Need Help with my First Strip Quilt
 

Not sure how to start. Do you sew your first strip from center corner to center corner? then fill in the sides? Using sew and flip method? Then trim to your desired block size? What about foundation. I know many of you say telephone books, but I haven't seen a phone book in over 10 years. How about muslin? Is cheap muslin okay? I'm thinking of doing this as my first QAYG project also. Think I can find youtubes for that. Just shaky to start those strips. Think I have enough strips to make 10 quilts. ha ha TIA.

if you are doing QAYG, you can just sew the strips to the batting and backing. that is, using a firmish batting.

Mine was scrappy with different sized strips since I didn't want to think! I cut up cheap muslin the size square i wanted and layed down the first strip right side up corner to corner on the muslin square, layed a second strip on the first strip (right sides together) and sewed a quarter inch. Flip the strip over, press with an iron or finger press, and continue to the corner. Once that side is done, do the same thing towards the other corner. Flip the whole block over and trim to size of your muslin block.

Was there a problem with the muslin shrinking? I am leary of starting also.

I am interested in this topic too. I am thinking of using cheap muslin but maybe washing it before cutting into squares? Will be watching this to see what everyone's opinion is.

If you are doing QAYG, your backing and batting becomes the foundation. Put your square of backing fabric face down, batting on top of that, and proceed as sandrab64 states. You will have to make adjustments to size, depending on the method of putting the blocks together. I have not done a strip quilt, but did a Log Cabin using this method. The only way to go in my opinion! Good luck.

What pattern is the Strip Quilt that you're making? Are you doing Quilt As You Go (the reason for the muslin?)
I've made a lot of Log Cabin Strip Quilts and Trip Around The Wotld Strip Quilts (then quilt after the top is pieced). I've also done Quilt As You Go Log Cabin blocks (my favorite quilt) cutting the batting and backing the same size as each individual block I'm quilting.

wash muslin and then starch it too. if using batting, nothing need be done but sew. have fun!!

see a great tutorial for string blocks

here:http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/...ng-primer.html
(Bonnie Hunter is a wonderful scrap loving quilter!)

and here: http://www.maryquilts.com/strings/he...ck-guidelines/
Mary's groups do most of their quilts for charity. Many have coordinated center strips, but this is unnecessary.

Try googling string blocks and then click on Images. OMGoodness! so much eye candy!

You may starch your foundation fabric if you wish. I have never done this and had no problems. I size my blocks bigger and then trim them up ...Hope this helps.

I was given a string quilt that was not finished, it was sewn onto newspaper cut into a diamond pattern. The paper was from 1930's, some of the fabric was no good but I replaced some with matching colors. Was a star pattern with blocks going around the star. Found it an interesting project to finish. The quilt top was about 60" square when finished.