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Post by sandrainsydney on Dec 15, 2012 16:07:33 GMT
you have been busy!
congratulations
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ragdall
Global Moderator
Posts: 1,687
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Post by ragdall on Dec 21, 2012 9:49:18 GMT
Mary, What beautiful work! The design in the triangles on Beth's quilt is very elegant.
rags
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Post by maryinkentucky on Feb 3, 2013 3:57:28 GMT
Here's a picture of the mess in my sewing room while I make a string quilt from all the scraps of material leftover from other quilts. These itty bitty pieces of material are the end of the fabric food chain. Attachments:
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Post by maryinkentucky on Feb 3, 2013 3:58:31 GMT
And this is a picture of the blocks for my string quilt on my design board. Attachments:
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Post by sandrainsydney on Feb 3, 2013 4:22:26 GMT
wow!
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ragdall
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Post by ragdall on Feb 3, 2013 5:59:56 GMT
Mary, the quilt is dazzling! What a lot of work it must be to piece together such small bits.
rags
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Post by maryinkentucky on Feb 3, 2013 18:20:44 GMT
Really it's quite easy. You sew strips on paper blocks, then iron them and remove the paper. The hardest part is choosing colors.
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ragdall
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Post by ragdall on Feb 3, 2013 21:59:41 GMT
Hi Mary, Is the paper you use a special kind or will any paper do? What are the dimensions of the blocks?
rags
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Post by maryinkentucky on Feb 3, 2013 23:07:09 GMT
Rags, there are many ways to make a string quilt. I use plain old copy paper (some people use a thin paper), and I make the blocks 6 1/2 inches square because that's the width of my quilting ruler. I place a white 2 1/2 strip piece of material on the diagonal of the paper block, then sew my first fabric strip onto the fabric and paper matching edges. Then flip and iron, and you're ready for the next strip. I vary the widths of the strips, but some quilts don't do that. When you put four blocks together, the white strips form a border. After sewing strips, I spray starch and iron the fabric. Then I spritz the back of the block (paper) with water, and then tear away the paper. The method is super easy and uses up all your scraps. Here are a few pictures of string quilts on my Pinterest page. pinterest.com/yorkiemary/string-quilts/
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ragdall
Global Moderator
Posts: 1,687
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Post by ragdall on Feb 4, 2013 9:45:10 GMT
Mary, Thank you for taking the time to describe the process and for posting the link. The patterns this type of quilt creates are fascinating. I'd love to try it sometime when I've caught up my other projects and decluttering.
rags
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Post by jennieg on Feb 8, 2013 3:06:18 GMT
You can also use pages from old telephone books....the paper is thin, easy to sew through and to remove.
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Post by maryinkentucky on Mar 19, 2013 1:55:35 GMT
I finished my string quilt. And it's MY QUILT! All the fabrics are scraps from previous quilts. The batting is cotton to give that flat, wrinkled look. It's a perfect size for wrapping up in while reading. Attachments:
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Post by maryinkentucky on Mar 19, 2013 1:57:36 GMT
Here's the back of MY QUILT. I used the UFO of an unfinished pieced border to join several pieces of fabric. Attachments:
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Post by maryinkentucky on Mar 19, 2013 2:05:02 GMT
My next project is a Hawaiian quilt hanging for a friend. I'm trying to make a design which combines palm trees and oak leaves. (Maybe also sunflowers and orchids.)
Just reading a about them is interesting. When the missionaries showed the Hawaiians how to quilt, they, the Hawaiians, thought it was ridiculous to cut up pieces of fabric and then sew them back together to make a quilt. So they made whole cloth applique quilts, usually two colors. The design is usually radial symmetry with botanic themes unique to the owner.
I've played with "making snowflakes" which gives radial symmetry, and it's challenging but fun.
Take a square, fold it in half, then again in quarters, then on the diagonal, each time making the folds meet.
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Post by sandrainsydney on Mar 19, 2013 8:31:16 GMT
I like it - & the back looks great, too.
I think those Hawaiians were very sensible folks - why would anyone (sane) cut up fabric & re-construct it??
sandra (who sometimes cuts up fabric to re-construct it!)
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