String Quilt Secrets

Curious about string quilts? I recently taught at Piecing Palooza on this very topic and had so much fun! The quilters had some wonderful questions and we didn’t get to all of them before time was up, so here is the full Q&A from that event…

Do you recommend using used dryer sheets as a foundation?

While I recommend using either a tear away or a leave in foundation depending on the type and size of units being created, I would caution about using dryer sheets. As long as you know what chemicals/fragrances are in them, and you are not sensitive to those, you certainly can use dryer sheets. The ones that have been used multiple times and are very flimsy work well. The only other caution I would offer is that if you press with an iron, test them first, as they may “melt” onto the hot iron. We use wool dryer balls at our house, so we don’t have dryer sheets available and I cannot speak from experience on this, but if you have them and want to use them…go for it!

Foundation paper  and Muslin  are the products I use most often besides freezer paper that can be found at any grocery store.                                              

Does it matter what side of the wax paper you sew on?

I use freezer paper for tear away foundation options. I like this for several reasons: it’s inexpensive, it’s easy to tear away with a shorter stitch length, it can be cut into very long pieces to use one as a whole border if needed. I always place the fabric on the shiny side, this allows the fabric to temporarily adhere to the paper, making sure the fabric doesn’t shift when sewing the next piece.

Do you use batting as foundation as in Quilt-as-you-go?

I have not tried this method on a quilt size project but I do use this method when making mug rugs or very small quilts. I imagine it would work like any other patchwork method for larger quilt-as-you-go projects. I would love to see a photo if you make one!!

What was the name of the cutting board?

I love my Cutterpillar cutting mat that has a lighted base and can be ironed on as well! It makes everything so easy to see and save so much space! This link is to the mini version that I use, but it’s available in larger sizes and a round rotating version as well!

Can you piece with curvy seams? Or is it always straight seams?

Of course you can piece with curvy seams! If you are confident that you can get them to lay flat, go for it! A good way to practice is to overlap the fabric and cut the curved edge through both layers. This will help ensure there is no unevenness.

How have string quilts been quilted traditionally? Did it vary, the way you do, or were there typical approaches?

The antique quilts I shared in the beginning of the presentation were all hand quilted either in a grid or fan pattern and one was even tied without any visible quilting. So hand quilting as appropriate to the design would probably be the best answer to this question. I personally think it’s important to think about the life the quilt will lead when choosing a method and design. Will it be washed a lot? Machine quilt it. Will it hang on the wall? Quilt it densely by hand or machine or both. Will it live on a bed? Hand or machine quilting that isn’t too dense will by coziest. Will it be snuggled on a chair or sofa? Again, go for the snuggle factor with less quilting !

Do you consider selvage the same as strings?

No I don’t but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t mix them together! I think you can add selvages to any project, just like you can add strings. Feel free to mix them together as they would be awesome! I would say that I piece selvages differently, I layer the bolt edge on top of the cut edge and stitch the layers together (both right sides up!) I would add any selvages into the string project the same way, so that the good selvage part isn’t lost in the seam allowance.

What is the fabric used in your “Diamonds are Forever” quilt? Beautiful quilt! 

I used a pink solid and lots of scraps from the past decade or so. Most of the fabrics are newer and bright, but I just added things that make me happy! And thank you so much for the sweet compliment.

What are the quilts behind you and how did you decide on the color story? 

Thank you so much! The diamond quilt is called Diamonds are Forever and is found in my first book Scrap Quilt Secrets. The quilt with the green sashing is also in the book and is called Wash Day, found in my second book Strip Quilt Secrets. because the blocks look like stacks of patchwork quilts to me.

How do you decide on color and fabric combinations when creating string-pieced quilts?

Oh this is probably my favorite subject when it comes to quilting! I love choosing colors and fabrics and mixing them all up. I will sometimes choose a holiday or color combination and then be sure to add lots of light, medium and dark shades of each of those colors. More is always better when it comes to scrappy. I also like to add an accent color or fabric to sprinkle throughout the whole quilt (like glitter.) Sometimes I take the anything goes approach but divide the light fabrics from the dark fabrics into different sections or parts of the blocks, the contrast does all the work so the color can just go wild!

Are there any new trends or innovations in string piecing that excite you?

I love this question! While I get most of my inspiration from historical or antique quilts, I do love a good tip, trick, tool or technique to make the process easier! Why make anything more difficult than it needs to be? I love the Cutterpillar cutting mat because it really does help to see all of the layers while trimming. I also like a good sharp rotary cutter and reliable sewing machine with a thread cutting option. The thing I think is most beneficial right now though is all of the new products on the market for foundation. Whether you want to use a removable product or one that stays in the finished quilt, there are so many options these days. Just be sure you know what you’ve chosen and whether it has fusible in it or not. If it does, protect your iron and pressing surface! I choose to use the same stabilizer for my collage quilts which is called Pattern Ease, but my favorite methods use freezer paper or solid cotton or muslin.

Do you have a favorite quilt you've made using string piecing? What makes it special?

I would have to say it is Diamonds are Forever. The best thing about this quilt is that it is hand quilted using pearl cotton and because it has a cotton foundation layer, I didn’t use any batting. So it has 3 layers of fabric and the hand quilting which makes it super snuggly and soft and amazingly warm! It’s my favorite to snuggle under while reading a book. I will definitely be using this method again to make a bed size quilt for the same reasons!

I hope this helps inspire you to go play with some of your scraps!

Enjoy every stitch!  Diane