Scrappy Strings

 

I have long wanted to make a string quilt, and this one is my scrappiest scrap quilt yet. My previous "scrap" quilts have used 2.5" squares, but they weren't exclusively scrappy. Originally, this quilt was going to have 99 blocks. When I decided to add 21 more, I did have to cut some strings from wider strips and scrap rectangles so I'd have enough variety. 

Initially, the blocks were just going to be strings. Then I realized I could stretch my fabric by making strings of smaller scraps. Some strips were made from small scraps, and others were made from my stash of 2.5" squares. I made the three blocks that are in the back of the quilt before I changed tactics and centered the scrap strips diagonally. I went to town with scrap strips and ended up with uneven numbers of the two types of blocks, which is when I decided to make more blocks to even them out. 

I foundation pieced the blocks on magazine pages. I used receipt paper for the scrap strips. There was a lot of paper to rip out! This was a very thread-intensive quilt. In addition to all the seams, I sewed around the end of edge block to make sure the stitches stayed intact while I worked on the layout. Individual block should not include duplicate fabrics, but it took quite a lot of maneuvering to make sure fabrics didn't end up too close to each other between blocks, and I was not successful, but despite all my checking, I didn't notice one pair until the entire top was together. 

 

I always use 72" x 90" twin size batting. By adding an extra row and column, it made the quilt just over 72", which I didn't realize when I was making more blocks. Fortunately I had a perfectly sized piece of batting cut from a previous quilt to make the batting wide enough! This also meant I needed more fabric for the back. As much as I wanted to do a scrappy backing from my stash, I was ready to do a backing of just one fabric even if it meant buying fabric. However, I didn't find anything I liked, and I am really pleased with this back. I love pink and blue together and I was glad to be able to incorporate the blocks I couldn't use in the top. I went with my usual zigzag quilting pattern, my favorite pink thread, and my favorite silver dot print for binding.

Finished size: 75" x 88"