I took a hiatus from this project for several weeks for obvious reasons.  

Besides the fact that I've not been around my sewing machine for a month, I've been kind of going nowhere since I wasn't sure what design I wanted for number 3. 

I've shown a plan, and I may get to that one in the future, but for now, I'm making some hourglass blocks out of strings and red.

The strings are going one way on half of the hourglass and perpendicular on the other side.

I decided to play around with these blocks and I've changed my mind midstream about them.

Wait...a couple of things to say here ---

While I was recently in the states, I bought a small circles Sizzix die (at Walmart, can you believe it ???!!!) so I can make my circles from strings more interesting - as I can do various sizes - but that's for yet another strings quilt top.

We are going to have to replace our shingles next summer. We had a bad storm a day or so after we got back (i.e. Thursday night) and my husband heard dripping in the night during the storm. He told me the next day that he needed to check along the back wall in my sewing room AND under the eaves. Both places were pretty much "full" of fabric and assorted sundries related to quilting (interpreted - a big hot mess!)

Rather than get frustrated, I decided to take the time to clean out that section of the sewing room - as it's been needing it for some time now anyway.  He wanted to check this area on Sat. afternoon. So, the rest of Sat. was pretty much a wash as far as working on strings.

Good news, however, there was no moisture in either of the places my husband checked (I could have told him that, though - I had been sewing only a couple of feet from where he wanted to check and I would have noticed dripping water or wet walls - but I understand that he needed to check for himself.)

But because of the removal of all that stuff, I've decided on a reorganization of part of my sewing room - more on that when it gets done. I'll get you pictures. It might be awhile, though, as the project involves my husband making some shelves. I don't know when he will get to them and I don't want to pressure him into getting them done.

So, it's a plan, but when it gets done, it gets done.

Back to the strings blocks - that's how the weekend went, btw.....

I did get to the strings blocks for an hour or so late Sunday evening. while watching Boston/Houston play game 3 of the American League Division Series playoff. Then I quit and went to bed.

I ended up with 15 new blocks - sewn on to the background - but not trimmed or made into the hourglass blocks.

I now understand better why make strings block on the diagonal, anyway. It is easier to use up short strings that way. With making a straight block, the strings all need to be 10" long or so.

I have many short strings, as you can imagine, so, more diagonal blocks are in the works for me!

That, or I have to use those short strings in crumb blocks (or, horrors - throw them in the kindling bag!)

This is an ongoing project, because I have bags of strings and crumbs and they were just sitting in my fabric room.  I decided to begin to tackle them - for at least one sewing session every weekend - more if I could or it worked into my schedule.  So far I've finished 2 quilt tops from strings - Strings 1 and Strings 2. Whenever I finish this one, it will be Strings 3. 

Strings 1 is a finished quilt already - and looks like this - 

Strings 2 is a top so far - I haven't made it into a quilt yet - but this is what it looks like.

And now you are caught up. 

I'm off to work some more in that sewing room.  Trying to get it ready for those shelves I'm hoping my husband will work on this week.  (I'm not impatient or anything, you see! LOL - that's a problem with me, but I'll just try to straighten up and get ready and then see what happens.)  The problem with all of this kind of thing means that it's time to actually go through 'stuff' and see if I want it anymore.  Most of it I do, actually, and going through it is a good thing as it reminds me of the various things I have and where it all is.

But maybe you need something for your latest project!  Check out what my sis has for you!