I happened to watch a Bonnie Hunter QuiltCam video the other day. Perhaps you saw it too, it was on string piecing. QuiltCam is on Bonnie's blog, Quiltville. If you didn't see it, you can see it here on her blog. Anyway, I have seen string quilts on other blogs, etc. and had this piecing technique on my 'gotta try it' list. The video was perfect to get me started - Thanks Bonnie!
So yesterday afternoon, since I was trapped inside the house with Blizzard Jonas visiting us, I pulled out some scraps out of my little basket of modern scraps. I found an old phone book to use for foundation papers and away I went..... PURE FUN!
Soon I needed more strips and variety so I was cutting through my scraps and favorite bright and modern fabrics. The pile on my sewing table next to my sewing machine grew!
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| The view from our front porch toward our neighbor's house across the street about 2PM. The walkway and most of the garden has disappeared. |
It was the perfect remedy to brighten up a day that looked like this. We ended up with about 24" of snow. Pretty good for the first significant snow fall of the season.
I was delighted by this new piecing technique and soon I had a nice pile of finished blocks. I was thrilled with each block as it was completed and this was definitely what my quilting mojo needed. Not sure what this will look like eventually, but I sure am having fun!
These are 6 1/2" blocks.
I removed the paper from the back and pieced two blocks together. Hmmm.. then it occurred to me that I had made blocks that had totally bias edges. Eek!
And there was quite a bit of stretch with these blocks. Eek again!
So I am asking for your help. I know many of you are string quilt aficionados.
When do you remove the paper? Before or after you sew your blocks together?
How do you deal with the potential for stretch and distortion?
I appreciate any feedback! But in the meantime let me get back to my sewing machine and my 'strings'!
Happy Stitching
Hi, Deb! Made one of these years ago. Keep the paper on until sewn together on all sides. That's what stabilizes the blocks for sewing. You are essentially doing paper piecing. Make your stitch length shorter than usual. It helps to perforate the paper making it easier to tear away. It is quite tedious however. Hope this helps. Eileen P.
ReplyDeleteThanks Eileen - that makes perfect sense!
DeleteMy other concern is what will happen along the edge of the quilt if I don't add a straight border. I would prefer not to add a border, but I am sure my machine quilter will have an issue with all those bias edges!
DeleteLeave the paper on each block until that block has something sewn on all four sides. When you get to the edges, sew a straight stitch all the way around the top before taking off the last of the papers. The straight stitch will stabilize the bias edges and also help keep the stitching from pulling apart when she loads it on the machine. Another option is to add a narrow border and cut it off when the quilt comes back.
DeleteBest to keep the paper on until all sewn together with borders...It is a pain to remove the paper when it is so large but very helpful when dealing with the bias. Good luck! BTW, your string pieced squares are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynne - that seems to be the way to go. Keep the paper on until all sewing is done. Thanks for the feedback!
DeleteWonderful blocks and so colorful for a snowstorm. I've never done a string quilt, yet, but I love what you've been sewing.
ReplyDeleteThe colors were perfect for a snow blizzard... and to reignite my quilting mojo. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteLove your string blocks - now I feel like another project coming on!
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHA... they sure are addictive! I can just imagine how beautiful they would be with all Kaffe Fassett fabrics. Feel free to join me! :-)
DeleteYour string blocks are great. Glad you had lots of scraps to work with in all that snow. I leave my papers on until I get the quilt top pieced. If you've set your machine stitch smaller then they perforate pretty easily so they're not too hard to remove.
ReplyDeleteThanks! They are a lot of fun. I have been setting the stitch smaller - Bonnie mentioned that in her tutorial. The papers I did remove (oops) came off really easy.
Deleteliking these blocks must check out the link, bias edges can be a pain! I am sure once they are sewn together all will be well
ReplyDeleteI am sure you will enjoy them as much as I am!!
DeleteI made my entire string quilt as a quilt as you go project and it worked out perfectly. Because I'm sewing using the batting and backing as the foundation for the strings, so stretch was never an issue. Your blocks look fantastic!
ReplyDeleteMarianne, that is a great idea! Thanks for the feedback and for stopping by.
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ReplyDeleteStretch?? I just sew the strips together and square them up! LOL!!!! PERFECT snow sewing....two feet is A LOT of snow at once!! Enjoy! (Maybe you won't have to go to work one day!!)
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha. Maybe I shouldn't worry about it!! Yes it is a lot of snow for us, but it has been a mild winter for us so far. A snow day would be wonderful, I could sew!!!
DeleteI also wish I could go fabric shopping with you...I love your "style" of stash:)
DeleteI do strip piecing on used dryer sheets - no need to remove the backing then, and you can make it as big as you want by overlapping the dryer sheets as you go without adding bulk. Or you could starch the outer edge before stitching. Yours look great. They are addictive.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marti. I am going to give the dryer sheets a try. A lot of Quilters have made this suggestion, so I think I should give it a try!
DeleteI use muslin on my string piecing. I hate to remove the paper. I like the idea of dryer sheets. Both will stabilize your bias edges
ReplyDeleteI have used muslin in the past for other foundation piecing, such as crazy quilts. I am going to try all options! Thanks!
DeleteGreat string blocks--nothing better when you just want to play with fabric!
ReplyDeleteThat is so, so true!!! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteHi, Deb! (Eileen again) -- in answer to your reply to me yesterday, you could avoid adding a border if you use sashing to all the blocks before putting them together. Or, you could add sahing and cornerstones for a different look. That would easily stabilize the bias edges and not create any problems for your longarmer. I'm sure you will make the right choice when you get to the point of putting them together. Eileen
ReplyDeleteEileen, thanks again! That is another great suggestion. I need to figure out how I want to lay this out first. But I think your suggestion would be a good one and would work.
DeleteI use muslin or old sheets from the thrift store for foundations on string quilts on the bias. I've tried paper a couple of times and just prefer fabric foundations. As an added benefit sometimes I use flannel as the backing and skip batting all together because of the added weight of the fabric foundations.
ReplyDeleteHave fun!
Cathy thank you so much for your feedback and suggestions. I can definitely see the advantage of fabric foundations. I think I need to do some experimenting.
DeleteThey don't stretch if you sew fast enough. :-) I wonder if a line of stay stitching around the whole quilt would stabilize it enough for your quilter. Haven't tried it myself. claire aka knitnkwilt.wordpress.com
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...that is very funny and I wish it was true! I did try to sew a line of stitching on the bias edgebof one of the blocks, but unfortunately it didn't seem to make a big difference. But good try!! Thanks.
DeleteLove your colourful little blocks! I too use muslin as my foundations, and while it works well it does tend to make the finished quilt a bit heavier. Like Claire, I wondered if stitching all around the finished quilt edge would help.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda! The weight of the muslin is a little bit of a concern, but so is a wobbly, distorted edge! I did try sewing a little less than a quarter of an inch from the edge. Unfortunately, it didn't make a big difference. :-(
DeleteLovely string blocks and it sounds like you had lots of fun too. I'll look forward to seeing what you do with them next. Thanks for linking up with AHIQ.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link up! I am so glad I happened to find your blog and the link up. I will be sure to follow and link up again.
DeleteI am making Bonnie's spiderweb and am using telephone book paper (what's that, the young ones ask...). I take the paper out before sewing the triangles together but only because I need to match some of the parts and the paper gets in the way. It sounds like warping is more of a problem for your block.
ReplyDeleteGreat project work! I've never done this block, but it's on my list of things to sew someday.
ReplyDeleteI've made string blocks with muslin, paper, and bare. Muslin needs a wider seam allowance to press the thick seams but makes a very warm and heavy quilt. I take paper off before sewing the blocks together. And I only take it off when I'm absolutely ready to finish the top.
ReplyDeleteYou have some lovely blocks. It will be fun to see how you finish this. Thanks for linking up with AHIQ.
The blocks are great and look like so much fun!!! Anything you make from them will be gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThe blocks are great and look like so much fun!!! Anything you make from them will be gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect antidote to all the winter white. There's something so satisfying about using what you have. I'm sure with some trial and error you'll solve your bias dilemma. You've gotten a lot of great suggestions.
ReplyDeleteGreat blocks! 24" is a lot of snow,wow.
ReplyDeleteHope you get the 'wobbles' figured out, I will stay tuned to see how you work that out.
Very fun blocks!
ReplyDeleteLike many of the others I use a foundation. I use the lightest sew in interfacing I can find(Pellon has some good ones). It is not necessary to remove and adds no weight to the quilt. I hate removing the paper. Your blocks look great! have fun.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I answered a question way up there but forgot to tell you how great the blocks look. I love those pretty fabrics and you're mixing them really well. You'll have such an interesting quilt in the end. Check Pinterest for some pics of string quilts so you can see different layouts. (But be warned if you don't use Pinterest already: it's addicting!)
ReplyDelete