Heart Strings Attached ~ My All About Strings Blog Hop Post

These Strings
have a long thread trail back in time
and to the heart they bind. 

The string blocks for this quilt and pillow were make a long time ago.

I only have the top to show for now because my beautiful older workhorse of a machine
needs some care and repair. Trying to quilt this quilt and finish this pillow proved too much of a task for my Janome at the moment.

  The String Leads Back to Here in 2010

I participated in a block swap run by Betty at the
long gone Forum @ Block Central
where I learned many things and made many quilts and many friends.

A few of the blocks are signed on the back and this adds to their treasure.
I did not sign my own blocks back then.
Wish I had been so thoughtful and showed more pride in my work.
Need to maybe make resolution for the future.

The pattern is Rectangle Strings by Mary Quilts

These are the blocks I received ...

These blocks have Heartstrings. 

Read Their Story Here

At first, I could not understand why these blocks were still a UFO.



I have had them out a few times, as in
2014 ~ Story Here

Then I counted the blocks again and realized why.
There are a Baker's Dozen.
For a 3 rows of 4 blocks quilt, I would have one block left over.

As I did not want to leave one of my friends out of the front of the quilt,
I kept planning to make three more of the large muslin backed rectangle blocks
and I kept putting this project aside.

Rather than put this back into my closet,
I decided to pick one block and make a pillow
and sew twelve blocks into a quilt.
 I randomly chose a block that was not signed.

When I was quilting it, I realized who made this block.
I remember commenting on the "wishing stones" fabric
on the forum where the post is lost.
This is my friend Meg's block.

So many years ago, I asked my friends to use green fabrics for the center strips
that form the diamond in the large four unit blocks.

I have never made a St. Patrick's Day quilt larger than a mug rug so
I decided to make this my "Sewing of the Green" Spring Quilt
for the 

This lovely spring string fling is hosted by the lovely

 Carla @ Creatin' in the Sticks

When I saw the announcement foe this hop,

I thought at first is said "All About Spring"

so I had tot make a Spring String Project. 

I had two other plans for this blog hop.

Both are still in the sewing stage.

WIP #1 

Jelly Roll Strings!

This is the process:

Sort strings.

The strings only need to be about 3" long. 

Piece together into sections.

Once I get a strip about 24" long, I press 

and then I use my long ruler to square them up into

2 and 1/2" by 24 inch sections.

The I sew into String Jelly Roll strips

and dress up my tall Binding Baby.

I have a pattern and project picked out 

and hope to have this ready to show you soon.

After that I plan to keep making more of these strips 

as leaders and enders for the rest of the year 

and see how long my jelly roll becomes.

I am really excited about this string jelly roll idea.

WIP # 2 

Strings in the Corner Blocks

This is a prototype block.

It needs some tweaking. 

I am using my 30's Repro String Scraps for this project.

Plan is to make a while quilt with pastel centers

to make a fine spring quilt.

The pastel block is a foundation and the strings are sewn on each corner

as for a Square in a Square block.

The center of my test block is a little larger than I want in a quilt,

but it is perfect for adding embroidery 

and making a pillow.

This one is slowly coming along.

Here is what I have done so far.

I had thought to make a small toss pillow

but I am liking it so much, it may become a framed wall decoration

for my sewing room. 

It also shows a trick I learned from a friend in the swap strip blocks.

String Block Tip: 

When making string blocks ...

after trimming them to size,

it is a good idea to run a line of stitches 1/8" in

around the outer edges.

This will secure all those tiny strips from crinkling up on the edge 

and make sewing them together easier.

For more string fun,

please follow the strings trail to visit all of my friends today ...

Tuesday, March 26th

MooseStash Quilting

keepsake moments

Just Sew Quilter

Vroomans Quilts

That Fabric Feeling

Quilted Delights

Life in the Scrapatch (you are here)

Patchouli Moon Studio

ShirleyC

All About Strings Blog Hop

hosted by

Carla @ Creatin' in the Sticks

Maestro Quilty Kitty and I are working on getting this one quilted

and on our other string things. 

The muslin foundation adds a lot of weight and bulk. 

Finishing the pillow proved too tough for My Nomi

and she has to go into the spa today to rest and recover.

I am hoping her cleaning and adjustments

will have her back to her usual "sew through anything" 

strength again.

I am also considering other quilting options,

such as maybe tying this quilt.

I have never tied a quilt before and would have to learn how 

and I am wondering if it might be very hard on my hands. 

Have any of you quilted this type of quilt?

Have you tied a muslin backed foundation block quilt?

Ideas and suggestions would be most helpful. 

Thank you for visiting today.