Scrappy String Block Tutorial!!

Hello there quilty friends!

I just know that ya'll have

 leftover fabric strips. 

Am I right?!

 They are just waiting to become

 super cute Scrappy String Blocks...

so I'm going to show you how I make them!

I love creating wonderfully 

scrappy blocks and quilts from my stash.

As a girl...

I learned from my grandma 

and her sisters(my great aunts) 

lots of good ways to use up

 bits of leftover fabrics... 

and making string quilts 

were one of those ways!

I've done several scrappy blog posts and tutorials over the years.

All about how I buy fabric...

store and organize my leftovers...

 and more importantly...

how I actually USE my scrappy stash.

I have it ALL documented in

 step by step detail inside the

 "Tips and Organizing" 

section of my 

Scrappy Project Planner

It's important to be organized 

with our quilty stash 

because then we know what we have...

where it is... and can easily get to it 

and make scrappy happy projects:)

YaY!

Here are 16 of my 

Scrappy String Blocks 

on the design wall.

I will be making many more 

for this quilt...

  not sure exactly how many yet.

These blocks are not sewn together...

and this is only one possible way 

to set them together.

Although over the years 

I have made a total of

 3 string quilts and have set

 all of them this way.

***SCRAPPY STRING BLOCKS***

1. Super easy to make.

2. Use leftover fabric strips.

3. Scrappy Happy:)

4. Addicting.

5. Super cute!

Let's get started:)

The first thing that you need to make my

 Scrappy String Blocks: 

Sew-In Interfacing

 for the foundation.

Cut -  9" x 9" squares...

ONE for each block.

Each package will make 24 blocks:)

For this block I started with a 

2 1/2" wide strip 

that I grabbed from my 

2 1/2" scrappy strips basket.

I lay it face up on top of the

 interfacing on the diagonal like this.

Make sure to center it.

I cut off what's leftover from the

 strip end and put it back 

into my basket to use another time:)

Pin it onto the interfacing like this.

Grab a 1 1/2" wide strip 

(or however wide you want) 

and lay it onto the right side 

of the center strip...

 with the edges aligned like this.

Each end of each and every strip 

should be about 1/4" longer 

than the interfacing.

Trim off the bottom end before sewing:)

Sew the strips together going

 through the interfacing too:) 

Remove the 3 pins - 

(I only pin the center "starter" strip)

and add a strip to the 

other side in the same way.

Press those seams towards the 

outside strips and continue adding 

a strip onto each side....

trimming the ends and placing them 

back into their baskets.

(if you like to stay organized lol)

I use the edge of my presser foot 

as a seam allowance guide.

This presser foot is wider than

 1/4" so that is how wide my

 seam allowances are.

Continue adding new "string strips"...

And to press each "string" away 

from the center as you go along.

Keep adding strings 

alternately onto both sides:)

When I get to the end I like to 

grab my leftover squares basket

 and add a square to the corners. 

This one is a 2 1/2" square.

Make sure that your square measures

 at least 1/4" longer than the 

interfacing on both top and bottom.

Another 2 1/2" square for the other side.

Test which size square

 to use by folding it over

 before sewing to make sure it will 

cover the last of the interfacing.

All of my strings are

 sewn for this block...

YaY!

I use mostly 1 1/2" wide fabric strips

 for my blocks because I have 

a lot of them right now 

and I need to use them up!

This is what the back of my block looks like after sewing but before trimming.

Grab an 8 1/2" square Trim-It Ruler...

and center it onto the

 back of your block.

Make sure there is interfacing

 sticking out beyond all four sides

 of the ruler before trimming.

The ruler and a sharp rotary cutter

 make this step 

fast...easy... and accurate!

FUN and DONE!!!

Aren't they just the cutest?

They make me SEW HAPPY:)

Super Stacked Scrappy Strings!

Say that fast 3 times lol:)

Just in case you are wondering...

YES!

I leave the interfacing in.

It adds some stability and body

 to your quilt and because the 

interfacing is thin...

It is not too bulky at all.

Some of my blocks have a 

3 1/2" starter strip 

down the center and 

3 1/2" squares on the corners.

These are more blocks with 

2 1/2" strips down the center.

Some I have made with 

all 1 1/2" strips 

and various sized squares 

for the corners.

I think it makes 

the quilt more interesting 

to vary the width sizes...

and also allows you to use up 

lots of your scrappy stash:)

I hope you've had fun with my latest 

"Scrappy Happy Tutorial"

Stay tuned for more!!

xx

Lori