Message Boards

Whoohoo! Time for some fun!!

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 weekend 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 June 1st, 2013. ~subject to change if we get a lot of swappers

●We will each make 6 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 should not have any problems.

Ok, did I miss anything?

2013 String Block Swappers~~

1. crazy'boutquilts ~ 1 inch finished solid white center with shabby chic strings. Light, soft pastel-y shades in all colors~ no dark tones, browns or blacks.

2. Royalboomer~ 1.5 inch finished center strip in a dark brown. The surrounding strings can be tone-on-tones, solids, etc. You could even use a print of a mixture of dark browns and medium browns. If it had a smidgen of another color it's ok if it plays nicely with the others and doesn't step forward. It should blend into the browns, does that make sense? For example, a string with reds or yellows in it doesn't work because, even though those colors don't jump out in a large piece of the fabric by the time it gets to string size that's exactly where your eye goes. Photo's below.

3. Alexemmarose~ 1 1/2" finished center strip in medium yellows (prints okay if read yellow but would prefer batiks and solids) with black on white and white on black strings of varying sizes. Also please add one string of yellow to each block, randomly placed.

4. coreysmom~ 1 1/2" finished sand batik center strip with blues teals aquas purples greens strings. Ocean colors done in all batiks.

5. cksvett~ 1 1/2" finished sand batik center strip with blues teals aquas purples greens strings. Ocean colors done in all batiks.

6. aliquilt~ 1 1/2" finished sand batik center strip with blues teals aquas purples greens strings. Ocean colors done in all batiks.

7. Karibbean Quilter~ Shabby chic, please. Light, pastel, soft colors; no red, dark, bright, black, brown... No particular requirements for center strip; would love to just keep it all shabby chic.

8. McPatches~ 1 1/2 inch finished black center strip with subdued fall colors in cinnamon, sages (not grass green), golds, browns, and dark oranges (not bright) and prefer no blues, purples or pinks. Below is a block I like, and a scarf with the colors I'm thinking of. Golds and oranges are OK, if they are not bright, bright, bright. I'm thinking batiks, tone-on-tone, blenders, tiny monochromatic prints, but no flashy prints or florals.

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

Ok, what's up?

Count me in - I'll go with the browns but will take a picture and post it here for guidance. I decided this one is going to BIL for xmas - I ordered a kit from CT that my father will love so I have to keep that machine humming this year

For clairification purposes, I suggest that every swapper post a sample block of what she is looking for that will answer many questions on shading and fabric prints.

I'm in! Thanks so much for hosting again CBQ!! I will try PMs to send my info but havings some issues...may have to ask for your private email...

Anyhoo, I would like a black/white and yellow color scheme like Royalboomer did a few years ago.

1 1/2" center strip in medium yellows (prints okay if read yellow but would prefer batiks and solids) with black on white and white on black strings of varying sizes. Also please add one string of yellow to each block, randomly placed.

Thank you! Looking forward to playing with you all! axel

Welcome Royal and Alex! I loved that B/W/Yellow quilt of Linda's too. Great choice!

I like KC's idea of pics. If you google 'string quilts' you will see many colors. I'm leaning slightly toward shabby chic, but still thinking.

What fun! When exactly will you cut off sign ups? I reeeeally would like to participate (love the Christmas one I made from a previous swap; everyone made such beautiful blocks) but need to wait till the bitter end to sign up to make sure I can get fabrics for each person's wishes. So far so good, as I can get all the ones posted so far. Are batiks ok in the browns? Thank you!

Sign-up's are only going to be open until Saturday.

I think there are a few sitting on the fence with the same idea, Kari. We had lots of responses to the interest thread, so I can't figure out what happened from there to here~?

OHHHHH I so want a quilt like Royalbloomers too---maybe!! I need to see if I have fabrics for all to before I can commit.I swore no more swaps after bad experience but I so love strings.

We'd love to have you Jacky!

Okay I'm in. 1 1/2 finished sand batik center strip with blues teals aquas purples greens strings. Ocean colors done in all batiks.
Tami

Welcome Tami! Gotcha!

Almost missed this. Sign me up again. Will do the same ting for the third time, batiks with sand color in the middle (1 1/2 finished) & ocean colors in the rest of the block. Same as coreysmom... Chris

Count me in again! I'd also like the same blocks as Coreysmom and cksvett...they were beautiful the first time and I can make a larger quilt with another round of blocks!!

cbq.. i'm like KaribbeanQuilter.. i want to do this but need to make sure i have pretty much everything in my stash.. so far so good.. don't have much in the "brown" colour.. but prob enough for a few blocks.. also the due date is a bit of a crunch for me.. if there is a lot.. as i have lots on my plate this spring.. so i will be holding out till the very end.. for those of you doing the ocean quilt.. i LOVE mine.. it's my favorite of all the string quilts i've done..

Gotcha ladies! I think you are right shey.. A lot of ladies don't have a batik stash, so when everyone chooses the same block, they pass. But for me, it easier to make 12 blocks the same, than to have to make them all different~ I have blues and sand from past swaps and just keep using them. LOL

I decided

Who is sitting on the fence? C'mon in and play!!

Royalboomer~ I've had a couple questions about your browns~ are batiks ok? tone on tones?

You can use regular cottons or batiks - I love batiks if you don't already know and use them in place of cotton whenever the color is right.

I am looking for a very dark center string (I have to look back and see what the last one was in terms of size) Tone-on-tones are just fine...actually a few solids here and there are just fine as well.

The surrounding strings can be tone-on-tones, solids, etc. You could even use a print of a mixture of dark browns and medium browns. If it had a smidgen of another color it's ok if it plays nicely with the others and doesn't step forward. It should blend into the browns, does that make sense? For example, a string with reds or yellows in it doesn't work because, even though those colors don't jump out in a large piece of the fabric by the time it gets to string size that's exactly where your eye goes.

I'll pull out the ones from the last swap and ake a picture of a combination of a few that is what I am looking for.

I think I'm going to take some time today to shop for more oceany batiks...this theme is so popular I've depleted a great deal of my collection of those. One of these days I may just try one of those for myself

Thanks Royal!!

Any one ready to hop off that fence??

Off the fence -- I'm in! Shabby chic, please. Light, pastel, soft colors; no red, dark, bright, black, brown... No particular requirements for center strip; would love to just keep it all shabby chic. Thank you!

Here's some pictures as promised...I always do better when I can "see" what someone is envisioning

One block: This is one of my favorites of the ones from the last swap, so scrumptious

And here's a group of 4 together....if you stay away from fabric with white, yellow, etc in it you'll have it perfectly. I want it to look chocolately

Oh, and the center string should start at 2" so it will finish at 1 1/2"

Thanks royal! I recognize some of those fabrics!

Welcome Karibbean Quilter!!

Anyone else on the fence? The clock is ticking...

tick tock tick tock

I bought some new "sand" color fabby last month to use as a border on a quilt and low and behold...looks like I will be using the leftovers for many of your blocks! Yea! Love it when that happens! Looking forward to playing with you all! Coreysmom...I see you decide to jump on in...

I love 'happy accidents' like that alex!

Anymore takers before we close up and move to PM's???

Found some of the blocs from the last swap, so here is what the batik ocean blocks have looked like in the past... Chris

Last day to sign up!
If you are on a fence~ jump! jump!!

OK, OK Crazy, catch me, I'm jumping. I want a black center strip with subdued fall colors in cinnamon, sages (not grass green), golds, browns, and dark oranges (not bright) and prefer no blues, purples or pinks. Below is a block I like, and a scarf with the colors I'm thinking of. Golds and oranges are OK, if they are not bright, bright, bright. I'm thinking batiks, tone-on-tone, blenders, tiny monochromatic prints, but no flashy prints or florals. Not picky am I? LOL!

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

Oooh McP~ I love those colors!! I caught you!!!

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

sorry cbq... after re-checking my schedule for the next few months.. i just don't think i can do it this time.. but i would love to be considered for the next go around.. (darn..i really wanted that sunrise/sunset theme.. oh well.. next time!.. by then i'll be sure what i really want for the center strip).. your blocks are all going to be gorgeous!!.. and i'm gonna miss doing them..

Thank you for letting me know shey..

Ladies, I set up our PM thread. Please let me know if I missed you.

CBQ...thank you for getting this all set up. I seem to be having troubles lately with PMs...can briefly see the post but cannot respond to it and cannot read back posts. I was able to copy and save the list from this list. Could you please email me directly with any further changes to details? Thank you.



Once you email me once I will come back here and delete my email. Thanks bunches!

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

Alex - I saved the info with everyone's final instructions for colors, etc. as a Word Doc - I'll email it to you.

Thank you Lindaboomer...

Alex~ please note McP changed her center strip to 1.5 inches finished.

Made several b/w-y this weekend -- it's a great color scheme Alexemmarose. Any tips, ladies, for squaring up the blocks?

I have an 8 1/2 " ruler I use; however, before I went ahead and bought that I put the glow tape on two sides of a bigger ruler and made it into an 8 1/2 - hence the real ruler now It worked OK but I had to think

Still can't figure out how to resize and post on my ipad (if anyone can tell me how to do that, I would be most appreciative!), but did get DH to tear himself away from his Mac for a few minutes to try this. McP, these are the first few. Plan to get the rest finished this week, so if I'm not on the right track, please let me know.

Here ya go, AlexEmmaRo

OOOH! Love my blocks! Thank you for posting pix Karribean!

O.M.G! Absolutely love my blocks Elle! Those are just what I had dreamed of!

I spent the afternoon cutting the rest of my muslin squares and starting the string cutting process. I have all the strings cut for the ocean blocks and the center strings cut for all of the blocks. I'm still not happy with the yellow so I'm going to keep looking. I did find a couple of shabby chic fabrics I forgot I had They'll go nicely with the ones I ordered. Hoping to actually finish some of these blocks next weekend. It sure helps to see pictures - thank you!

coreysmom, aliquilts, and cksvett...here are your ocean colored string blocks...all 18 of them! These are not yet trimmed up but wanted you to see your blocks. I must admit, this colorway does make for some interesting and pretty blocks!

Great ocean blocks! You have been busy!
Will be starting soon on CBQ's shabby chic but have a question. Requests say a finished 1" white center strip, but general directions say " try not to use too many strings that are wider than the center strip," so are the great majority of shabby strings supposed to be less than one inch finished or are you looking for a little more variety in width than that? Thank you!

I am hoping CBQ wants more variety as I just finished her's and there is great variety in widths!

Oh yes~ please do variety! I love variety!

That guideline meant to not just do two big strips per side. I know none of you would do that.