oldquilter

Thanks bunches for all the replies, tutes, ideas and suggestions. What a great board is this??? I do appreciate everyone!

w7sue

String quilt from scraps - I have made several and one of my favorites is pieced on dryer sheets - old ones - and I read here recently that isn't such a good idea because of scents and chemicals - too late now! It is for personal use so not a problem, but might be for someone who has health issues. I made mine that way because I actually pieced smaller pieces together to make some of my strips. I cut the sheets to 6" or 6 1/2" square when I was finished doing the flip/sew thing. That was as big as they were. I then cut them on the diagonal and placed a 1 1/2" strip of black on the diagonal seams and sewed them back together. Made a lattice work look when they were all finished and I love it. I didn't have enough of the pieced blocks to do a big enough quilt so I used solid blocks with the black in the middle to go all around the outside of the quilt. Wasn't sure how I would like it, but it quieted it down a little. It has a 3" black border around the outside. My daughter said that if I should come into the family room some day and find it missing I will know she has taken it with her. LOL - I had it longarm quilted and Denise didn't have any problems with it. I got the idea from some friends who were making them for charity quilts and they used scraps even for the center strips. I liked my idea better.

Rose Bagwell

What makes it harder to quilt is the many seams you have to sew thru or over. I usually tie mine. Or better yet use a longer stitch when quilting, I have done both.

Mkotch

I have used really cheap newsprint to make string blocks. The paper comes off quite easily, and squares are easy to cut in multiples.

carolynjo

I, too, use 21/2" strips and do not use muslin to back the strips. I don't have a problem with stretch.

glorcour

I use paper from the phone book and find it rips off very nicely

cmilton

love your tutorial Peckish!

quiltmom04

I like the way they are with the strings on the base, and a backing and no batting. It's like a summer quilt that my grandmother had years ago. And with my electric blanket , I don't really need the weight!

purplefiend

Oldquilter,
When I make string quilts, I use a muslin foundation and sometimes use batting or flannel between the top and backing.
I machine quilt all of my quilts, don't do any hand quilting anymore.

MillieH

Lucky for me, our newspaper uses no-smudge inks. When we made weekly trips to wherever our oldest's son's college football game was (on a football scholarship), I'd work on piecing 16" star blocks as we traveled. I'd cut the star diamond pieces out of paper ahead of time and take along a box of scrap string pieces--any size, any color. I quickly learned not to try to match pieces--just grab a piece and go with it, with attention only to alternating dark and light. That kept me occupied for the many hours of travel. I'm finally (years later) putting the blocks together for a quilt for my grandson--one his grandmother pieced while traveling to his dad's college football games. Never give up on those unfinished projects.