"Strings" project continued

This is my weekly report on my effort to use up some of those extremely difficult pieces - strings and crumbs.  I decided to tackle strings first since I actually have never made a strings quilt before. I knew what I wanted to make and have been working on it for the last several weekends. 

This weekend, I did the following things:

55 sashing units and 13 9 patch units for the cornerstones for Strings 1

1. Made 55 sashings units and 13 more 9 patches in order to finish the top.

2. Finished Strings 1  top  - I am naming it "Strings on DIsplay". I only needed to add 20 blocks plus sashings/ cornerstones to get it to its finished size of a 10x10 layout. Then I needed to add a border of sashing and cornerstones and a thin (1.5" cut) outer border of white. (Look down a bit for the picture of the finished top!)

3. Made 4 large pieces of "fabric" using strings.

4. Cut those 4 large pieces of "fabric" into 95 3.5" blocks.

5. Made 86 "half units" for Strings 2 quilt. I will need 144. 

Yes! I am actually quite pleased with the top!  I am also glad i decided to leave off a different kind of border as I like the look I have here.

Strings 1 top FINISHED!  "Strings on DIsplay" is its name. It's as big as I want to make it - but this is one easy to make bigger or smaller as desired. I decided to leave off a border or any kind except a thin outer white border so that I will have my top "float a bit" inside the binding (after it is put on--obviously no binding is on this yet.) The top is 96" x 96".

It almost looks like a quilt roll here, but it's just a "folded top".. 

This is what it looked like before I added the outer sashing/cornerstones and last 1.5" cut white border which should make the whole top 'float' inside the binding.

This week, I didn't need to "make" any new 6.5" blocks as I had enough to finish this strings quilt top.

When it was a 10x10 layout but before the outer sashing/cornerstone border - this is what it looked like:

Since I had so little sewing to do to finish this, I had some time to sit and think about the next strings quilts.

I have number 2 planned and - will work on it now that I have finished number 1.  

This Strings 2 quilt layout is this:

Strings 2 quilt plan

This one includes 9" strings blocks using 4 - 3.5" squares of strings plus an alternating Chain block in various bright colors. White is the sashing and color that is supposed to bring order to this top. The brights should help spice it up!

This is the plan without all the lines of the blocks in the way.  

Strings 2 - This is what it looks like theoretically, anyway, as a finished top. While obviously it won't look exactly like this, I've been pleased with how close the EQ layouts end up to the final top.  I could like a strings top like this one!

It's no secret to anyone who has read here, that I've not been a lover of string quilts - it's primarily why I hadn't finished one up to this point in my life.

 Why don't I like them? I'm not entirely sure - just that most of them didn't excite me very much. This is one reason I decided to begin this project - That, along with the idea that I really need to use up my strings as I have bags of them!

As I work with strings to make up more small 3.5" blocks, I will also cut out some 10" squares of very loosely woven fabric I have that is pretty much good for not much else (to be used as a foundation) and make up some large strings blocks as I begin working towards Strings 3. :) This is the plan for Strings 3.

This is how this one will look without the linesl

So these are my next 2 Strings blocks quilts I'll be working on.  Strings 2 will be "in the works" starting next weekend - and Strings 3 will only be in the beginning stages of assembly - for example, I may start making some 3.5" color coordinated centers for the spools blocks, etc.  We'll see.  

I like to work with a plan in mind for these particular blocks. When I get tired of strings, I may switch over and work on crumbs.  Not yet, though. I am limiting myself to actually sewing on these strings/crumbs blocks only on the weekend. It frees up my mind and alleviates pressure on myself. If a weekend comes and goes with little work on them because "life happens", then that's okay too.

So now you know what's up with my strings projects!

Have a wonderful day, wherever this post finds you reading!

My sis added a new page called "new fabrics" to her shop area. She is putting it there to stay for a couple/few days until she has time to "file" it on the website. Feel free to check it out!