Message Boards

I think it is time for a new thread, before our old one gets locked.


Here are our guidelines~

To sign up please PM your phone number and email to me. In either the PM, or here on this thread tell me your finished center strip preference (size and color) and your string color choice(s). I will keep a running list on this thread.

●I'll take sign-ups for 1 week.

●Next Friday I will PM everyone with the master list and my address~ all blocks will be sent to me. When we know how many have signed up, we'll have a better idea of what to send in postage to get your blocks back to you.

●Due date will be November 14th, 2012.

●We will each make 4 blocks for each swapper.

●Please, please, please don't wait until the last minute to sew your blocks and then ask me to extend the deadline. I won't. Sorry, but this has to be fair to everyone. I will sort your blocks and get them back to you as fast as I can.

●Please use 100% cotton fabric for your foundation. Since inexpensive muslin is what most swappers use, please be sure it is washed so our blocks don’t shrink out of shape when we wash our finished quilts.

●The strips do not need to be washed as we each have our own views on washing/not washing our stash, and it would be a mess to wash a pile of strings. If you have a fabric that you know bleeds terribly, don’t use it in anyone’s blocks. Once your quilt is made I would advise washing it with a few ‘Color Catchers’.

●Please be sure to center the middle strip. And keep all strips straight.

● Also please vary the width of your strings~ and try not to use too many strings that are wider than the center strip, although a wider one on the corner is good so you don't end up with a nub when you trim. . The more strips/strings; the more interesting the blocks are.

●Please be aware of your thread choices. If someone has chosen a red or black center strip, please don’t sew with white thread. It will show. Also if their center is white~ don’t sew with black thread. Please no clear monofilament thread!

●Please check your thread tension and your quarter inch seams. Nothing is more disheartening than to get a block where the maker didn’t use quarter inch seams and the strips pull out.

●Please start with a 9.5 inch square of your foundation muslin and trim it down to 8.5 inches after you have added your strips.

●I will do 'spot' checks as your blocks come in to make sure the seams are sturdy, the fabrics are nice, and they measure the right size. If everyone does their very best, we shouldn't have any problems.

Ok, did I miss anything?

We have our first swapper already!

1. KC1930~ all batiks~ 1.5" finished center strip in sand color batik, with the strips ocean colors: blues, greens, turquoise, purples.

2. Crazy'boutquilts~ Center strip brown batik or tone on tone, 1.5 inches (finished) and the strings a mix of teal, aqua & turquoise batiks and tone on tone strings.

3. alexemmarose~ center string finished 3/4 inch, medium-to-dark red...any fabric, textures okay, solids and tone on tone but no lights and brights. Even velveteen and tapestries okay.
~~ other strings medium-to-light blues and violets...solids, prints, stripes, tone-on-tone No super darks, brights and no white or creams in the pieces.

4. royalboomer~ Center String: DK Brown: Finished at 1.5" (a 2" unfinished size)
Strings: Assorted browns - no super lights but some light/mediums would be OK. Mix 'em up. Think: everybody is playing nicely and no one is trying to steal the stage.

5. coreysmom~ solid black center to finish at 2"(2 1/2 unfinished) You can use Kona, or there is a nice black from Blank or Marcus Centenial solids have a nice black or even moda has a nice solid black. And bright strings. More tone on tone, but can have a small print to them.

6. fishingwidow~Orange center strip (I will provide) small floral, yellow, green, blue.
No pinks, purple or browns. Tropical look.

7. iquiltalot~ center string any color, any size bright batik~ all other strings bright batiks too.

8. NICUnurse~ 2" finished center strip solid white. No see through please. Bright strings on each side. No big florals-small ones ok. No geometrics or big dots. pindots ok. Yellows,oranges, pinks, light greens,blues, etc. Small flowers ok. No neons.

9. cksvett~ ~all batiks~ 1.5 inch finished center strip in 'sand' color batik and strips in greens, blues, turquoise and purples (think ocean)

10. aliquilt~ all batiks~ 1.5" finished center strip in sand color batik, with the strips ocean colors: blues, greens, turquoise, purples

11. califshrimp~ Center strip: black 1.5 finished size
colors: bright Batiks, As BRIGHT AS Possible, Purples,Pinks,Blues,Greens,Oranges (No Yellow)
please no lights or yellows


Names in red mean I've received your blocks

This message has been edited. Last edited by: crazy'boutquilts,

Calishrimp~~

quote:

I was hoping someone would post some pics.
Since I'm new at this I would really like to see what some blocks look like.
Also, do the strips have to be exactly straight?
Can we combine two fabrics in one strip?
Thanks.

Yes, please keep the strips straight. We've never combined strips.
KC1930 has a album of past string block swaps/quilts~ take a peek~~
http://home-and-garden.webshot...lbum/579878690zQnIEO

Thanks Crazy for the fast reply.
Helps me a lot.
Looked at pics.
So lovely!
:

Yipee! I should be outside mowing the lawn, but decided to make it a "me" day and sew!

I sewed down the binding on a quilt for charity, make seven blocks for our Area quilting meeting for Tuesday and now I'm going to start to cut more strings for the blocks and start to sew!

Just bringing this up to the top!

Come on everyone, I feel like the lone ranger! Lets get someone else in red... Chris

WOW! Chris your FAST!!

Chris - my box went out yesterday so your strings won't be lonely too much longer

I'm home! I'll get sewing as soon as I can walk through my living room. LOL

I will get in gear on this in about a week. Going to visit DD#2 and have a chic's weekend in Frankenmuth planned.

So will put the pedal to the metal when I get back.

Mary

- If the broom fits, fly it!

I have two sets of blocks done.
I'm working on my third now, have 3 more in this set.

royalboomer your blocks are here! Just delivered, and they look marvelous!!
Thank you for the extra goodies!

picture embarrassed look - I opened my checkbook to send a payment in for something else and lo and behold a check was still there - started for postage and then I couldn't decide how much it should be.

Do you have any idea - I'll finish it out and send....

My plan is to made my October BOM this weekend and then start some of my own strings for when the group comes home

Today is the day!~ I'm sewing!

Califshrimp, do I need to use a black batik or can I use Kona cotton and the rest of the block in bright batiks?

quote:

picture embarrassed look - I opened my checkbook to send a payment in for something else and lo and behold a check was still there - started for postage and then I couldn't decide how much it should be.

Do you have any idea - I'll finish it out and send....

LOL no worries! ~stuff happens to me too! I am hoping I can get them into the flat rate bubble envelopes, which are something like 5.85 with DC.

Have a great sewing weekend everyone!!

This has certainly been the year for absent-mindedness as well as total forgetfulness. Hoping for a much better 2013 BUT - if it gets worse then I probably won't remember at all so either way I win

Sent the check out in the mail today.

Hey, Royal, are florals okay or would you rather brown tone on tones (or a mixture?)

I'd stay away from the florals unless it was a tone-on-tone where the "florals" are not noticeable....think masculine...this quilt is destined to become DF's.

Thank you so much for asking

This message has been edited. Last edited by: royalboomer,

Glad I asked!

Yahoo! I've finished Crazy'boutquilts, Coreysmom, Cksvett, Aliquilt and Califshrimp!

Off to start Iquiltalot...

Just finished Iquiltalot...pulled fabrics for Royalboomer and NICUnurse, but need to get outside and work for a bit.

While I lOVE string blocks, what a mess in my sewing room--it looks like the fabric fairy threw up in it!

[quote]it looks like the fabric fairy threw up in it!

My feelings exactly I finally finished cleaning up after the fabric fairy - what a mess!

And now I'm going to cut browns to add to Dad's quilt with the strings coming from you all - ran out of muslin squares so I'm washing a chunk of that now. I'm sure it won't make it for this holiday but hopefully it will be ready by the next

Wow KC! You are really humming along! Way to SEW!

Perhaps you can answer a question on Fishingwidow's blocks--it says tropical--did anyone use batiks or just tone on tones?

I checked~ brights, not batiks.

I thought Fishing wanted small florals?
Yellows, blues and greens.
Let me know if I'm wrong. Been pulling fabs and haven't started yet.
Thanks.

Yes calif, that is what they are, small florals. Tropical feel to them. I'm sure all the blocks will look wonderful together.

Yahoo! Royalboomer's blocks are complete. Only a few more to go!

Yea Royalboomer! My blocks have some friends to play with... Chris

NICUnurse, I sent you an email...

I was asked about what black to use in my blocks.
Just regular black is great.
Not batik.
Thanks Ladies. I'm getting so excited to see everyone's blocks.
Crazy: I sent you a PM.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: califshrimp,

Crazy: Sent you a PM.

Hey Fishingwidow, I'm a tad confused (okay, really confused!) about the description on your blocks...I think the "tropical" feel is throwing me. Can you elaborate or can someone post a picture of what vibe I need to go for? Thanks!

KC I changed the title so FW will see you are looking for her.

I'm confused too! I pulled fabbies for FW but they look sumer-y and not what I would call tropical. Tropical to me is bright colors that look beautiful in the sun. Summer-y is light, all play nicely, pretty little florals with an airy feel. The orange strips are neither bright or airy so I'm lost. Hmmmmmm~~~

What have you other guys done? Chris and Royal let's hear from you!

Pam

Any photos to share of finished blocks???

ttt-as you can see KC and I are chomping at the bit!! LOL!

Pam

I didn't take pictures Many years ago I got to visit an amazing exhibit of tropical flowers on the island of Oahu. It is those memories I drew on to "think tropical". Staying away from the colors she did not want. Think deep but vibrant colors and intermingled. Not bright as much as saturated color...make any sense? Maybe Crazy will take pictures of what we sent and PM them to you.

I used the pictures I found here: to look at when I was choosing strings...

http://www.bing.com/images/sea...u+Hawaii&FORM=RESTAB

This message has been edited. Last edited by: royalboomer,

Beautiful flowers Boomer!! That helped a bit but there are a lot of bright,bright colors in there!

Still thinking~~ oh where are you FW?? She must still be visiting DD#2. I'm sure she'll check in when she gets home.

Pam

Crazy, can you share any photos? This is the only person I have left to made and would LOVE to clean up my sewing disaster of a room!

Ok, let me pull the strings I plan to use and get a photo~ BRB

How does this work for you? If I find any small floraly yellows, greens or blues I will use them too.

Thank you!

WHEW! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! That helps tremendously!!

Pam

Yipee! I'm DONE!

Your very welcome!

And yippee KC!

Mailing my blocks today. I didn't take any pictures so the new owners will have a suprise!

P.S. NICUNurse okayed the strings that I used in her blocks (that's what the other post was about )

Yea! Finished trimming all of my blocks and hope to have mailed out tomorrow! These blocks all turned out so lovely...can't decide which color combo I will use the next time around!