Sunday, February 18, 2007

Quilting and String Blocks

Although I haven't been posting, I have been busy working on quilting activities--most of them have been customer quilts so there hasn't been much to show.


I did finish quilting my Wicked Easy Quilt this past week. I quilted it with a zig-zag design and random stars. The stars made for a lot of stopping and starting--it took all of Friday to tie off the threads and bury them in the quilt. I have never been a fan of back stitching to finish off my stitching. I prefer to hand tie knots in the threads and bury the ends inside the quilt sandwich so this takes quite a bit of time.

These are some pictures of the quilting detail.




I was also tempted to make some string blocks. This is a picture of the 10 blocks I made today.

These blocks are made using used dryer sheets as foundations--6" x 8 1/2". I understand why everyone has started making these--they are incredibly fast and easy to make. Today while taking to my Mom on the phone, I made two from start to finish--including the trimming. They are also "feel good" blocks because you realize that every block you make you are decreasing your pile of useless strings. Less strings means you can free up space in those totes and drawers that we all have bulging with fabric.

I like how Patti set her blocks together and I am thinking about doing something similar. I think she really made her blocks pop with the use of the narrow sashing and cornerstone between the four blocks contrasting against the wider sashing and cornerstones outside the group of four blocks. Excellent idea!

15 comments:

  1. I like the look.
    I will be saving my dryer sheets.
    Mom

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well done on the Wicked Easy Quilt. Your string blocks are lovely. I like that sashed setting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like very much your quilt. I'll trie to tie off the threads and bury them by hand in my next quilting, I think this will be more neat.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I just found your blog recently - it's very nice! Love the quilting on Wicked Easy. I have a large bin if strips - I need to get on some string quilts myself!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your string pieces turned out really well. I love the way everyone has such different fabrics. I totally hate tieing off ends. I often end with tiny stitches which I read somewhere works well. It's probably not as good as doing it by hand but at least it gets done that way. Lol.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice job on quilting the stars. How long does it take to bury the threads on a quilt after it is quilted?

    ReplyDelete
  7. love the idea of leaving the dryer sheets as rectangles.... you'd think the quilt police lived with me given my inability to think outside the square box without some prompting! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have been doing rectangle string blocks too...and yes, they sure do go fast. burying the knots sure makes for a prettier quilting look I think.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dryer sheets - a great way to use up something else. Clever girl.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You have been busy. I should make some string blocks - drier sheets? Good idea, but I don't use them -- I wonder if I could wander around the neighbourhood and ask my neighbours to save their drier sheet for me - LOL. Hmmm - maybe I will.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for visiting my blog, it's nice to find bloggers from Canada. Your quilts are lovely and what a great idea to make string quilts. Nice way to use up some stash.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congratulations on your finishes. I love the backing on your beautiful Gratitudes quilt. Fun fabric for your Wicked Easy Quilt. I envy anyone who machine quilts their own quilts. Wish I could but I'm not giftedly wired that way.

    Thanks for your nice comment at my place :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh Norma, your WE quilt turned sooo pretty! Those fabrics are just gorgeous and I love your star quilting! :D Thanks for the tip using the dryer sheets. I've been saving mine forEVER without knowing why...and I'm like Quilt Pixie when it comes to thinking outside the box. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  14. The quilt looks great, but didn't that quilting sort of take it out of the wicked *easy* quilt category. =)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I admire you for tying off and burying all those threads - I start and stop mine quilting lines with tiny stitches and clip off the ends.

    I love the rectangular string blocks too and that sashing looks great with them. Mom and I are working on a donation quilt that we just used a very narrow black sashing that looks very nice.

    ReplyDelete