Yesterday I was tired of cleaning and Abby was just tired. Perhaps she was snoozy due to the walk we took in 22* temps. Oh how she loves to stick her nose in the snow and then eat it! So off to my sewing room we went.
While she snoozed, I played.
I have a bunch of odds and ends of colored thread.
Same with the bobbins. And several months back I cut various strips from 1 1/4" wide to 2 1/2" wide from my scrap stash.
I've been wanting to make a string quilt. Maybe mine is more of a rope as I have wider strips. Certainly not my invention--but here's a little "how-to." I started with 7" squares of muslin. Lay one strip down the middle and another strip on top, right sides together. Sew with a quarter inch seam. Press open. Do this until you get to the end tip then turn it around and do the other side until the muslin is filled.
Your square will look like this (oops! ignore that little tip).
Lay a 6 1/2" square on the back side and trim edges.
Now you have one of these.
And 'cuz when Abby sleeps...it's a good thing, look what I can get done! This is a wonderful scrap buster project.
s
~Piecefully, Stephanie
49 comments:
Oh, it is so bright and colorful! And a great idea for using up scraps. I love your new header picture!
I love this. I am going to put this on my 'to do' list...before 'cleaning'. It looks like so much fun! Thanks for the inspiration!
She must have slept for a long time! You got so much accomplished and you know I just love it! It is bright, how can you not love it?
L-O-V-E the blog "makeover", Stephanie.
What a neat idea to use up scraps. I cut a bunch of mine into 2 1/2" strips over the holidays and was wondering what to do with them. Scrappy quilts just "do it" for me and I love the colors and movement in yours.
Thanks, Abby...and Stephanie too!
this looks nice especially with those wide ones here and there.
Love your new header!
What a great way to use scraps.
I like so much! Please,can you explane me why do you use the muslin square behind? Thanks!
nichi
Stephanie, Your blocks look great! You and Abby make a good team! Stay warm and happy quilting!
If you put a backing and batting behind the muslin then sew the strips on, you will have your quilt quilted at the same time. Just need to put the blocks together a la lap quilting. I made a charity quilt once this way. Depending on what you put as the backing fabric, you can have a reversible quilt. I think there's a book on this by Sharon Pederson. Fun technique.
By the way, I'm quilting my crunch fabric quilt finally. Thanks so much for that inspiration. It came out great.
I love quilts that help get rid of the stash.
Love it!
I've always wanted to make a quilt like this. Think I will have to do it this year to help clear out my scrap drawer. Looks great - love all the color.
What a nice, springy feeling, makeover to your blog. Makes me wake up and thing "fresh".
Wow - you DID get a lot done. The string quilt looks fun and fast...and look what gets done when Abby sleeps.
Poor baby, she's just tuckered right out. The snow must have worn her little legs out.
Great blog banner photo! Nice strippy blocks. And, did I tell you that Abby looks just like my George? I'll have to send you some photos. She is a little more furry than he, but they have the same coloring and build. Our George is so handsome and a great dog.
Love the strings, thanks for sharing how you did that... looks over at the stash, hmmm.
Love your bright string quilt! I really need to make one of these soon so I can bust my scraps.
yayyy for sting blocks.
i'm a string block junky.
i ♥ your new header.
you know i have a weakness for your dresdens.
*swoon*
Your new blog layout looks GREAT! I have been wanting to make a string quilt and I think I will now that I have received additional inspiration from you! :) I just need to get one of the square thingies....wait a minute, I think I already have one! Woo hoO! Scrap basket, here I come!
Love your new header!
String quilts are so much fun to make - wonderful way to use up scraps and such.
I love all the colors....what a great way to play!! Thanks for the easy peasy directions!
What a darling quilt! Love all of the bright colors.
This is my favorite string quilt ever...no kidding...I think it's because not only do I love the fabrics, but I love the width of the strips.
Wondering how long approx your strips were...I seriously have to make this...no string quilt has ever made me want to make one until this one...seriously love this!
Busy, bright and fun, plus a great way of using up scraps. Abby looks especially happy there snoozing.
Stephanie, I LOVE it. I have lots of fabric scraps. I don't think it could possibly look as great as yours but I would like to try it. Thanks for showing me how!
How wonderful!! Looks like great fun too! I need to do a string quilt this year to deal with the tonnage of scrap. Sleep tight, Abby!
I have seen the blocks before but I love yours too!! great use of colors and scraps! Love you new header too!! Off to find strips!!
Love the blocks! Great idea. One of many on my list. Let’s see where 2010 brings me...LOL!
And a big caress for Abby. She’s a gorgeous model in lots of your posts and her innocent face makes me laugh!
I'm so happy I'm visiting today, Stephanie! Love your string blocks - what a great way to make them! While Abby sleeps she is sending good sewing vibes your way! I love your new floor - the fellows did a wonderful job putting it in! Can't wait to see the whole room done!
Cheers!
I guess the whirl of your machine helped her lull into slumberland too! So cute! Love your string blocks. Such bright happy colors! Cute! Jenn
What a cheerful quilt. We are having overcast days here, day after day, and just looking at your quilt is cheerie! You have given me a great idea and as I finish off my UFO's this year, I am going to start cutting the scraps in the measurements that you talk about and start getting them ready for this quilt. It is a definite for me. Thank you!!!
That's a good use for all those left over threads.
Hi there from a snowy England.
I love your rope quilt! It's now added to the list in my head of things to make.
Happy belated New Year.
What a wonderful memory of all the fabrics you have used in different quilts, too.
Your string blocks look really cheerful! I made some with batting and backing last year for the Bushfire quilts, and it was really fun.
That looks awesome! I love all the colors together, what a great use of scraps.
BTW I love your new header too!
Yay! for Abby sleeping. You had lots of fun. Great way to use those scraps.
Lovely project to use up the scraps. Looking so cheerful :)
Love the quilt...great use of scraps! I really like your new header too.
Hey Stephanie,
Thanks so much for explaining how to make this. I had no idea and thought folks were sewing row after row of strips. Now I can do this!! :)
Great string squares and love your header!
String quilts are a lot of fun and yours looks so cheerful. Good for Abby, you must have tired her out.
I've never made a string quilt, Stephanie. Yours looks so bright and cheery!! I'm sorely tempted...I always keep strips. But - I really need to finish my Churn Dash quilt, so I will be strong and get moving on it once again. THEN I'll have a go at a string quilt. ;-)
That is gorgeous Stephanie- sorry I'm slow getting here- computer problems.
I love all those colours together.
It looks like so much fun! Thanks for the inspiration!
Work from home India
Yay, I found this just in time to join. I'm IN.
This is a great way to use up odd bits of thread, too. Good idea. Your blocks turned out real nice. :-D
HI Stephanie...Wendy linked you here...love this...never heard of string quilts before..great tut..thanks...would you like to be a guest blogger at STash Manicure..let me know...blessings madame samm at stash manicure
On a different note, I opened this blog and said to my husband "who posted a picture of Duke (our Shepard Greater Swiss Mountain Dog mix) on their site?" Our boy looks a lot like your Abby. Where do you live that there is snow? We are in Ohio but rescued Duke from Alabama.
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