Stars and stripes

I haven't posted on this blog for a very long time, keep forgetting to share my string-y stuff! 

I found a bunch of string blocks in a zip lock bag that wanted to be used for something.  I remember making these blocks when I didn't want to do a specific project but I wanted to sew; then I put them in my "parts department," to be used as when inspiration hit.

I wanted to make a full-size quilt but I didn't have quite enough, so I thought - stars and stripes! I made wonky stars and alternated them with the strings.

I like to add variety by alternating background colors!

My layout looked great, here's the finished quilt:

I had it long-arm quilted by a guild member, Bernerdett - she did a wonderful job!

Stars and Stripes is 82x73 and doesn't have a border; I bound it in a medium-dark blue.

You can see more of the creative process on my blog, just search for "string blocks" to pull up the posts!

Linda

String-y stars

Yesterday I rough-pieced several string blocks for the center of my string star project.  I decided to do the diamond in the square setting, just to be different and scrappy.

I tried three different settings, here's the first one:

for some reason when I laid it out I thought it looked a bit busy, and I rejected it as an option.  But now that I look at it again, it looks okay.  Nice and bright, the way I intended!

Next, I decided to go with just one color for the points, to match the fabric surrounding the string section:

That's really dull and boring, isn't it?  All you can see is blue! 

After laying it out with those colors, I decided my problem was that the fabric was all solid... so I tried a third layout:

This one uses the same fabric for all the star points...  Hmm... 

I went ahead and pieced this one and trimmed it, but "now that I look at it"...  I believe it's that blue center part that's throwing everything off!  I don't like the third setting as much as I thought I would, so I might go back to the first layout.  That center surrounding the diamond might need a fix, though; also, I'm thinking of making the points a bit smaller.  Back to the drawing board!

Sew forth and sew on

New stringer in the mix!

Hi everybody, I'm Linda from Eat, Sleep, Quilt! 

I'm glad I was invited to join this blog, it gives me an excuse to make another set of string blocks!  I think strings are really easy to do, especially since I learned the new way of piecing them using phone book pages with just the first seam stitched down. 

For this project I've decided to make a star block, with strings in the middle position. 

Because that middle block will be sort of on the small size, I wanted the strings to be no wider than 1-1/2", else I think the string effect would get lost in the star. 

I trimmed some of my strings down to the size I wanted, I was finding a lot of wide pieces ... I think they're from cutting 2" or 2-1/2" strips that got skewed, so I just tossed them in the string bin.

These are the untrimmed string blocks I pieced this morning, I was up sewing at 6:30!  There are half a dozen here, I only need three more for the design I have in mind.  I wanted to keep this one bright, so it's looking good already!

More later, have a great Tuesday.  Sew forth and sew on...