"a little help from my friends" scrappy string quilt tutorial

I've had several requests and questions on how I put the "a little help from my friends" string quilt together, so I decided to make up a quick tutorial on it for everyone.

(click on the photo to see the larger view on flickr)

This is a shot of the quilt top you will end up with.  It consists of 80 blocks total, 8 across and 10 down, 48X60.

First, cut your scraps into strips, making random widths and sort by color.  I used 9 colors.  Yellow, red, orange, pink, brown, black, blue, purple, and green.  If you want to use different colors, just substitute your color choices instead of what I used.  (I cut up way too much fabric and have a ton left, but if you don't cut enough, you can always cut more.)

Second, cut 80 pieces of printer paper to 6.5 inch squares.  (A scrap booking tool that comes in very handy for this is the fiskars 12 inch portable paper trimmer.)

Next, cut 80 1.5 inch wide strips of a solid kona cotton (I used white) 10 inches long.

Following the handwritten :) sketch I drew here:

start making your string blocks (they are numbered) and colored. 

To do this, first pin down the white fabric down the center of the paper block diagonally

and then lay your fabric strips down on each side to figure out your placement.

 

Now, starting in the center, with the scrap strip next to the white strip on one side, sew  your scrap strip on to the side of the center strip of white with a 1/4 inch seam (using a small stitch length like 1.5 or so instead of the normal 3.  this will help to tear the paper off when you are done). Make sure you have the right sides of the fabric facing each other.

Then press the strips open.  (if you do this after sewing each strip on, your block will be much nicer!)

 

Continue sewing each strip onto the previous one until that side of the paper is completely covered. 

Then repeat with the other side. 

Once you have all your strips sewn and have pressed the last strip open (I used 4-5 strips on each side generally), turn your block over and use the paper as a guide to trim away the excess fabric. 

As you make all your blocks according to the color in the sketch, it may be helpful to number them on the back for easier placement later. (especially if you have an attack cat that likes to take them and play with them!)

Once all your blocks are made and trimmed, start tearing the paper off the backs of the blocks by folding the paper back onto the seams and tearing it like you are tearing a check out of your checkbook. 

 

Now, take a light starch and iron each block to reduce stretching as you sew. 

Last, I sewed the rows of blocks together and then sewed the rows together to make the quilt top.  You could also do the same thing by sewing the column blocks together first, then sewing the columns together.  The choice is yours!

Tada, your quilt top is done!!

One last thing, I have submitted this to the sew mama sew! scrap busters contest. 

I've seen the other entries and there are some really fabulous scrap projects that have been entered, go take a look!

~Penny

p.s.  I keep meaning to tell you all if you have a scrappy project you've made, feel free to join our scraps to treasure group on flickr and post pics of your projects!

Comments

[Kim Walus]

I've wanted to make a string quilt for some time now but, I'm glad I waited because I love how you planned it out and the colors are together on point. Very nice. You have my vote for winning the contest!

[Marcia]

Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing.

[Audrie]

The lady at my LQS said ppl either love or hate string quilts. I hope I love it because this quilt looks amazing. Definitely going to try this when I've the time! Thanks!!! Your entry is by far the best I reckon :)

[Anne]

Thank you! I was especially helped seeing how you sketched out your plan ahead of time.

[Thimbleanna]

Oh thank you Penny! I love your quilt so much -- it turned out great! I got my top pieced tonight (woohoo) -- it's not nearly as much work as your top, but at last I'm done. Now for the quilting -- the last hurdle!

[Allie]

GREAT tutorial - thank you!!!! I love this quilt.

[Myrnie]

So inspiring!!! You make this look absolutely do-able, and that is a major feat :)

[Rachel]

Wow, that's GORGEOUS! I'm loving all the colors. Thanks so much for this, I'll be linking.

[amylouwho]

Awesome tutorial - I just love this quilt! Can't wait to see it quilted and bound!

[Diane]

Thanks for the tutorial! I filed in my to do's.

[Cristin]

Thanks for this tutorial! I think I might have enough confidence to try my own string quilt - yay!!!! Cheers!

[Tina]

Thank you. I needed this tutorial. I want to quilt but need some training. Now, I have the confidence to start.

Tina
www.peacefulviewacres.blogspot.com

[LollyChops]

I should have done that with my scraps and instead started busting them into just about everything else! I am totally loving your quilt Penny!

I just recently tried my hand at that paper / string quilting and I was SHOCKED at how easy it was! My mom and I immediately made up a quilt for my sister!

[jessica]

You know I am going to go through scraps until I have enough for this quilt!!! Thank you!

[gardenmama]

Wonderful tutorial!
An incredibly beautiful quilt, thank you for sharing this!

[laura]

Sorry if you have already answered this, but why do you use the paper?

[Penny]

Hi Laura,
since I don't have a valid email for you, I'm going to answer you here. You use the paper to give a foundation so the block will be more precise and not so wonky after you sew it all together.

[Christy]

one day, one day i will make this lovely quilt! you are so amazing in creating quilts penny!

[Jamie U. (Minneapolis)]

I have used a very similar technique as this in a quilt-as-you-go method that actually allows you to make 2 different colorways, one on each side of your quilt. It is very fun, and quick, because each seam you sew in piecing your top is also quilting each block! Check out the technique in Sharon Pederson's book Reversible Quilts, here on Amazon: http://bit.ly/1bOxyi

Beautiful work! Thank you for sharing the tutorial, as well!
Cheers!

[Candace]

Hi Penny - I'm catching up (busy packing for our move) - love your tutorial - it makes this project look SO easy and fun! Can't wait to use my scraps doing this!
Cheers!

[Krista - Poppyprint]

I've seen your quilt on flickr and really love how you coordinated the blocks to achieve coloured squares, instead of making the whole string quilt a totally random riot of colour. Gorgeous quilt!!

[releaf]

its the most beatiful quilt i ever saw!

[Beth]

Beautiful, beautiful. I love it!! I love the idea of sharing scraps, too.

[Sarah]

Very cute. It's very similar to the one on Film in the Fridge:

http://www.filminthefridge.com/2009/04/27/a-string-quilt-block-tutorial-paper-pieced-method/

http://www.filminthefridge.com/2009/04/24/a-colorful-string-quilt/

Did she inspire the quilt?

I like the organized colored blocks alot.

[Rachel]

You have ended up with an absolutely gorgeous quilt! Thanks for taking the time to make a tutorial.

[Dayna]

Has anyone told you lately that you're amazing??

[Susette]

Love your quilt. Thanks for the tutorial.

[Kathi D]

I love this quilt! I love scrappy quilts and string quilts--and what I'm wondering is, what is the advantage of doing the piecing on paper instead of just sewing strips together and then cutting them with a template afterward? Is it more than just "preference"?

[Michele C]

Love it, but it's frightening!

[Glynis]

Well-written, and so generous to share your secrets with blogdom!

[Susan, aka FlossieBlossoms]

Oh, it's fabulous! If you don't mind, I think I'm going to try to enlist 8 friends to swap with and make ones like this. Tell me if you do mind! I won't do it if you mind! lol

Gosh, I hope you don't mind. rofl

Thanks so much for the wonderful inspiration, regardless. Your quilt is SO beautiful!

Susan/FlossieBlossoms

[AlessandraLace]

thank you for sharing. I really love it.hugs

[Elaine Adair]

This is one great quilt!!!! Thanks! I LOVE this particular pattern and have made a number of them also. The options and varieties are more than a person would expect. Great job!

[Helen]

Love it!!

[simone]

I love this quilt and will make it for my string challenge. Thank you so much!

[june]

I did not use paper-----instead I used

white material and sewed on that and then

sized to 6 by 6. Beautiful.

have started another.

[Deborah]

Love this! You make it sound much simpler than it looks! Totally makes a huge project seem completely doable. Thank you!

[Mae Folk]

I love it!! In December when I was looking for inspiration for a new project for the new year, I found your tutorial. It inspired me to start quilting again (that and the fact my teenagers regularly fight over a $30 Target quilt...what a shame). I knew I wanted to leave a real quilt behind for my kiddos as a legacy. I love that the squares came out so square when sewn on to the paper. I did some how miss that I should stitch shorter stitches until block 60 out of 96 (wow that made a difference when removing the paper). But it all worked out well!! Thank you so much!!

Here is the finished project :-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maebeitsme/5988785224/

[Lori]

I want to thank you for your tutorial - I just finished my quilt and it is gorgeous thanks to you.

[Jackie]

I've done this on phone book pages. The paper is free and it's thinner to sew on.

[Denise]

I love string quilts but Hate using paper for foundation squares. So I now use cotton or muslin squares for my foundation squares. This way I have a block that has plenty of body as well as warmth and I don't waste time peeling off paper which gives me more time to sew! I love, love, love string quilts!!!

[Gene Black]

You may want to add in the info to shorten your stitch length when sewing on paper so it tears off more easily. Also old phonebooks great paper for this as those pages tear really easily.

[Gene Black]

Oh..the short stitch info was there.....I missed it on first reading! (oops, sorry)

[Jenn]

I am definitely going to make this one day. Really gorgeous.

[Rhonda Smith]

I've used a very light weight interfacing behind my strips. That way, I don't have to tear off all that paper. Just a thought. Beautiful quilt.

[Nonie Abdul Salam]

Thank you for the tutorials. Great ideas and very inspirational. Love this.

[Lu Anne Scott]

What a beautiful quilt! I like the chart, too. I makes it easier to know how many of which combination to sew.

Pages from old phone books work great as foundation paper. The older the better!! The ink won't come off, they're free and they tear easily and they can still go in the recycle bin! Just make sure there's NO water in your iron.

Sometimes I use my trimmings as a string in another block.

[Emma Carpenter]

Thanks for the tut. A nice jumping-off point. Hard sometime to know where to start.

[Sharon]

Beautiful and one I will attempt soon. I need to make a larger quilt for a double/queen. Is way to figure this out? Thanks.

[Marsha]

I cut out backing fabric approximately one inch wider all around and batting the same size and top stitch so it is quilt as you go. When assembling blocks and then the rows, I sew in a 1 1/2" strip of backing into the seams, then flip it over and hand sew so that the raw edges are enclosed. Fast and easy!