If you use a flip and sew method and put a square of backing fabric, then a square of batting, and then add your strips, you "quilt as you go and when you're through making your blocks all you have to do is sew them together. Lotsa fun and easy, too.

I use paper for the backing on my string blocks...plain old "typing" paper. You can use phone book pages. Shorten your stitch slightly - makes the paper easier to remove. Lately, I haven't even been doing that. I love wonky so I've been free-piecing strips...and any other scrap I can find...when the piece is big enough I cut 8.5" & 6.5" Fun to see what you end up with!

I just did two string blocks from taking the free classes at www.craftsy.com. Go to online classes and look down to the left and click on quilting, the it's about the third or fourth row down. It's the free block of the month. It's on the right of the page. I think it's the first month, but I'm not sure. She has a video and walks you through the two different type of string blocks. One of them uses a backing to sew the pieces of fabric to and the other has you cut the muslin but you just use it as a guide. I think you want to do the second one. Not necessarily the pattern of that particular block, but the way she makes the block without using any backing at the end. Her classes are great! I've made 6 blocks, 2 a month, and it's free!! Check it out.

The blocks I told you about on www.craftsy.com are the first month's blocks. The second block sounds like the one you want to do. The style you prefer, not the pattern, although the pattern is pretty cool!

Oh, wow, I like this idea. Thanks for all the input, now I have more ideas I want to try.

I really like this tutorial. Great explanation and pictures to follow. Have to put this one on my to do (growing) list. Thanks for sharing your post.

Thanks for the great tute Peggi. I am cutting my scrappy strips now & did not want to use a foundation. Making scrappy quilts for each of my 5 grankids to take to the beach.

Thanks for the link. I found it useful and look forward to watching each BOM tutorial.

Peggi - I just read your tut- it has great tips for working without "foundation" (which is what I usually do)- and was informative and amusingly written. Thanks!