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