Since I started quilting in 1990, I have acquired lots of fabric! My love then and for the next say 20 years was country fabrics as well as reproductions.
Some years ago a throwaway comment from my husband, that all my quilts look the same, made me rethink what fabric I was buying. I then slowly came to love the new modern bright fabrics. Also the family who will eventually get my quilts would I know, prefer the more modern look.
So....what to do with all the fabric that I now ignore and leave in bins!!
I know, I'll make some string quilts for donation. Thats all very well, but it takes alot of hours to stand cutting up miles of strings.
I started piecing this one, but what a disaster it turned into! I cut my strips 2"wide, just added more strips end to end, but it ended up curving around, and one side was about 3 "longer than the other side.
I think this was due in part to my strips not being exactly straight...you know with a bump around the fold area.
After looking at various string quilts online, I decided it would be better cut up. I also have 3 lots of about 5 metres each of solid brown fabric, which I no longer like. I purchased them one at a time for a quilt I made years ago, but each time, the shade was wrong. Now its looking at me every time I open my cupboard!
Any ideas what to do with all the brown fabric?
Anyway I decided this top needed to be cut up and resewn. I folded it then cut into 10"strips.
Sewn together with some of the brown fabric. I was going to have the quilt this way up
but then decided it would look nicer this way
I am so over it now, so will add a 2" Brown strip right around and bind it ...probably with a multi fabric binding.
It will measure approx. 50" x 62".
Thanks for dropping by
linking up with Peacock Party
Edit: You can see all the wonderful “string” quilt wonders at Lori’s (Humble Quilts) link up today. Thanks for the challenge Lori!
http://www.susannasquilts.blogspot.com
Some years ago a throwaway comment from my husband, that all my quilts look the same, made me rethink what fabric I was buying. I then slowly came to love the new modern bright fabrics. Also the family who will eventually get my quilts would I know, prefer the more modern look.
So....what to do with all the fabric that I now ignore and leave in bins!!
I know, I'll make some string quilts for donation. Thats all very well, but it takes alot of hours to stand cutting up miles of strings.
I think this was due in part to my strips not being exactly straight...you know with a bump around the fold area.
After looking at various string quilts online, I decided it would be better cut up. I also have 3 lots of about 5 metres each of solid brown fabric, which I no longer like. I purchased them one at a time for a quilt I made years ago, but each time, the shade was wrong. Now its looking at me every time I open my cupboard!
Any ideas what to do with all the brown fabric?
Anyway I decided this top needed to be cut up and resewn. I folded it then cut into 10"strips.
Sewn together with some of the brown fabric. I was going to have the quilt this way up
I am so over it now, so will add a 2" Brown strip right around and bind it ...probably with a multi fabric binding.
It will measure approx. 50" x 62".
Thanks for dropping by
Edit: You can see all the wonderful “string” quilt wonders at Lori’s (Humble Quilts) link up today. Thanks for the challenge Lori!
http://www.susannasquilts.blogspot.com
12 comments:
That comment cost hubby some lol. Still laughing here!
What to do with all the fabric? That's going to be an issue all Quilters will face one day. No answers here but the same problem that's for sure 🙃
A great use of your fabrics you have fallen out of love with! I had a big sort of mine before Christmas, because like you my tastes have changed. I too am making scrap quilts, Scrappy Trip around the world pattern is a good pattern and fairly quick to make! I remember Bonnie Hunter saying "there is no such thing as ugly fabric, you just haven't cut it small enough"! :-)
Love your solution to the uneven string pieced top. I think we all have fabric we've out grown. I know I have plenty that falls into that category. I hate to just waste it so like you I've been searching for some quick and easy pattern to use "some" up. Great job.
Oh dear! You must have been annoyed when the finished quilt wasn't straight. I know that I would have been. But you did the right thing and cut it up. It looks great now - and more interesting than it would have anyway. Thank you for linking up to the Peacock Party.
very nice way to set those strips...
Love a good problem solver! Quilt looks great!
I like the way you've set your string blocks - a perfect solution for this quilt. Like you I have many "outdated" fabrics, but who's to say that by the time our kids/grandkids inherit our quilts that fabric/colors might just be back in fashion again. Hope springs eternal!
You made lemonade out of lemons, for sure! It turned out really cute.
As for all the brown solid....no help with that.
Very fun, Sue. Way to use up those strings!
I must be a bit odd, I like the string quilt the first way :) The brown fabric could be used for quilt backing or you could use some in another string quilt, use it as the middle strip on a square and then piece colours around it, there could be some nice secondary patterns.
The way to stop the bowing is to alternate the direction you sew. Trust me it works.
I like your solution!
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