Brenda here posting this for my friend Terry, who couldn't get Blogger to work for her.
She made this set of scrappy diagonal string squares.
I like the consistent dark diagonal strip.
Here's what she said about them:
I took these squares to coffee break at work to show to a quilting friend. One of the other women at coffee exclaimed, "That is soooo ugly!!" Uhm. "Look," she says, "Those colours don't even go together ....and those strips are different widths."
I took these squares to coffee break at work to show to a quilting friend. One of the other women at coffee exclaimed, "That is soooo ugly!!" Uhm. "Look," she says, "Those colours don't even go together ....and those strips are different widths."
Very amusing. There are no convincing her that this was a string quilt made from scraps and BELIEVE ME, it will all work out in the end.
I haven't decided if I'll just make a few more squares and run them together or if I'll put a border around groups of four. Wait and see!
This is Brenda again.
For the record, I love diagonal string blocks, the scrappier the better. And believe me Terry, these colours do GO together. It's going to be a great quilt.
Just to prove that anything goes when it comes to string blocks, I'm proposing a little challenge.
1.Make an 8.5 inch string block with a black diagonal like Terry did. Please sew it on an 8 inch muslin foundation so it has a 1/4 inch seam allowance around it. That eliminates extra bulk when I join the blocks.
2. Use the ugliest (to borrow a word from Terry's colleague) fabrics in various widths.
2. Use the ugliest (to borrow a word from Terry's colleague) fabrics in various widths.
3. Post your pictures here.
4, Pop the block in the mail to me and I'll collect them to make a charity quilt.
(I already have 48 string blocks made from a previous project, and these can go with those.)
5. Let's show Terry's friend we don't make ugly quilts when we use up our scraps.
6. Deadline: April 30.
7. Leave me a comment here and I'll send you my address.
And just wondering: What would the rest of you string quilters have said to Terry's colleague?
cCount me in!
ReplyDeleteCount me in, too.
ReplyDeleteI would have gone online to Google's Image search to share photos of string quilts - letting the photos show the co-worker what is possible when people use scrappy strings. I've found photos work far better than words with my non-quilting co-workers (which is the same logic as your challenge - SHOW not tell).
It's fabulous! Love the dimensional look she gets with the lights and darks. Count me in!
ReplyDeleteI'll play! and I probably would have acknowledged that some people like this style of quilt and some don't. She can go along being wrong as much as she wants!! hahahaha. Address, please. thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm in too, I have been wanting a reason to start a strings, black diagonal is as good a reason as any- lol
ReplyDeleteI can do that! Any preference as to foundation (muslin/paper/none)?
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Carol, not everyone likes scrappy quilts so making this one may not change the co-workers opinion about them.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I'd like to make and send a block because I'm dying to participate in this and can't work on my string project until the kids are out of school.
Just to clarify, black center but otherwise anything goes?
I made a block this morning...purposely trying to make it ugly and it still turned out pretty! I love scrappy!!!
ReplyDeleteI want to join this, too. Am crazy for string quilts!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a perfect way to try out that particular string block construction technique, which I've been wanting to try for a while. Aside from the black strip we can use any colors? And if I begin with an 8.5" foundation does that give you the finished dimension you're shooting for?
ReplyDeleteI'll join, send me your addy. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI would love to join so please send me your address. Strings are my favorite charity quilts and I just finished one. You didn't say how wide you want that center black strip? I usually cut a 1 1/4" center strip that finishes at 3/4".
ReplyDelete