Page Buttons

Friday, May 3, 2013

This String Quilt Took Muscles!

I just finished my string quilt the other day, and wow!  It is the heaviest quilt I have ever made.  Rather than paper piecing, I sewed the strings to Kona White, thinking that would make it be nice and heavy.  Boy, was I right!  This thing is a monster!  It took some real arm strength to get it quilted.  I love heavy quilts, but next time, I'll probably sew to something more lightweight.

My stack of blocks-

All sewn to Kona White  (my blocks are 9 inches finished)-


Finished!  It is 81 x 90 inches finished- whew!  One of the biggest I've ever made!  I used a yellow and gray polka-dot on the backing.  It was tough to choose a backing that didn't scream "baby quilt!"







I have always loved string quilts, but since I usually choose more large scale, modern prints, I always feel like I shouldn't cut them into little bitty strings.  So, I thought that my stack of 1930's reproduction fabrics would be perfect!  I love how it turned out.  I had hoped to get a picture of the quilt outside in the sunshine, but it has been raining here for two days, so I guess that's just the way it goes. 

(**updated- finally got some good pictures outside in the sunshine, so I changed the pictures just in time for the String Fever Festival of Strings at Stitched in Color) 

I'm linking this to Finish it Up Friday at www.crazymomquilts.blogspot.com

Scrap Attack {String Fever}

and linking to String Fever at Stitched in Color at the end of May!


29 comments:

  1. What a wonderful quilt! It is very beautiful!!!
    Esther

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much for your kind comment! It was lots of work but I like the way it turned out too!

      Delete
  2. I love this quilt!!! Is your center strip the Kona white showing through, or did you sew a white strip to the Kona White?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My center strip is the Kona White showing through. Even though the rest of the quilt is "double layered" and the center strip isn't, all finished, it isn't noticeably thinner since Kona is nice and thick all by itself. :)

      -Kelly

      Delete
  3. I've not yet made a string quilt but had thought I would sew directly onto white fabric if I do. It just seemed to make more sense to me and adds stability to the quilt. Apparently this is how string quilts were made many years ago.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I definitely liked sewing to the fabric rather than paper, and I definitely appreciated that the strips didn't feel flimsy while sewing, but I might do muslin next time. Kona is just so heavy by itself.

      Delete
  4. Beautiful quilt and I love strings too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love it1 and love heavy quilts too!

    did a similar one for my son https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=468530900985&l=c61285c1ca

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sorry, meant to add I think I used a cheap muslin from joanne's for my "base" fabric . .. it is still heavy, but we live where it's cold!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much!! Yes, there's nothing like sleeping under the weight of a really heavy quilt when it's cold at night!

      ps- responding here instead of by email since you are a no-reply blogger. :)

      Delete
  7. Your string quilt is so pretty!!
    I adore the fabrics you choose.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It's beautiful! Being heavy would be a bonus in my book, but I know it must have been a bear to quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your 30ies prints were perfect! I'm always so torn between brights or the softer colors of the '30ies. So glad we don't have to make one choice...each quilt gives us opportunity to play. Toni

    ReplyDelete
  10. So gorgeous!! I have a set of 30's string blocks from a swap in my UFO Collection... after seeing yours I think I might have to bump them up the priority list a bit! I just love the clear tones in 30's fabrics - so refreshing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't often use 30s prints, but I do love them. I think the strings are a fun way to use them. Just such a pretty quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I just love this - I have always wanted to do a quilt using 30's reproductions and this is a great way to do it. Just fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great choice with the 30s repros. It looks great!! I'll bet that heavy weight will be perfect come winter and you'll feel like a genius! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love your string quilt! you make me want to finish mine RIGHT NOW!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love your repro fabrics! Such a calming-happy color scheme they make. I pieced onto paper and ripped the paper off, and my string top is still plenty heavy because of all the seams. I believe you that yours took muscle!! Great finish.

    ReplyDelete
  16. this is stunning!
    I am here after hearing about the Stitched in Colour Festival and love this quilt of yours, great fabrics too..........yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Beautiful quilt! I love all the 30's and 40's reproduction prints and have a while collection of them myself. They look perfect in your quilt. I bet it will be super warm on some cold winter nights.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Such a good idea to use the repro prints as strings, over modern ones. I agree - it's hard to cut them up!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow! That is a really amazing quilt! You did a beautiful job! The more I see of string quilts, the more I want to drop everything and do one! Beautifully done and thank you for linking up!

    xo -E

    ReplyDelete
  20. I just recently finished some string quilts. For a stabilizer I used dryer fabric softener sheets. Pressed them flat with low heat. They are 6"x9" after I square them up. Sewed 2" strips to sides and made 9 x 9 blocks and then placed them -|-|-| so they look like colors in a square. Have made 5 so far for charity quilts for men in a group home for the mentally challenged. One in browns, one in greens, one in blues, etc. turned out great and they smell good too. Just not good for anyone with allergies to scents. Would post pics, but too computer challenged to do so. LOL
    Nadine, Manitoba, Canada

    ReplyDelete
  21. I made a string quilt using the white background too. Did you use batting in between? I can't decide if I should leave the batting off, since like you said, it is heavy already.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lovely quilt! I pieced a spiderweb quilt on paper and would NOT do that again. Thanks for the tip on using lighter fabric for the foundation. I hadn't thought about the extra heaviness.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for your comment and for visiting! I read and appreciate every single comment, and I reply to each one as soon as I can. If you don't hear back from me, you might be a no-reply blogger. :)

09 10 11 12
Blogging tips