see - the quilt is called Roll, Roll, cotton boll. I, also use doodle pads to sew on. Tried phone book pages, but doodle pads snap right off.

Congratulations. I have 3 bags just saved for a scrap quilt. Maybe today I will whittle them down. I have too many scraps but have learned to use them more that I was.

I like to sew my strings onto a 8 to 10 in base block. Then you simply use your scraps and pin first strip in the middle of your base block. It will be face up. Then grab another strip and lay it face down. Sew the second piece over the first. The one side only. Flip it open and get another strip, lay it over the edge of the second piece. It starts out face down, you sew that one side. Then open it up. You will have the beginning of your scrap quilt block. Just keep doing this untill it covers the corner. Pin. Turn the block around and do the same. Now let me tell you some of the prettiest blocks use all sizes of strips, and any color or print. When you get the first block covered you should be able to handle it from there. Its fun and besides you will have space for more fabric when the strings are all sewed up. Our mothers probably did this during the depression because they had to. Now we simply enjoy doing it.

I must be too frugal with my scraps. I just don't accumulate much. In all my years of quilting I probably don't have enough scraps to make a doll quilt. Really, no kidding. How can that be?

I wonder too how that can be. I make lots of smaller items and also quilts and I have scraps everywhere. Even after I have pieced dozens of phone book blocks, and crumb blocks, I have bushels of scraps. They don't seem to go down much, just get smaller. Well, trying to figure out what to do with them and trying to do it keeps me out of the bars!LOL

What are string blocks? I have not heard that term until recently.

OH NO.. another quilt to add to my to do list

Sounds cool I bet it is prety post a pic. we all want to see it.

Adding to my to do list as well....

Go to Bonnie Hunters site www.quiltville.com and she has many ways to use up your scraps. I have sucessfully made several quilts using her patterns and love all of them.

Penni love the end results, very nice.
Ok silly question....I always looked at these sort of designs and thought to myself.."Oh patch work" what makes them "String Quilts" ?
signed...still learning...through all of you, thank-you.

What is a string block? Where do you get it or how do you make it? I should have just kept reading. Now I know. You just keep sewing little strips of fabric to a base block until it's full and then you make another. Sounds easy & fast. Plus you have the added surprise of seeing how it turns out. Like tie dye shirts.

I too have been amazed at the color combinations and how they all work together. It is a good way for anyone that is fearful of using color to jump in. I like the quick results; the use of scraps, and hardly any way to really mess up, and relaxing. No brain work. Just FUN! :-)

I like the look of the string quilts but have not attempted the blocks yet. Sounds like it could be addicting.

String quilts are fun to make but you said the scraps really don't go down, in fact I think they multiply when we aren't looking.

Can't wait to try one. I'm getting quite a few scraps and this would be a great way to use one. Such a fun idea! Each one will be different.

yours look great! makes me want to get on that project too...but a 100 other things stand in the way, and some are not quilting :(
Is there a quilting sanctuary we can run away to, where the fairies go to your house while your out and clean and do up your bills and paperwork, etc?

I am sure it will be pretty. I know what you mean about all the
scraps.

you can quickly have a stash if you cut 1 1/2" strip off every fabric you buy. and ask your friends to do the same & swap.
no worries about seam allowance either.

I love string blocks. I have a project in progress for my grandson--paper pieced string stars (16" blocks) from blocks made over several years. I discovered the less the strings match, the better the overall look. It was difficult for me to let go of matching colors (some artistic talent), but when I did, the star parts (diamonds) looked so much better together.

I use my old worn out sheets for foundation fabric--the thinner they've gotten, the better.

I have to try these! These are beautiful and look like a lot of fun to make.

Do you find a particular size foundation that works well for string quilts

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all these ideas for String Blocks!!! I want to make one too!!! lol

Have a friend that can't understand why I save scraps.....and hers too if I can fish 'em from her trash quick 'nuff!......and NOW I can show her "WHY"! Thank you!!! :)

No don't show her.. she will want to keep her scraps after she sees how beautiful your quilt will be.

I was thinking you could use your string blocks to practice your Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) and then assemble the blocks as you would for your quilt as you go blocks. With all those patterns of fabric going every which way who would notice some less than perfect FMQ?

I discovered that no matter how many scrappy quilts you make you never seem to run out of scraps. Gets to where you give up and accept that and just keep quilting.

Very nice blocks!!

Sounds wonderful and cannot wait to see it completed. Good luck further

I made my 1st string quilt in October after seeing them on this site. I have now made 11 or 12. Instead of decreasing my scraps I now have a new black trash sack full of scraps that need to be blended back into my original scraps. What is going on!

Wow if they do... Then I need to put some blue and green scraps together! I need some teale and aqua!!
Ya think that would work? LOL!!

Carol W - do you have any pictures you can share??

Kris

Very nice blocks!![/quote]

Thanks, now I know what to do with all those drawers full of scraps I couldn't bear to throw away or stuff into the cat's pillow. That is going to look awesome!

Oh I found the link:

http://quiltville.com/striptwist.shtml

Carol W ~ I would still like to see some of the ones you have made :thumbup:

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Yes please post some pics when you have it together. I would love to see it.