String quilts
 

After looking at gorgeous string quilts on Pinterest, I have decided I want to try to make one. How do you all make yours? I don't have much in the way of scraps, so I am unsure how to start. I thought about buying fabric and cutting strips that way. Will that work? I love calico's and think that will be my first try at a string quilt.

Pm me with your address and I will send you some strips!

I have a tutorial here at the board to make a string quilt with various sizes of strips. Here is the link. Good luck in your project, I have used scraps and sample sets to make mine with.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...e-t211900.html

Oh gosh dont cut them up just for strips... Find a box and toss wonky strips and strings and when it multiplies over night make a quilt...

Heres what I do:
start with a mess that needs to be tamed:

Then I figure my focal color- In this case it was red.. This strip is the only one I kept even through out- I used a 2.5 strip for each center strip.. the rest can be odds and ends..
I used fabric spray adhesive to keep the red center strip straight...

Then randomly add strips till both sides are covered- I omit any focal colors in this process.. As I prefer the eye to see only red in the center..

And this is what it turned out to be..

Do you mean the string quilt that you sew 2 1/2" strips together end to end and then cut about 10" off one end. Then you fold stip in half and sew sides together. You keep on folding and sewing until you get the size that you want. This is also called the "1600 foot '" quilt. When you are done the seams should be staggered. No other cutting involved. A stash works great or yoiu can buy 2 1/2" set to give you a start.

Here is an easy string quilt tutorial that uses strips cut from WOF (width of fabric). You don't need scraps.

http://www.seamstobeyouandme.com/201...uilt-tutorial/

Check out Quiltville's strip piecing free patterns.
quiltville.blogspot.com
Also try cutting one or 2 strips from the leftover fabric and throw into a box. Then you will have a good start on the strip quilt. Luann

Carslo's tutorial is great, follow it. I used this technique on two string quilts, it was lots of fun to make. There are lots of string quilt methods out there including the spider web quilt which uses foundation piecing, they are fun tool The more you quilt, the more your stash will grow, this is a perfect stash buster. Those little 1 1/2 strips have a purpose here, where as most of the time I find it hard to use anything less than 2 inches. Have fun.

I have lots of various colored strings (none less than 1 inch) and would love to send you some free. Send me a PM if you want them!

this string quilt works up very fast.
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q...ps2b39f09a.jpg

Instructions:
http://www.maryquilts.com/solid-stars-and-strings/

Looks like a great way to use up the scraps!!

If you don't have much in the way of scraps strings, post in the Request section of this board. Send me a PM with your address I would be happy to send a few strips.

Don't cut up new stuff. If you need scraps, ask for some on your Facebook page. You will be surprised to find how many people have a box of mom's/Grandma's/Auntie's fabric. You might even get more than you want. I guess I am just assuming everyone has Facebook---- check the thrift stores. I have given my Mom's ugly fabric I won't use to thrift stores because I know someone else might not think it is ugly.

I agree, don't cut up fabric just for strings. You'd be surprised at how fast they accumulate once you start collecting them.

I love string quilts. You might check your local library, too, and see if there are any books that have string quilt patterns.

http://heartstringsquiltproject.com/ Check out Heartstrings quilt project too. They do charity quilts made from strings. Lots of eye candy!

Why not? If that's what she wants to do, why shouldn't she? I made this string quilt from my stash, and all I used were strips cut from WOF. I made the entire top in one day. It was fun and much easier than the sew-and-flip method.

http://www.seamstobeyouandme.com/wor...ring-quilt.jpg

Make a trip to your local thrift store and pick up some items to re-use/recycle.

I actually have strings that are less than an inch!! I use muslim as a base, and as I sew on each new string I press it to the side and add the next...I have made them onto rectangles, squares and cut into triangles as the photo in the previous message shows..I love string quilts..they are beautiful and a great way not to waste that extra fabric cut off...

When I first started quilting my MIL showed me the string quilts and I thought this was something that I could do without being perfect about the seams and all that. So I just bought remenants that were on clearence and cut those up. I also went to Goodwill and found a old sheet that I cut up as the foundation. Honestly after quilting for about 2 years I only have a boot box of scraps. I just don't have the time to quilt sometimes so I only make maybe 2 or 3 a year. If I had to wait on scapes to make string quilts I'd never get one done. lol. I like to make blocks when I only have a little time to sew and I don't want something to hard. I need about 8 more blocks and I can put together a nice full size quilt.

I've done the same when I wanted variety. That's what it's for.

I always start mine with an 8.5" muslin square, take my 2" ruler and lay it diagonally on the square, and then draw a pencil line on either side of it. That's the line against which I lay my strips. One thing I discovered is that when I planned the colors those quilts didn't turn out as pretty as the one where I purposed used just my "ugly" fabrics and sewed them on randomly. This one has the most awful fabrics in it - there's some pink tiger fabric next to a camouflage next to a chintz and a 1970's green and it turned out so much better than I expected.
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a coordinating middle strip does wonders for taming "ugly " fabrics.

Here's the one I made for my parents 60th.

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Very impressive quilts everyone!
Scrappy string quilts are terrific, and i adore them. But there is nothing wrong and you aren't breaking any rules if you want to cut up new stuff. Many quilt designers actually plan that you cut up new fabric. I'm working on a string quilt right now from one of Kaffe Fassett's books. He definitely cuts up new stuff!

ooo, I'm looking forward to seeing that one!

Check out this tutorial. http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...lt-t60764.html
Also go to Quiltville and watch Bonnie taking a mans shirt apart. I grew up with string quilts. They were a necessity for warmth on the beds. It was just after the depression and world war 2. I am sure fabric was hard to come by. I don't know if mom's strings came from sewing, as she sewed all our clothing, or old clothes that she salvaged the good parts from. They were pieced on newspaper squares. Even though I grew up with string and scrap quilts I still love the look of them. Have fun and get your strings anyway you want. You will probably have more than you can use coming your way.

I buy fabric just to cut into strips for string foundations. It's not an OH NO thing to do no matter how much head shaking goes on. LOL

I made a string quilt from scraps left over from other projects. I loved that I could use up those scraps. Bonnie Hunter makes a string quilt with scraps too. You can do individual blocks or make columns. I started in the center on a muslin backing, then worked my way out from the center on each side. Press after each strip is sewn. When finished, square up. You can also do this on old telephone pages, using a small length stitch. When the block is finished, tear the pages off.

I really thought that I would never do a string quilt, as they are way too scrappy for my taste, but once again the "Board" has made me rethink the issue. I could make string quilts to donate. It would use up my scraps. Just cause I make it doesn't mean I have to keep it or give it to someone I know. I could make baby quilts, wheelchair quilts....the list goes on and on. Well, another myth busted....LOL.

Most string /scrap quilts aren't what I call from the scrap basket.

Thanks for the link. Great tutorial.

I have just finished a string quilt top....(need to get off here and piece the backing and baste!). I used scraps, new fabric, remnant bin finds, cut up clothing, odd fat quarters of the "what was I thinking variety"...anyway, you get the idea. I had all my strings on a portable clothes airer which made mixing up the colours a bit easier. It is for my newest DIL....and so far she loves it (it's her clothing remnants which are incorporated).

Yep this is right up my beginners alley, thank you for the instructions!

I love this idea! Thank you so much for sharing!

You can also do a quilt as you go. I'm thinking of doing one where I can take a bunch of 10" blocks of pretty floral fabrics - maybe from a couple of layer cakes. Use it for the back, place batting square on top, then strip piece on top of the batting. Trim to 9 1/2 inches then use one of the methods for attaching the blocks together. There's a tutorial here and also at quilterscache for putting together the blocks. You would have wind up with a two sided quilt.

BTW, love the pics of the strip quilts here. Will use the idea of have the same fabric in the center of each block. Hmm, use the same fabric for joining the blocks. So many ideas so little time.

String quilt
 

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I make mine by sewing strips onto flannel squares - quilt as you go method, than when I have enough blocks I back it with whatever fabric I have in stash and make a rag quilt. I do not have a lot of scraps as I cut my fabric everything is evaluated to be either squares or strips, so I have it seperated right away. If you do fair amount of quilting you should have a lot of scraps. Finish with binding and you are ready to go here are the pictures of my string quilt. To make a pillow sham I have sewn strips on used drier sheets - than just squared them off, pieced and quuilted.

I basically made mine the way LuvTooQuilt did, but I didn't use a foundation piece, and I didn't use a common color down the center as she did the red in her quilt. I just picked up a strip each time and sewed, not planning ahead. While mine worked out just fine, If I make another one, I will definitely use a muslin foundation square.

We make these at church by using those phone books you do not want. Sew across paper as in pix above. They are thin but strong. Works great and if you use a tight close stitch they tear out easy. Good job for Mommie's little helper.

I've been working on a couple of string quilts to use up scraps. When I get sick of looking at those particular colors, I just put it away (along with the scraps) until I'm ready to work on it again.