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Folklife Friday: Another String Quilt

During the rainy, stormy day this week, I completed this string quilt. Quilts like these were named string quilts because some of the fabric used were small as strings, all that was leftover from other projects.




I actually made the blocks a few years ago during and after a class on string quilts. Unlike food and flowers, the blocks will keep until you have time and energy to put them together.


 I know some of my students will recognize some of the fabrics that were used. Blocks are made by cutting old newspapers in the desired shapes; this is an eight inch square.  Starting in the center, fabric strings are sewn on until the newspaper square is covered.  Then, the fabric strings are trimmed to the size of the newspaper. It is best to leave the newspaper on until the blocks are sewn together, then they are removed before you make the quilt sandwich (top, batting, lining).


I quilted this quilt using a free motion foot and meandering.  The quilting pattern doesn't have to be marked, so it is a time saver. The label is made from a block I had left over.  


I love bright colors, so I use red a lot in my quilts.  When I made quilts for sale, the quilts with red or purple always sold first.

God has blessed us and I am able to buy fabric I need for sewing projects, but I still love using the scraps.  In fact, people give their scraps to me so it isn't likely I'll ever run out.  For some reason, I get intense satisfaction from taking a pile of strings and making something beautiful out of them.

Comments

  1. lil red henJanuary 20, 2012 at 8:05 AM

    This is so wonderful; finally I've come in contact with someone as passionate about string quilts as I am! Do you find that the more strings you use, the more there seems to be in the stash? Reminds me of the woman's cruse of oil in the Bible story with Elijah: the oil could never be used up.

    Hope you'll make more and share with us. And~that's a good idea for a label.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Faith, Folklore, and FriendsJanuary 20, 2012 at 12:33 PM

      I think sometimes my scraps hatch new ones during the night! :) It is impossible for me to throw one away.

      Delete
  2. MichelleJanuary 20, 2012 at 8:05 AM

    Such beautiful work, just lovely. You are blessed with such talent and patience. I will probibly never get to that point in my sewing adventures, but one can dream! I'd rather put my energy into knitting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Faith, Folklore, and FriendsJanuary 20, 2012 at 12:35 PM

      Just one stitch at a time! If I am stressed, a little time with thread and fabric calms me down better than anything else.

      Delete

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