Transform your fabric scraps into beautiful new scrappy quilts by making string quilts. A tutorial from NewQuilters.com #stringquilts #stringquilttutorial
I've decided to call this block "Purse Strings" since it looks like the top view of a drawstring bag, and the more blocks I put together, the more I love them! (Other great names were suggested, but several of those were already assigned to other blocks) If you read my blog often, you know that I like quilts/blocks that are fairly easy to piece, and yet make a big impact. This block gets a check mark in my book for both of those qualities! The other great thing about this block is its size. This is a 15 inch block! So, a 4x4 block quilt would make a generous throw size, and a 3x3 block quilt would be perfect as a baby quilt. Bigger blocks = less teeny tiny pieces, and I'm all about that! If you would rather a smaller block, here are the measurements for that as well- To make a purse strings block, cut four 5.5 inch squares to make the "purse flaps," four 5.5 inch squares to make the "strings," and one 5.5 inch square for the center of the block, or the "inside of the purse." This center square would be a great place to use fussy cuts! You will also need sixteen 3.5 inch squares of your background fabric (or, corner squares). I am using only three fabrics (plus white), but this would also be really cute as a scrappy block! First, we'll make the four "purse flaps." These surround the center square, so if you have a stripe, chevron, or other design that would look cute in a radiating pattern, go for it! To make these pieces, we need to line up one white square on the corner of your printed fabric and sew corner to corner. Like this- To keep your stitch line straight, many people recommend drawing a diagonal line across the back of your square as a guide. I really hate this step, so as a little trick, I use a piece of painter's tape aligned with my needle on my machine and table. You can keep the corners in line with the edge of the tape, and know that you're sewing a straight line! After sewing, take your scissors and trim away the excess, leaving 1/4 inch seam allowance. It doesn't have to be too perfect! Give it a quick press, then line up another white square with an adjoining corner. Sew corner to corner in exactly the same way! Trim away the excess, and press again! Repeat these steps for all four "purse flap" pieces. I promise, once you get the hang of it, it goes really quickly, and the end result is worth it! The points on these don't go all the way to the edge of the block (unlike flying geese), and that's by design. When the blocks are all put together, it creates a great shape in the negative space! Now, we'll use the same technique to create the "drawstring" parts of the block, better known as a Road to Tennessee block. These are a little bit quicker because you won't have to press until the end. Start by lining up a white square on top of your printed fabric and again, sewing corner to corner and trimming the excess. Don't worry about pressing this just yet! This time, our second white square will be sewn to the opposite corner, rather than an adjoining corner. Sew the second piece and trim. Your piece should look like this. Now we're ready to press! Be careful not to drag the iron too much or you'll distort your corners! Repeat for all four "drawstring" pieces! After all of that, the rest is really a snap! Lay out your blocks like this- Do you see the purse and strings shape? Sew them together as you would a plain old nine patch. Give your block a final press, and voila! A beautiful Purse Strings block! Of course, the real beauty of these blocks happens when they're all put together! Lots of quilt blocks are like that. I love the little figure-eight shape created between these. I can see lots of opportunities for some creative quilting in these little negative spaces! Edited 9/21- Here is what the blocks look like all together in the finished quilt! You can find additional pictures of the finished quilt HERE!
Make the most of your small fabric scraps by turning them into crumb quilt blocks! You can combine blocks to make a full crumb quilt top!
Transform your fabric scraps into beautiful new scrappy quilts by making string quilts. A tutorial from NewQuilters.com #stringquilts #stringquilttutorial
New to string or strip piecing blocks? Check out video tutorials to see different ways to do the string piecing technique as well as some ideas for patterns and information to get you started.
Made from strings less than 2 inches wide. The fabric in the middle of the blocks is Habitat Dandelions by Michele D'Amore for Bernartex. The dimensions of the quilt are 72" by 90". Just added some better photos of this one to join in with Rachel's Festival of Strings at Stitched in Color: www.stitchedincolor.com/2013/05/festival-of-strings.html I finished this top in April 2013, and I'm just waiting for inspiration to hit me for the back of it! And the quilting, and the binding.... :)
Refreshing some old blog address links to the new website, so please forgive the double post today!! I hope this tutorial will be a good reminder to you as well as to me....I have a collection of, qui
String quilts are pretty fantastic. They're so much fun to make, a great way to use up scraps, and can help build a lot of confidence if you're just beginning to learn to piece and quilt. How to make a string quilt isn't new, and there are lots of other great tutorials out there. I learned how to make my first one from a blog I adore: Film in the Fridge. I use a similar foundation piecing, aka paper...
Sewing the string quilt block pieces together can be a little tricky since you are sewing on the bias, but I hope the tips I share in...
Learn how to make the Hidden Wells quilt block with this tutorial. is very fast and easy to make and each time you make it.
Swirly String Quilt Block Embroidery Designs 3.00" x 3.00" - 626 stitches 4.00" x 4.00" - 801 stitches 5.00" x 5.00" - 972 stitches
Tutorial showing with photos and explaining step by step with text how to sew a string quilt block on paper.
I've decided that scrap management is a full time job. (One that I am happy to have!) I've been cutting 3" squares from scraps. This is a stack of 400. I'm on my way to cutting at least 700 (!!!) to make a lap size quilt. You know, I've got to hurry and whip this one up because we are running low on quilts around here. Ha! After cutting up squares, I have lots of odd sized trimmings that I store in this pretty wood bowl. I love to sit down and just sew them together. It's such good therapy. I recently sorted all my scraps back into their color coded baskets. That took a better part of a weekend to accomplish, but it was so worth it! The pattern for the boxes can be found in Sunday Morning Quilts. I have 3 more colors to make...purple, brown and white. Then I'll have a complete set! Meanwhile, my strings are piling up and threatening to take over. They need to be sewn up. Pronto. (This seems to be my most robust category of scraps. Always. I think I need to make another spiderweb quilt. Or 3.) I'll spare you a photo of my tiny ticker tape pieces, thus sparing myself judgment. (hopefully.) I really ought to throw them away, but I can't bring myself to do so. As if that weren't enough, Flaun came to visit and sew yesterday. She generously shared her scraps with me. I've got a whole basket of new-to-me scraps to sew up. Thanks Flaun! I'm so excited to dig into these! My solution to all the scraps? Sew faster. I'll let you know how that goes. :) On the home front....my other full time job... (another one that I am extremely happy to have!) Today is the first day of school. (sniff sniff.) Early morning. (Yawn.) New shoes. New routine. Lots of jitters. And one very sentimental mama. As hard as it was to send them on their way this morning, it was time. I am excited about finding a new routine and having some serious structure in my day. Hopefully with lots of sewing time! Happy Tuesday!
We’re an online group of quilters who have joined together to make and donate String Quilts to local charitable organizations. We contribute to group quilts through donating blocks, assemblin…
At our September meeting, I did a demonstration of the Spider Web Quilt Block. It is a simple string quilt block with several variat...
Join me in my kitchen as we mix up a batch of affordable, effective homemade spray baste! Plus, a FREE PDF download of the recipe and instructions! (This article contains affiliate links)
My First Quilt | Sara Gallegos | Runtime (13 min) Maisy Daisy Quilt Block: In this episode of My First Quilt, Sara will teach you how to make a cute string pieced block, called Maisy Daisy. This bloc
I can’t believe another week has flown by at lightening speed! Where did it go? Earlier in the week, I did get a chance to use the HQ mid-arm machine that a local quilt shop rents to quilt …
At our monthly Quilt Guild meeting last Thursday they were all but begging for more quilt submissions for our bi-annual public show coming up in July. While driving home it hit me; "these people need to see a selvage quilt!"...
Orange Peel Quilt Blocks Pattern If you like Orange Peel Quilts, it’s not difficult, to make your own templet and get started. This is indeed a marvelous way to use up some small scraps of your favorite fabrics. Use the instructions below to create the templet. This can easily be done by using a 3 … Continue reading Orange Peel Quilt Blocks Pattern →
Copyright 2008, Penny Squirrell. Made in Ontario, Canada. Here is the pattern workup for the Ultimate Scrap Quilt. Penny was getting so many requests that she asked me to post it here to share with everyone. Please remember that this pattern is for CHARITY quilts and may NOT be sold nor are the quilts made from it to be sold. It is protected by all copyright laws, yada, yada. You know how it goes. Please respect the work she put into this pattern and make lots of charity quilts and quilts for people you love. You can always send a thanks to her at the email below! Of course, you will want to print this pattern, so here is what I figured out after trying 17 different things! Hey, I'm slow at 6 in the morning =) Click on the pattern and your computer will magically open up just the pattern in a new window. Then, hit the print button on the top of the screen and just the pattern will print out. Hope that works for you. If it doesn't, ask a teenage kid to help you. They know way more than I do about computers and I'm not afraid to say that. I work with teenage kids all the time (I teach high school science) and I get them to fix my computer at school so I don't have to learn how. My brain can only hold so much information and I'd rather fill it with quilting skills any day thank you very much. As for putting the quilt squares together, here's what I did. If you look at the block, you will see that there are three vertical rows. One row has three 8 1/2 inch squares, one row has the three skinny strips and the middle row has lots of pieces. If you work on one block at a time, which I did because I pre-sorted my fabrics so I wouldn't get too many of the lobster (which I have been told are actually crawdad--crayfish) prints together. I would sew two of the 8 1/2 squares together, then the 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 then something from the 3rd row and back to the 1st row. I like the chain piece so I'm not wasting thread. Back and forth between the three strips until you get to the end and you don't have that choice. Then, I got brave and grabbed into the next group of blocks for the next big square. I kept each big square's pieces on a different leg while sewing so I wouldn't get them mixed up. Hey, the system works for me. Just don't ask me to get up in the middle of making these blocks or I look at you with my mean look. I'll post that picture one day. Then, when each of the blocks is done, lay them out on a clean spot on the floor. For most of you, this isn't a problem, but for me, I have to find a spot big enough. Luckily, the kids had vacuumed the living room yesterday and we were able to lay it out there =) They actually accused me of planning that. Who me? Twist and turn all of the blocks so that you don't have two of the same colors touching, unless that is the look you want. Penny said that one lady in her guild did this with only 3 colors. I'd like to try that one and see how it turns out. Should be interesting. Sew the blocks together and I put a 4 inch border around mine. You can see from the pattern that the original pattern is for 12 blocks. That makes a mighty big quilt. Perfect for homeless shelters or battered women's shelters. I've never made anything that big before and am always afraid to try new things, but one day may give it a shot. Thanks again Penny for sharing with all of us! Aren't quilters just the best?
There are a huge amount of WIP's up on the design wall currently. I have shamefully not shared any of them here on my blog. As I make them, new ideas or projects are thrown at me and... well... I am
Here's part 1 of making a string quilt block, triangle and square. Step by step pictures and essential tips for a successful string quilt block.
Learn some tips and tricks showing you how to pick fabric for a quilt. Tips for picking fabric colors for a quilt and how much to buy.
I've been feeling a bit like I'm in a fog the last couple of days. I think it's because Oliver has just gotten through some more teething (he got his two front teeth in now) and I've been getting up in the night somewhere between 4 and 6 times. Normally I get up 3 times and consider myself lucky as Alexander was a lot more demanding. Ha! He still is too, but in different ways. I'm pretty much convinced now that boys are more demanding all around than girls. Our house is so lively, jumpy and loud! It could be the weather too. They need to get outside, but it has been cold out, or wet, etc.. Even when we bundled Alexander up to go out with dad, he comes back and says, "Mama, bike's cold!" We have a ritual that every morning I ask him what he dreamed about during the night and yesterday he surprised me and said, "Warm bike!" He's only two and a half, but the things he comes up with are so entertaining. I think anyone that knows me would know that I am in my element having two boys. I love the action, the liveliness, and most of all the cuddles. So, did I tell you that I signed up for my very first quilting bee? I'm in a new bee called Sew Australia and I am excited to be able to get to know some online peeps a bit more and sew together! This month's block, the first round, is for Stitch 'n' Bits. Isn't it beautiful? She has beautiful taste using the Henna Garden and I'm looking forward to seeing how her quilt comes together. If you are interested in making one of these blocks/quilts for yourself. This is the tutorial we are using here. I do love love the look of the quilt when finished. If you want to see an example of a finished quilt check out this link here. I did have trouble making my blocks though. It's not quite as easy as it seems. There are a lot of biases to work with and it requires precise trimming. It took me a while and a couple of goes at it before I felt I had something workable. I did find that I didn't like the part in the tutorial where you have to use a triangle laid underneath each corner to show where to cut. I don't like procedures that are not precise and require a lot of adjusting to get right. Instead, I marked the centers at 2.25" and then used the 45degree line on my ruler to cut off the corners. Made me much happier! I will make a quilt out of this design one day--I really love it!
UPDATED JULY 6, 2022 — CLICK HERE TO SEE MY CRUMB PIECING TUTORIAL TO LEARN HOW I SELECT FABRICS AND SEW MY CRUMB BLOCKS. INCLUDES A VIDEO TUTORIAL. A little over a week ago on February 22 I …
Most quilters love to save their scraps, even just stuffed in bins or totes, but it can be a challenge to know how to regularly and effectively use them. Let's take a look at several ways that you can make using scraps part of your regular quilty fun. (This post contains affiliate links)
Quilt-As-You-Go is so much more than just log cabins! Try this new Blooming Quilt Pattern technique for a fun effect.
Customize the Block Size to Fit Your Vision for This Quilt! We instantly fell in love with this gorgeous quilt made of scrappy Log Cabin Hearts. It took a good amount of hunting but we finally found a pattern you can customize to make your own. The quilt was originally found in a fabric store …
I am in the process of making some needed changes to these pages. So hang in there until the improvements are finished. :) If you make something from one of my tutorials, please link it back to me and help others find these tutorials so they can use them too. I would love to see what you make!! Please share your pictures in the from blank pages... facebook group, OR use the hashtag #fbppatterns on Instagram. Click HERE for a few Sewing Basics posts that I did a while back. NEW: YouTube Videos! http://YouTube.com/c/FromBlankPagesPatterns Paper Piecing Shortcuts: These are raw, unedited tutorials to share with you how I paper piece AS I paper piece. They are not made in order, but I will update this list as I post them, so you can easily watch them in order from start to finish! Glue Basting Multiple Sections at the Same Time Chain Piecing Multiple Sections Trimming Sections After Piecing Quilting: Sewing: Paper: Holiday: Christmas Tree Skirt "Meaning of Christmas" Ornaments
Designer: Erin Kroeker Website: www.theblanketstatement.caInstagram: @theblanketstatement ------------------------------------------------------ Skill Level: Beginner Finished size: 18” x 18” Growing up my dad was BIG into kites. I’m not talking about a cute, single string, kid’s kite, where you have to run acros
Charm Pack Bear Paw Quilt Block A charm pack friendly quilt block pattern designed by Allison Ramsing. Skill level: Beginner
I feel like this post should alternatively be called OMG, I finished this freaking beast, let's have a party! Better yet, a fiesta. (Beca...
