This top was pieced by a group in California and quilted and bound by Teresa.
She used a variegated thread to bind which adds to the fun!
And the scrappy backing was one of many pieced and donated by Tish.
Roberts, WI Sew-in
Save the date – August 24
Place – Roberts, Wi
Kathy writes,
Because I was asked this week by Adoray Health Care to make red/white/blue quilts for veterans they serve, we will be having an emphasis on patriotic quilts. If you wish to bring quilts for Teresa’s donation to Minneapolis Children’s Hosp. in memory of her son, Andrew, or for me for our local Holiday Angels gifts at Christmas, please feel free to do that too. But mainly I’d like us to work on the patriotic ones.
Tips for better blocks and tops
We receive blocks and tops from many people who participate in HeartStrings and chose not to finish the entire quilt themselves. Most are well pieced and assembled but we do get in blocks and tops that have some issues. Below are some tips to make sure that your blocks are the best they can be.
While string quilts are meant to be kind of wonky and don’t require the precise matching that other quilts do, they still need to be well constructed so they’ll last.
While you can use whatever foundation you choose for blocks and quilts you are finishing yourself, those that are sent in should be from 100% cotton fabric.
The foundations should be cut 10 inches and then the blocks squared to 9.5 inches after piecing the strings. We sometimes find that all the blocks in the top are not trimmed to 9.5 inches making for a quilt that does not lie flat.
When adding strings, it is important to press. Besides making a neater finished block, it offers an opportunity to ensure that the seam you just sewed is intact without any gaps. A big issue we encounter are blocks that have open seams. Because strings by their nature are uneven, it’s easy to miss catching the edges of both when piecing. Take time to check your blocks as you are pressing and while you’re doing that — pull out any of those little strings between the seams. The volunteer quilter will appreciate not having to do it for you.
Once the blocks are neatly pressed and trimmed, you’re ready to assemble. My two best hints are to use a walking foot and to press the seams open. I use a slighter larger than 1/4 inch seam for assembling these since I’m going to press them open. The walking foot will help you handle the extra layers from the foundation and pressing the seams open will decrease bulk at the block intersections. Yes, it takes a little more time but the resulting top will be easier for volunteers to finish.
Barn Raising
Marge in Louisiana tried something a little different with her latest string quilt. Rather than using a center string like with our typical HeartStrings block, she made one half of the block light and one half dark. This type of block allows you to use any log cabin setting for your blocks.
Here’s our typical HeartStrings block with a center blue string cut 2 inches and the rest of the block filled in with random strings.
Here’s a block made without a center string … Your seam line between your first two strings will go right through the center of the block.
When piecing this type of block I still start with a foundation that is 10 inches and trim the block to 9.5 inches once I’ve pieced the strings. I use the diagonal line on my ruler when squaring up to make sure that seam is right in the center of the block.
Here’s a quilt I did several years ago using the same method only I arranged my blocks to create a star. instructions for this quilt are on my website.
Peace by Piece Quilters
Nancy and her group have been busy … Here they are working on a HeartStrings quilt at their latest get together. Click here to see more photos.
Are you sewing with us?
Today is the last day of our Memorial weekend sew along – are you participating? Cathy made a set of 48 blocks and has already finished hers … assembled and quilted … But you can even make a few blocks and sent them in for group quilts or get a set of 48 blocks started and send them in to be finished when you’re done. Use the block guidelines (link on the right) and substitute a brown for the center strip.
Memorial Day
Remember, reflect, and honor those that have given their life in service to their country
Starting Friday we’ll be hosting a virtual sew along during the Memorial Day weekend. Our primary project will be using brown centers to make HeartStrings blocks for quilts for veterans and wounded soldiers but you can also choose to make RWB blocks or pillowcases to present the quilts.
Please see the previous post for details.
Memorial Day Sew Along
May 24 through the 27th we will be doing a sew along. Using brown centers, we’ll make blocks and tops for quilts for guys ( wounded soldiers and veterans as well as other guys who could use a comfort quilt)
Stephanie is always ahead of the crowd and just posted two quilts using browns.
This one doesn’t have brown centers but I love the browns she did use in it.
Blocks that are sent in for group quilts should use the guidelines and substitute brown for the red or blue centers.
If you’re completing a full set of 48 blocks or completing the top, you could chose blues or greens or any other “guy” color you’d like.
You could also send in RWB blocks — see those guidelines here.
And a third option to sew along with us would be to make pillowcases to send to Alycia for presenting Quilts of Valor. They don’t need to be Red/white/blue but I’d focus on manly!
Won’t you join in and sew along with us?!
Wrapping up
The Maine sew-in is over and as usual very successful. We ended up with a stack of finished quilts and pillowcases and many others are in process. We’ll meet again in September and finish up even more.
Bev, who coordinates the sew-in every year worked on pillowcases for Operation Military Kids to be donated through the Legion Auxiliary. She completed this stack and prepped another larger stack for sewing.
You can see more photos from the sew-in at the link below.
Maine sew-in
We started working today and will continue though the weekend. Shannon Fabrics donated two large bolts of their minky Cuddle fabric and I can’t tell you how soft, warm, and cozy the HeartStrings quilts we’re backing with it are turning out!
Brenda pulled tops to coordinate, Rebecca bound
I tied …
The first one completed, more to follow!
