Sunday, December 27, 2009

Why Not Join Us!!!




please join me in my special quilting challenge.
let's make lots of string quilts together and donate them to charities!!!
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what are string quilts?
a method of using up little bits of fabric strips
left over from other quilting projects that you just can't part with called "strings"
I am a color-controlled string queen fanatic
here are the guidelines and they are super easy:
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try to make one string block quilt a month
that can be as easy as one block a day
***
work at your own pace
there is no time limit
but the challenge will end January, 2011
***
*Participants still welcome!*
***
{sign up in the comments section}
If you need some help getting started, you can follow along with me or feel free to do your own thing!!
You can look at my short tutorial on my method.
i get my inspiration from the Heartstrings Quilt Project
the possibilities are endless and no two quilts will ever be the same.
wonkiness is totally accepted, and well,
the wonkier the better
***
i will be making my blocks at 5 1/2 inches
use phone book pages as my foundations
setting them 6 across and 6 down
or 7 x 7 for a slightly larger quilt



you can of course make them large to suit your needs
you can also add borders
***
my challenge is to donate them to kids in need charities
Let's see how many we can make in one year.
We'll keep track of your progress here and then at the end of the year, go ahead and donate them to your favorite charitable organization.
grab the blog button on the side and add it to your blog
Let's get ready to sew
Let me know if you have a blog. I'd love to share it with all our readers.
Welcome to my blog!!!
***
***participants are still welcome***
thank you in advance for signing up
if you have any questions, feel free to ask them. I'll answer in the comments section.
Or you can email me by clicking on the link at the top of the page
If you need some color controlled fabric strings, I will be offering some sweet assortments for sale in my store.
Happy Quilting
Stacey

41 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. I've never done this , but would love to try it- so please tell me how to get to your tutorial. Sue in Northern Nv

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  3. LOVE this idea. I NEED the inspiration to use up my stash of strings! And there are several places I'd like to donate quilts to.
    Please sign me up!
    Eileen S
    Spokane Valley, WA

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  4. I'd love to be a part of this challenge. I have made one string flimsy at this point and just love how it turned out. Can't wait to get it quilted and start on another.

    Judy K in Iowa

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  5. I would like to join you but I have never done a string quilt before. I hope that I will be able to complete the challenge. Looking forward to learning though.

    Pam Pysher

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  6. Yes!! After seeing pictures of your quilts yesterday I was checking out my strip box...and probably would have started one but thought I needed muslin for backing (nearest JoAnn or other fabric shop is 40 miles one way). Do the telephone book pages rip out easily, do I need to adjust stitching size?

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  7. Count me in. Love stings but have never made one so this is my chance.

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  8. I would love to join your Challenge. Lots of kids around here can use the quilts. Jean in Indiana

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  9. This will be the thing to motivate me to use my
    stash of strings. Theresa

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  10. I am a fellow Haertsringer, I make lots of charity quilts, not always strings, but I would love to watch and play with the others on the group!
    Janet

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  11. Sign me up!
    I've made several string quilts already and I'm hooked. I use thin sew in interfacing for the foundation, so no tearing out of paper.

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  12. I don't know that I can sign-up due to health reasons. However, I am a big fan of string quilts and quilting for donation in general. So I wish you luck and look forward to seeing your progress.
    Helen in the UK
    (Fellow HeartString member)

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  13. I have lots of strings sorted by size so this challenge would be a great way to use them. I'd like to join. Rosemary,Prince George, Canada

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  14. I'm in! I just briefly looked thru your instructions, but I'm sure I don't know how to grab the button and put it on my blog!! I'll try a few times and if it doesn't work, I'll be contacting you, Stacey!

    What a great idea--thanks for starting this project. I look forward to working with everyone this year on the string challenge!

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  15. Okay, so I signed up in the wrong place! Duh. I would like to join in this--I have loads of strings and a favorite charity--so I am all set.

    Lynda in Spokane

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  16. Count me in! I have strings cut and more than ready for use.

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  17. Count me in. I'm anxious to make some charity quilts for a local hospital

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  18. I've made many string blocks with muslin or cheap, thin fabric for the foundations, but I've never done paper piecing. Is it best to use smaller stitches or larger ones for the paper to tear off easy?

    Also, when you tear the phone book pages, do you cover the whole page and then trim to 5.5 inches for a 5" finished block?

    I'm getting excited to start a new project!!

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  19. Hi Susan, Take a peek at my tutorial. I just added it right after you posted your comment.

    Happy Quilting

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  20. I don't see my name so I'm telling you now. I want to join. Do you have light on the left of center and dark on the right or vise versa or are there any rules. I am going to try the phone books--we just got new ones about a month ago and we threw the old ones away--oops should have saved. Since I hate to read those small ones they will be excellent to tear up.
    Count me in. Tutorial is great.
    Nancy in IN

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  21. Hi Nancy, I really don't have a set plan with lights or darks on either side. I just color control each. Here is my other blog and you can see more photos of my color controlled quilts. I haven't had a chance to upload them to this blog yet. Maybe tomorrow.

    Take at peek here.
    Driving Miss Stacey

    On Line Quilt Store
    Sew Far Sew Good Quilt Shop

    Happy Quilting
    Stacey

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  22. Would like to try this if time will allow. :)

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  23. would love to join. I make preemie quilts for a level III NICU.

    Terri in IN

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  24. Hi Del Jeanne

    You in In!!! Welcome..

    Del Jeanne said " Can YOU get me entered? I said, "Count me in--I love making string quilts, and have lots of scraps to utilize in them!"

    Del Jeanne

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  25. I'm in too, Jennifer
    jenniferquilts.blogspot.com

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  26. OK, Stacey, I am in! This is just the motivation I need to get started on string quilts.....and I ADORE your controlled versions! Woo hoo!

    Bari

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  27. I'm in. I thought you need sashing to join the blocks? Can you just sew them together using a 1/4 inch seam? Can you leave the paper on before you square them as in paper piecing?
    Thanks

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  28. Hi Matts Mom, Take all the paper off before you do any cutting. Press and then square up your block. Yes, I just sew them together with a 1/4 inch seam. Do you want your blog to be added to the blog list and then you will be able to post pictures of your progress and quilts? I just need to send you an invite.

    Thanks.

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  29. Hey there! I would so love to sign up for this. But at the moment we will be moving in a few weeks and a lot of my sewing stuff is already boxed up :o( bummer! But would you mind if I still take your Button to promote your challenge? I'm sure there are others who would like to participate for a great cause. Thanks!

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  30. Hi Stacey, I am new to blogging and will have to figure out how to put pictures on the blog. So go ahead and send the invite. Second question. I used fundation paper as my base, have you ever used it? I have four 8.5inch blocks done so far. All scrappy. I will make 4 more. Now what?
    Thanks
    Keep strippin"

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  31. Hi Matts Mom,

    Yes I have used foundation paper. But I'd rather use the phone book pages. They are Free!! But back to your question. Tear out your paper, press, square up your block. Arrange your blocks on a design wall, floor, or anywhere else you can do some arranging. You can create different looks by how you arrange your blocks. Yours are scrappy so just stitch them together using a 1/4 inch seam. I try to get the seams going the right way (one up and one down) to avoid bulk, but sometimes it just doesn't work that way. Hope that helps and I am glad you are joining us.

    Happy Quilting
    Sew Far Sew Good Quilt Shop

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  32. I just joined stashbusters today and found your post. Count me in. I love stings but have never made one so this is my chance.
    I put the picture on my blog. www.tatteredgarden.blogspot.com

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  33. Hi! I'd like to join the challenge, too! My goal this year is to do a one-to-one quilting challenge...a lot of my friends are having babies soon, so I'm going to make one quilt for the baby and one quilt for a charity, for each of them. I can't promise all of them will be string quilts, but I'll do my best! I'm also SUPER new at this (I'm taking a break from my third quilt...ever! as I type), so anyone with tips and tricks is welcome to chime in if they see me doing silly things! I have a couple of quilting blogs...one for charity projects and one for friend projects.

    Friend projects: momimadeyouaquilt.blogspot.com

    Charity projects:
    momimadethemaquilt.blogspot.com

    Read the first one for the story behind the names. ;-)

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  34. Please count me in! This sounds like fun and maybe will get my franny moving. I've made a couple of strings quilts and I love them.

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  35. Please sign me up! I need a 'push' to get things done, anyway! [grin] I'm a part of Heartstrings as well, so, will probably be using fabric foundations. The smaller size sounds like a great way to do children's quilts, and manage to do one a day or so.

    See the beautiful West End of Washington state at my blog!

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  36. Hello, I would love to join the challenge. Sounds like fun and am so glad I'm retired so I can join!! My blog is quiltpiecer.blogspot.com

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  37. I am in! I love scraps and your controlled strings are lovely

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  38. I just tried piecing my first string block this week and I am addicted. I would love to join your challenge. Thank you for posting your method of using telephone book pages. I used muslin for piecing my blocks. Although, they look great (if I do say so myself), they are heavy so I am not sure if they will be difficult to quilt. My personal challenge for 2010 to to make a huge dent in my stash and to create 10 quilts to donate to charities. I would be happy to add your button to my blog. I don't have many viewers, but perhaps it will inspire one more person to join your challenge.

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  39. I'd love to join in I'm in need of a 100 childrens quilts for this summer yet I do not like the foundation can I do them a touch different yet still strings ? Suggestion

    I'm still recovering from two lung surgeries and well behind on my files and desk yet I'll do some

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