Strings and String Blocks

After organizing my stash into an IKEA shelving unit, you can read more about that here, I realized I had a fair amount of strings. Now what to do with all those strings.
I am making a quilt for Hands2Help run by Confessions of a Fabric Addict, this is the second year I will be participating in this charity quilt challenge. You can see the quilt I made and donated to Ronald MacDonald House last year here. I will again be making and donating a quilt to Ronald MacDonald House.
Back to my string over abundance and what to do with them. Strings and string blocks go hand in hand.

I sorted the strings by colour. Then set to work using them up. The idea was to use up all or the vast majority of them.

all sorted and ready to go

I had an old phone book and decided to stitch my strings to the pages of it, some people use muslin. I didn't want an added layer or the added cost. I pulled the pages out of the phone book and squared them up to 7 1/2 inch squares, my book was 8'' x 10''.

laying out strings

After sewing the strings to the pages and before trimming I gave them a light spray starch on the fabric side to help control those bias edges. The paper I put in my compost bin, it will break down and helps to control any odours.

before trimming 

Some of the fabric strings date back to the 90's. The size of the strings were anywhere from 1'' to 2 inches and various lengths. I used some older 2 1/2'' strips, the newer ones I kept for another project.

lighter string blocks

 

darker blocks

I made 80 blocks and these are the strings I have left, they didn't seem to go down at all. I think overnight the fabric/sewing fairy has been adding to them.

after 80 blocks the strings appear to be growing

I had some great help laying out blocks.

my 'little helper'

This layout used 56 blocks, the flimsy is 49 1/2'' by 56 1/2'' which makes a nice size quilt. I don't think I am going to add a border. 

 I can see a few blocks I should have moved for better colour flow

Next up quilting I am trying to decide whether to do straight line, wavy lines or an allover loop. What would you do?

I will be linking up to 

Main Crush Monday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Sew Fresh Quilts

Pattern Release God's Eye

I am excited to be able to release my first full pattern. It is called 'God's Eye' thanks to Sandra of mmm!quilts for suggesting the name.

no leaves but the tree branch still makes a good quilt holder

This pattern started as a block design idea that grew. The initial design a 6'' block became the center of the Mini Round Robin from last year. You can read more about that here.

main block of the pattern

I did some dot to dot straight line quilting and curls in the background. I didn't do any quilting except for in the ditch around the green, orange and grey. I did a spiral in the black centers. and loops in the grey squares.

back of quilt 

God's Eye is a paper piecing pattern. The pattern includes cutting instructions for a Baby size quilt, Lap size quilt and Twin size Quilt. It assumes some basic knowledge of paper piecing. The pattern uses six different fabrics including the background fabric.

It is currently $8 in my Craftsy store.

lap size 

Double Cross Block Pattern

 I say good riddance to 2015 and hello 2016. 2015 was a difficult year, both my DIL's and myself had or are continuing to deal with health issues. My oldest son's wife lost her baby in July, the same month I started dealing with my own health problems, and my youngest son's wife has Transverse Myletis, she found out days before Christmas.

I'm not going to look back but ahead. So to say hello to a New Year, I have a new free block pattern for you. I designed the block way back in June. I was going to use the block in my guilds BOM but used a different block instead. Double Cross was tested by Joanne of Canuck Quilter. If you make the pattern I would love to see your results.

Double Cross Block

Double Cross Block Pattern

This is a 12 1/2'' unfinished or 12'' finished block.

All seams are 1/4''.

Cutting:

Dark fabric:     C cut (1) 9 1/2'' x 1 1/2''

                      G cut (2) 5'' x 1 1/2''

Medium Fabric:   A cut (1) 7 1/4'' x 7 1/4''

                         B cut (1) 1 1/2'' x 1 1/2''

Background Fabric:   D cut (4) 3 7/8'' x 3 7/8''

                               E cut (4) 3 1/2'' x 3 1/2''

                               F cut (1) 6 1/2'' x 6 1/2'' square cut in half diagonally to make 2 triangles F

Step 1:

1. On the back of all D pieces draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.

2. Place two squares on top of piece A matching opposite corners and right sides together. Sew a 1/4'' seam on both sides of the line. As per diagram 1a.

3. Cut diagonally on the drawn line as per diagram 1b.

diagram 1

4. Place a piece D on one of the units from 3 above as per diagram 2a.

5. This will yield two flying geese. Sew a 1/4" seam on both sides of the line and cut along the drawn line as per diagram 2b.

6. Repeat for other unit.

7. This makes four flying geese.

diagram 2

Step 2:

1. Stitch B to the long end of G. Repeat with the other G piece. As per diagram  3 To make a GBG strip.

diagram 3

Step 3:

1. Fold each triangle F in half, matching points, finger pressing to mark the center of its long side.

2. Fold C in half, finger pressing to mark the center of its long side..

4. With right sides together and matching centers, stitch triangle F to each long side of C. As per diagram 4a and 4b.

5. Stitch other the half of F to the above unit.6. Cut this unit in half diagonally. As per diagam 4c.

7. Stitch one half of the this unit to the GBG strip. As per diagram 4d.

8. Repeat with other diagonal half.

9. Trim to 6 1/2'' x 6 1/2'' by cutting 3 1/4" from the center of B on each side to make sure the cross is centered.

diagram 4

Step 4:

1. Join rows together as per diagram 5.

2. Press in the direction of arrows. Pressing towards E in rows 1 and 3 will allow for the nesting of seams. Which will result in your block laying flatter.

diagram 5

A sample layout of the block shows the secondary pattern. How fun is that?

layout 

A PDF version is available at Craftsy.

Quilter's Planner

Stephanie from the Late Night Quilter has been hard at work on putting together a 2016 Quilter's planner. My block from the Fabri-Quilt Blog Hop is included in her planner! How very exciting! You can read about my block here and be sure to get the free instructions while you are there.

What a terrific and useful idea Stephanie had and to be able to put it all together in one planner is fantastic. I like to keep track of things on my calendar and can see what a help the planner will be with everything in one place.

This is what Stephanie has inside the planner:

Monthly calendars
Weekly calendars
Project planning pages
Swatch saver
Graph paper
Free motion quilting practice pages
Goal-setting prompts
8 full quilt patterns from amazing designers (Cheryl Brickey (Meadowmist Designs), Yvonne Fuchs (Quilting Jetgirl), Amy Garro (13 Spools), Lee Heinrich (Freshly Pieced), Mandy Leins (Mandalei Quilts), Pat Sloan (Pat Sloan), Kitty Wilkin (Night Quilter) and me).
52 original quilt block designs from awesome quilt bloggers
Gorgeous artwork pull-outs by the talented Kelsey Boes from Lovely and Enough
Reference section for quilting calculations and common construction techniques

Be sure to go to Stephanie's blog to read more about it. You can order one here. For a chance to receive a free PDF of the Project Planning Page go here.

Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop

Today I get to share with you the block I designed for the Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop.

We were to design a 12 inch finished block using a bundle of 6 fat 8th fabrics generously donated by Fabri-Quilt.

Watermelon Summer Colour Palette
Chartreuse, Turquoise, Coral, Aqua, Lapis Blue, White

  Each day of the blog hop, the host for the day will be hosting a giveaway and the Inspired by Fabric blog will be hosting a giveaway. Each giveaway will be for a 1/2 yard bundle of the Watermelon Summer bundle we used to make our blocks. Todays host is Stephanie of the Late Night Quilter.  The blocks that have been made from the Fabri-Quilt solids are being turned into charity quilts by our generous hosts and being given to charity.

My block is a take on a log cabin block. One of these days I'm actually going to make a log cabin quilt, but not today. I called my block Stepping Out, I'm terrible at naming things.

Stepping Out Block

 I hope you like the block I designed for the blog hop. I have included both graphics and also some pictures for some of the steps. So lets get started.

Stepping Out Block

This is a 12 1/2'' unfinished or 12'' finished block.

 All seams allowances are a scant 1/4''.

Stepping Out Block

Cutting:

Coral:          A  cut (1) - 2'' x 6 1/2''
                    B  cut (3)  - 2'' x 5''

White:         C   cut (2)  - 4'' x 4''

Aqua:          D   cut (2)  - 4'' x 4''
               
Chartreuse:  E   cut (4)  - 2'' x 2''
                    F   cut (2) - 2'' x 3 1/2''
                    G   cut (2) - 2'' x 5''

Turquoise:   H   cut (3) - 2'' x 6 1/2''
                     I    cut (1) - 2'' x  5''

Lapis Blue:  J    cut (4) - 2'' x 2''
                    K   cut (2) - 2'' x 5''      
                    L   cut (2) - 2'' x 3 1/2''


Step 1:

1. On the back of both piece C's draw a diagonal line from corner to corner, on the wrong side. See diagram 1a.
2. Place the square on top of piece D. Sew a 1/4'' seam on both sides of the line. See diagram 1b.
3. Cut on drawn line. See diagram 1c.
4. Press HST's to the dark side.
5. Trim the HST's to 3 1/2'' x 3 1/2''
6. Make 4.

diagram 1

Step one

Step 2:

1. Draw a line diagonally, on the wrong side of all  E's. 

2. Using  background fabric piece B and one  E square.

3. Place E on  B matching corners and with right sides together sew on the drawn line. I prefer to sew one thread width to the outer corner side of the line.  See diagram 2a for proper placement of E. Do this for all three piece B's.

4. Trim a 1/4'' from the sewn line, on the outside corner. See diagram 2b.  

5. Press seams to dark side.

6. Repeat using the remaining piece E and piece A matching corners and with right sides together sew on drawn line. See diagram 2d.

7. You should have three shorter BE units and one longer AE unit.

diagram 2

Step two: three short units and one long unit

Step 3:

1. Draw a line diagonally, on the wrong side of all J's.

2. Using background fabric piece H and one I square.

3. Place an J on H matching corners and with right sides together sew on the drawn line. I prefer to sew one thread width to the outer corner side of the line. See diagram 3a for proper placement of I. Do this for two H pieces. Make 2.

4. Place the remaining J piece on piece H matching corners and with right sides together sew on drawn line. I prefer to sew one thread width to the outer corner side of the line. See diagram 3b. Make 1.

5. Place an J on G on the opposite corner, matching corners and with right sides together sew on the drawn line. I prefer to sew one thread width to the outer corner side of the line. See diagram 3b for proper placement of J. Do this for two G pieces. Make 1.

6. Trim a 1/4'' from the sewn line, on the outside corner. See diagram 3c.

7. Press seams to dark side.

8. You should have three longer HJ units and one shorter IJ unit.

diagram 3

Step three: three long units and one short unit

Step 4:

1. Sew pieces F, G K and L to HST unit from Step 1. See diagram 4.

2. Make 4.

diagram 4

Step 5:

1. Sew units from Step 4 to units from Step 2 & 3. See diagram 5. Press seams.

diagram 5

Step 6:

1. Sew the four units from Step 5 together. See diagram 6.

diagram 6

For my test block I did it in scrappy pinks. I'm making a scrappy pink sampler quilt for one of my granddaughters, might as well include a grandma original block. Two different looks just by using a different colourway. 

different colourway

I thought it would be fun to see what a layout or two would look like. The second layout is my favourite,  I just flipped every other block and it created a nice secondary pattern.

layout one

layout two

If you would prefer a PDF of the block pattern you can get it free here.

Today's hop participants are:

Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Hannah @Modern Magnolia Studio
Cindy @Stitchin At Home
Abby @Hashtag Quilt
Lisa @Sunlight in Winter Quilts
Carrie @Chopping Block Quilts
Eleanor @Cat Approved Quilting
Brianna @The Iron and Needle
Tish @Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland
Jan @The Colorful Fabriholic
Sarah @Smiles Too Loudly
Beth @Cooking Up Quilts
Leanne @Devoted Quilter
Liz @LizzyClips Design
Kim @Leland Ave Studios

Kitty @Night Quilter

Make sure to visit all the blogs participating in the Fabri- Quilt New Block Blog Hop, so you can collect all 60 wonderful blocks. Also you can enter to win your own bundle of the Fabri-Quilt colours used in these blocks.

The host and today's schedule are as follows:

Wednesday, September 2nd

Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Hannah @Modern Magnolia Studio
Cindy @Stitchin At Home
Abby @Hashtag Quilt
Lisa @Sunlight in Winter Quilts
Carrie @Chopping Block Quilts
Eleanor @Cat Approved Quilting
Brianna @The Iron and Needle
Tish @Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland
Jan @The Colorful Fabriholic
Sarah @Smiles Too Loudly
Beth @Cooking Up Quilts
Leanne @Devoted Quilter
Liz @LizzyClips Design
Kim @Leland Ave Studios

Kitty @Night Quilter

Monday, August 31st
Host – Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl

Tuesday, September 1st
Host – Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs

Wednesday, September 2nd
Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter

Thursday, September 3rd

Host – Terri Ann @Childlike Fascination

Have fun and happy block making.