Addicted to String Blocks
 

I have never been a fan of string quilts. The way the blocks come together without everything matching exactly bothers me. One day I was waiting for a fabric order at my LQS to finish a big quilt I was working on and found myself with nothing to sew. I decided I'd give string blocks a try thinking they could at least be potholders. Now I can't quit making them! It is so relaxing to grab a string and just sew. No matching. No thinking. Since I know I can't make a quilt by just butting the blocks together because it would bug me, I decided I could use sashing. The thought of sashing lead to the idea of little string block corner stones. I now have 32 9.5 inch bloccks and 52 3.5 inch blocks. It may be time to start thinking of putting them together, but I'm having too much fun sewing the blocks.

I absolutely agree. I recently learned how to do these and they are my absolute favorite. I love scrappy quilts anyway, and I like not having to fuss so much with these. Everything works!

I know exactly what you mean and maybe that is what I will try. I didn't want to try a string block quilt for exactly the same reasons as you mentioned, but I also know what you mean by just sewing....esp. when using up your scraps. It is fun to create something out of what would have been trash.

My group does them for Passage quilts. That way all the quilters, beginners or experts can sew with no fear of perfection.h And when they are together they are so pretty.

i love the idea of the corner stones

I enjoy doing the diagonal string blocks also. I usually make them "organized chaos" with a color scheme and often have the same fabric as the same width center strip. That way when I put them side by side, the center strip looks like sashing, and the blocks appear to be "on point." The fact that you never know exactly what you are going to end up with makes string blocks so much fun!

Dayle

I agree with them being fun and easy. Look at this one I just saw this week. I like it.
http://sewtakeahike.typepad.com/sewt...ng-modern.html

Strings are fun--yep!

Love string quilts ! Your blocks are awesome !

I think they're great.
For those quilters who need things perfect,
this is a great jumpingoff place

I think if you use the same color of center sting, the quilt goes together wonderfully. I had been one of the random string blocks until I saw the heartstring quilts. Your idea of sashing sounds great also. I'd love to photos when you get together.

I was also addicted to crumbs blocks for awhile. One year I got on a roll and made about 1000 6" blocks. The leader of my charity quilting group actually gave me a bunch of perfectly matched yardages of fabric, along with a nice pattern and asked me to stopped making the crumb blocks. We have a couple of ladies in our group who make dog beds for the local animal shelters and they take all the small scraps for that. So I don't have to feel guilty about not using all my crumbs. It's been a couple years since I did the crumbs and now I find them tedious. Funny how that works.

I just love doing these. When you get tired of math and measuring, these are so relaxing to do.
I can't wait to get to the next one.

Here is a link to a bunch of liberated-style piecing:

http://freequiltpatterns.blogspot.com/

I made lots of string blocks about 6 inches. Set them together with 1/2 inch black sashing. I have gotten more compliments of that quilt than most others. They are fun and beautiful when finished. I used all colors and different width strips. Have fun with yours. I did have a pattern and it was called cathedral windows and it truly looks like that.

Lu in TN

Correction
 

I made the sashing one and one half inches cut.

I haven't made a string quilt yet, but have been practicing. I can't wait to finish my crazy chaos quilts project, and start a string.

very interesting blocks

I started on a string quilt this week and I love doing it. I started with a 2 inch navy blue strip in the center diagonally then everything else random. It doesn't require a lot of thought and concentration. I want to make one all in red, white and blue.

I just recently finished a string pieced top and had a great time. It was hard to stop. I also put sashing between the blocks. I have enough strings for 1 or 2 more, so there are more in my future.

Very fun! It looks attractive and cool!! :)

Your block are wonderful. I have never done anything other then scrap quilt because I don't know any other thing to do. Love them

I have to try this. Thanks for the comments. Now I cannot wait to try one.

You are so right......... when I don't really want to think about what I am doing and use up some of those scraps I make either strip or crazy square blocks......... have enough done for 1 1/2 quilts.

That should be a delightful quilt.

Yep--look out they are addictive!

Have been saving selvages for the past 2 years...one day they'll become some kind of string quilt. Thanks for the info.

I love string quilts, I love the randomness, and the scrappier the better.They're great for everything from pot holders, oven mitts, quilts, doll blankets, or anything. Yours look great. Thanks for posting.