Strings That Just Keep On Giving

Come on over to my blog 

and read about these boxes of strings -

CLICK HERE

Heartstrings Quilt finished!

Yesterday I finished a large String Quilt and it is now ready to be taken to New Zealand in January.
It is a gift for our very special friend Liz who has a special birthday coming up on 15th January,
We will be in NZ to celebrate her 70th birthday at a lunch party in a nearby café overlooking the beach.

I made my first Heartstrings Quilt back in April when we were in NZ and Liz admired it so much I decided that I would make one for her birthday.

 

Here is the quilt I made in April

 

 

And close ups of some of the blocks:

 

 

For Liz's Quilt I decided to use a solid centre strip in each block so that when the four blocks are put together to make a whole block the solid strips form a diamond shape:

 

The colours are actually a lot brighter than they appear in these photos.  Taking photos indoors on a dreary December afternoon in the UK doesn't work very well.  I hope to take better ones when we are in NZ!

Here's the finished quilt:

 

I am pleased with it and happy I managed to finish it before Christmas, otherwise I would have been rushing about like a mad thing before we left for NZ in the New Year.

 

I love making String Quilts - I am sure I will make another one next year.

 

This is my last quilt finish for 2015 so may I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

 

 

 

String-y Things Going On

It all started with a string stash I've been 

accumulating for the last year or so.

These three boxes plus another larger box with . . . 

these pinks, oranges, and reds.

You can read the whole story over on my blog,

but this project has moved itself to the top of my list.

First there were these blocks . . .

And then THIS happened.

CLICK HERE to see what happened next.

Quiltdivajulie

Boxing up the Strings

 I had started with a tonne of scraps and this doesn't include all the scraps from years gone by. I had wanted to get onto it for quite sometime.

and boxed up the strings into one block. I've got lots of strings!

In this quilt, I am cutting strips from the scraps I have or just using those scraps that were just hanging around.

I start with 5 inch squares of backing and batting. So this little quilt is quilted when each block is squared off with the rotary cutter as seen.

I layer the scrap strips onto the batting with the backing fabric behind. I must do a little tute for this or just go here to watch how the quilt as you go method works. Unfortunately, this is not using the string method, but you'll get the idea.

Have fun, happy quilting,

Carli

www.goodearthquilting.blogspot.com

String Quilt Top Finished

Party Hat Optional  --  53" x 73" 

This quilt top was inspired by the Toran pattern

in Sujata Shah's new book Cultural Fusion Quilts.

You can read about my string quilt's genesis

HERE and continuing HERE.

The quilt top's actual construction happened within a single week!

Monday's post

Tuesday's post

Wednesday's post

Thursday's post

Friday's top and back reveal post

* * *

I LOVE STRING QUILTS !!!

Quiltdivajulie

3 Fractured Diamonds

I was motivated to sew this past week and pumped out 3 fractured diamond quilt tops. More info can be found on my blog.

All strips are from my stash which now has a dent in the pile.

When quilted these quilt little quilts (36" sq) will be given to my helping hands group. 

I'll be machine quilting each one on my Janome.

I hope everyone enjoys their week. It's raining here in central Texas which is very unusual in June but we are not complaining one little bit!!

TUESDAY PROGRESS

My pieced-on-paper strings and strips are morphing into this...the blocks are 18" (4 with two-sided borders--then sewn together in pairs and pairs again).  I have enough to do 3 more blocks and will need to "string-up"                                      { (;--))) }
enough for two more after this.

A closer looksee at all those scrappy strings and strippies.....can you find "Santa Claus" up there--
It has turned out to be a sort of "I Spy" String quilt because of all the novelty fabrics.

Here are the next two laid out on my cutting table ..................hmmmm no beach today!!

As I close my sewing room door I take a last glimpse from the side,,,, more on my   blog
Yes, I think I like them like this...hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse

Green Lover

I love the color green and tend to purchase fabrics of varied shades of green. So it was easy to choose fabric strips for my latest string quilt.

I need to make 18 more rectangle blocks before I sew the rows together. After which, I'll make a piano key border from the leftover greens sprinkling in a few zebra and red fabrics.

String Tote

I made this tote last week before heading off to my Bible study class. You can read about it on my BLOG. Just scan down a few posts where I've written about the struggles and figuring I had to do.

Bull's Eye

 

This little quilt is the end of a run of string quilts that were stuck in my head and needed out....LOL

The blocks are one 4 1/2 inches and the quilt measures 42 inches square.....and no, I haven't been able to use up those scraps.....they just seem to multiply....sigh!

Still Strung Out

Sorry about the blurry photo, I don't know what's up with that.  So this is what I have so far. Notice the second tan colored star. I planned that.......LOL.  The top measures 32 by 45 inches at this time. Next, I'll add a stopping border. I have a great barbed wire fabric, followed by...... I can't believe I'm about to say this...... piano keys...... SIGH!

Strung Out - The Cowboy Way

Just when I thought I'd never get to sew again (family health issues), I found myself out in the old sewing studio with an idea in my head and western fabric spread everywhere. In other words, this quilt is going to have strips of my cowboy/western fabrics in it.  This type of quilt is a great way to get rid of use some of those hard-to-know-what-to-do-with fabrics.
I found some scraps of muslin, an old cardboard folder and started the ball rolling.

First, I made a template from my cardboard. Really, I just cut out an elongated triangle. Then I cut another one about a fourth larger. 

Next, I traced the smaller triangle to one corner of each piece of muslin using a mechanical  which measures 8 1/2 inches square.  This will work with any size you choose. 

Now, with this stage, I had to do a small bit of trial and error. That's the reason I'm pointing to the "BACKSIDE" of the fabric. In order for your elongated triangle to fit properly on the muslin (OMG, did I almost ruin a FQ on this one...LOL) one must..... must cut from the wrong side of the fabric. So there is no mistake of the wrong angle. 

So, if you are going to try this, please take the time to cut all the triangles from the wrong side.

This is how it will look when you're done.

Oooops! I didn't have a photo of the rectangle that I cut before I cut it in half on the diagonal. Sorry, but just imagine those two triangles back together.

Now comes a bit of instant gratification.  

Put a dab of fabric glue on muslin then place fabric triangle right side up over the pencil mark and press to hold in place.

This is a view of 4 blocks, not sewing together by any means, to demonstrate what the quilt is going to look like towards the center of the joined blocks.

My next step will be to give these blocks a little pop by adding the first strip which will be a black 1 1/2 inch strip doing to sew, flip and press method we quilters know so well.

I'm also planning to do a secondary design but that a surprise for later.  In other words, I haven't figured that out yet... LOL

I am so excited to be sewing again.

Finished and Done

 I auditioned two different corners: the scrappy look and the more solid look.

 I chose the more solid look.

I love the way things turned out. The whole process of digging out locating the ruler, sewing up the scrappy strips, drafting the edge pieces and auditioning fabrics to make the connection to each block.

It reminds me of my grandma's quilts.

Final measurement 56 1/2 inches square and I don't think I'll be bordering the quilt..... LOL