All About Strings

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Back in February, I began a full time job which has kept me busy. It has been amazing to be working as an art therapist again. However, finding time for my own creative endeavors is more difficult these days. I’m not going away, but my posts will be less frequent as I now need to focus on my job. My fabric stash isn’t going anywhere and I promise to share when I find the time.

Today is my day participating in another great blog hop!? Thank you to Carla of Creating in the sticks for this week’s string-quilt hop theme. String quilts are my absolute favorite designs to play with.

I began this queen-size quilt by making rows of scrappy strings. The way you do this is to sew string scraps onto thin strips of paper. This design is sometimes called Chinese coins, but you can call it whatever you want. Some quilters use old register receipts, but I simply cut up some old newsprint and went to town. My coin strips are intentionally different thicknesses because my strings were not all the same length. Here’s a link if you would like to see more information about sewing strings onto strips of paper. The joy in making this “coin” design is that you can use any string scraps, without regard to color. In fact, the more variety of colors and designs in the strips, the more exciting the results. I snuck in some favorite novelty prints because I love seeing animals and nostalgic prints here and there. Between the strips, I sewed panels of solid colors. I had lots of solid blues and greens in my stash, so that’s what I worked with. I actually think these colors help showcase the colored strips really nicely.

My rows aren’t straight and the strips are different widths on purpose, which creates a scrappy delight that is just the right amount of fun without being too serious. I don’t mind being a little off kilter with a scrappy quilt design.

I’m calling this Dreaming of Ice Cream and you’ll see why in the next photos.

Here’s the quilt top above with the sun peaking through. I love how it looks even with just being a single layer. While some of my family members felt it had too much blank space, I wasn’t deterred. I wanted this quilt to have some more spare parts to the design. Not every quilt needs to be busy and I knew that this would leave ample room for interesting quilting. Little did I know that my friend Sharon would elevate the quilt with her fun choices!!

I love that this quilt can be masculine as well as feminine. You see, I made this to donate to the Hurricane Michael quilt drive. With most donations, you don’t know the recipient. I challenged myself to make something that could work for any gender and that’s exactly what drove the design.

Sharon is my quilting friend who helped get this incredible quilt drive off the ground. I have written about the Aldersgate group and their drive so you may be familiar with it. Words alone cannot describe the impact that their generosity has had on the panhandle area!! I feel so privileged to have participated in my small way by making a few quilt tops.

I can’t thank Sharon enough for taking on my top and turning it into this fun quilt. She did an amazing job quilting it using multi-colored thread and adding adorable and fun ice cream cones. How creative is that!? I never would have thought to do that! What a fun design that turned this into something whimsical and so charming. Sharon…you nailed it!! I hope the person who receives this quilt will enjoy it for years to come.

Sharon’s quilting brings this quilt alive!! I just love the ice cream cones. It’s such a fun quilt and the quilting brought it to life!


Here is a close up of some of the fancy, swirly ice cream cones. They look like clouds to me. I would have to title it, Dreaming of Ice Cream. The multi-colored thread that Sharon chose is just perfect!!
Another close up of the quilting design.

For the back of my quilt, I sent in a blue print that reads as solid but has a little more interest to it. Check out this photo from Sharon with the ice cream cone melting! I can’t help but smile when I see the finish.

The backing of the quilt is in this blue fabric that has a bit of texture to it.

Making this queen-size top was a labor of love. I feel so blessed to be part of a quilting community that is generous and accepting. Sharon and I met because of this quilt drive and I feel so grateful to know her.

Please check out the other blog posts this week. There are so many talented quilters that you are certain to find plenty of inspiration from!!

All About Strings Blog Hop Schedule

Monday, March 25th

Just Let Me Quilt

Kathy’s Kwilts and More

Bumbleberry Stitches

QuiltFabrication

Seams to be Sew

DesertSky Quilting

Happy Cottage Quilter

quiltsbyjoanne

selina quilts 

Homespun Hannah’s Blog

Karrin’s Crazy World

Tuesday, March 26th

MooseStash Quilting

keepsake moments

Just Sew Quilter

Vroomans Quilts

That Fabric Feeling YOU ARE HERE

Quilted Delights

Life in Scrapatch

Patchouli Moon Studio

ShirleyC

Wednesday, March 27th

Stitchin at Home

Alycia Quilts

Websterquilt

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Melva Loves Scraps

Words & Stitches

Den syende himmel

Patchwork Breeze

Domestic Felicity

The Quilted Snail

Thursday, March 28th

Cynthia’s Creating Ark

The Joyful Quilter

Color Creating and Quilting

PamelaQuilts

Beaquilter

Two Maker Chicks

Days Filled With Joy

Quilting & Learning – What a Combo!

Creatin’ in the Sticks

Linking up to the sites:

70 responses to “All About Strings”

  1. Pingback: It’s a Scrap Jungle Out There | That Fabric Feeling·

    • Thanks, I can’t take credit for the quilting since it’s all by Sharon from the Aldersgate Hurricane Michael quilting effort. But she did an incredible job, yes.

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  3. A very fun quilt! I don’t mind my scrappy quilts being off kilter either, it adds to the charm! Just love your quilting on it! xx

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    • Thank you. I agree that Sharon’s quilting really makes the quilt so much more fun. I also hope it will make someone happy.

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  10. Very nice use of small strips. I forgot I have seen the paper tape idea before and I started sewing string jelly roll strips without the papers. It is nice to see a quilt made with this type of strings. Thank you for sharing in the hop … 🙂 Pat

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    • I think you can do fine by sewing the strips without the papers. I find it easiest to use the paper but in no way is it a requirement. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I”ld love to see your project when you’re done.

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  12. What a great quilt and I love that you made it that it could belong to a male or female. The quilting is very cute too.

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    • Thanks so much. I do find that more “feminine” quilts are the ones that get donated, so I try to be cognizant of all recipients. I adore Sharon’s quilting!!

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  13. Lovely quilt and a great way to use up those strings!! Whoever gets your quilt will be so happy with it!!

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    • Thank you so much. I was so glad to use scraps in a sparse design. Who knew that Sharon would elevate those spaces with such a cute quilting design!?

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    • Thank you. I really am enjoying the new job. Thank you for the sweet comments and yes, Sharon did an incredible job on the quilting!!

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  15. Definitely a great quilt. I am sure it will be loved by whoever receives it–young, old, male, or female. It’s great. Thanks for sharing and for donating.

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    • Thank you so much for the kind comments. I am pleased with this finish and just wish there was more time in the day for constant sewing!!

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  18. This was the perfect quilt for ice cream.

    Alabama and Florida quilters and recipients of the fabulous quilts such as this one love the author of this blog. She was the perfect inspiration to move us forward. Aldersgate quilters in Alabama will always be grateful

    Sharon

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    • Sharon, You did an incredible job on this quilt and so many others. Each recipient of the many donated quilts will certainly never forget the kindness and love that came when they needed it most!!

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  20. Oh my gosh…how cool is that. Frozen cool, maybe thawing cool…LOL!!
    I love everything about this quilt. Especially the name. You know all I am going to want is ice cream for the rest of the day now! hahahaha

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    • Joan, you are terrific. Thank you for the wonderful comments. I love saying it’s a “cool” quilt!!

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  21. Wow I am impressed that you could keep those long string straight! LOL! Mine would be waving and wonking (if that is a word?). So sweet to donate the quilt too.

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    • Well, those long strings aren’t exactly straight but I accept that I’m not perfect. I smiled reading your comment because I know just what you mean. I’m far from a straight sewist and that’s just fine with me. I love donating quilts but it may be time to keep some for my kids at this point.

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  22. I am a stringer by heart. Yours took my breath away. Love the itty bitty fun strings and then the solids gave it calmness. The quilting design just made it happy!

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    • Thank you so much and I am also a stringer. I would love to make another one of these soon. Certainly I have plenty of string scraps!!

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  25. Oh how fun is this piecing. And then for Sharon to make it whimsy and summery with her quilting just finished it off so perfectly. Thank you for sharing today.

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    • Thank you. I think sharon did an incredible job of the quilting. I’ve never used a long arm and now I am so jealous of anyone who has one!

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  30. That is a great way to use strings and perk up a quilt top! I like the quilting too. Whomever receives this quilt will love it. Thanks for sharing!

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    • I love the quilting by Sharon also. It’s a very simple quilt with some interesting things going on. I hope it’s loved as well.

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  33. It’s so fun to make a quilt and donate it. Someone is going to give this one so much love. I really love the way you did your strings and the quilting is amazing. Thank you for joining the All About Strings Blog Hop.

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    • Carla, I agree that sharon’s quilting really brought it to a new level. I’m happy with how it came out and even more thrilled to help a community that is still recovering.

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  34. A really different take on strings . its colorful and fun with the ice cream quilting designs. And a great cause to the charity.

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