Quilting with Strips and Strings
By H. W. Rose
2.5/5
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About this ebook
The enduring beauty and practicality of the traditional quilt make it one of the most treasured of household items. Yet in these fast-paced, million-things-to-do days, most needleworkers are short on time or patience or both. Quilting with Strips and Strings is the perfect solution for needlecraft enthusiasts who have little time and less patience, or who just want to add a new dimension to their quilting skills.
In this clearly presented manual, noted quilt designer Helen Whitson Rose offers complete instructions for making 46 patchwork quilts with strips and strings. This is undoubtedly the quickest and easiest way of turning leftover fabric into a handsome quilt that you and your family will enjoy for years to come. Many photographs, dozens of line illustrations, a metric conversion chart, and 32 full-size templates that you can trace make this collection accessible to even the novice quilter.
Special sections include information on equipment, assembling strings on a base, making string material, quick cuts from strips, selecting and preparing fabrics, quilt-as-you-go, and creating a quilt with strip and string designs.
The author covers the major techniques with clear diagrams accompanying each method. All construction can be done on a sewing machine or can be hand sewn if you prefer. Many intricate-looking designs are simplified so that attractive results can be achieved with a minimum of time and effort.
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Book preview
Quilting with Strips and Strings - H. W. Rose
Base
Introduction
Admirers of beautiful quilts have been heard to remark, I’d like to be able to make a quilt someday, but I just don’t have the patience to cut and sew all those little pieces together.
Quilting with strips and strings is a perfect solution for those people with no patience
and for those who wish to add a new dimension to their quilting skills. This book contains many intricate-looking designs which have been simplified so that beautiful results can be achieved with a minimal amount of work and time.
Now you may ask, What is the difference between a strip and a string?
I have never read a better definition than that given by Bonnie Leman in the March 1982 issue of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine, and she has graciously agreed to allow me to include it in this introduction.
The term string
originally referred to the long, narrow strips of fabric left over from cutting a garment, strips that would ordinarily be too narrow to be of any useful purpose. Frugal quiltmakers have long made quilts from these strings, usually sewing them onto a paper or muslin base so they could be joined into a quilt top. In most string quilts no effort was made to trim the strings symmetrically, since they were already so narrow. Instead they often joined in a random, crazy-quilt effect. In the ‘20s and ’30s several quilt designs evolved from the random string quilt, among them String Star and Spider Web. For these designs the strings were sewn onto a base (paper or cloth) which had been pre-cut into a specific shape. The finished string shapes were then joined to create pieced blocks or units of the quilt top.
Strip
piecing is like string piecing in that it utilizes strips of fabric which are sewn together. However, unlike string piecing, the width and color of the strips are planned. Strip piecing is more versatile than string piecing. New yardage
can be made from strips from which template shapes can be cut, the yardage can be cut apart and rearranged, the strips may be sewn on a foundation pre-cut to shape, or any combination thereof.
Construction on the sewing machine is highly recommended; however, handwork can and should be used if that is your preference. There are several ways to quilt with strips and strings; I have covered three major techniques in this book: making string material (pages 6-9), assembling strings the old-fashioned way on a fabric or paper base (pages 9—10) and assembling strings on a lining and batting so you are quilting and sewing at the same time (pages 10—12—Quilt-As-You-Go
Each method is described in detail with clear diagrams—it is up to you to select the method you wish to use when making your strip and string projects. The rest of the book is filled with designs; most are very easy, some are a challenge, but all will show you the versatility and fun of quilting with strips and strings.
EQUIPMENT
It is wise to assemble all the necessary equipment before beginning a project; this will not only save time, but will also ensure greater accuracy in your work (you won’t be tempted to short cut
a step just because you don’t have the right piece of equipment at hand). Keep your supplies organized and in one place; this will enable you to pick up your work whenever you have a spare moment. A medium-size basket or box would be suitable for storage of most equipment; templates should be stored in iabelled envelopes. Following is a list of the equipment needed for string quilting.
Pencils
Use sharp, soft-lead pencils for ruling lines on fabric and for tracing around templates; never use ink when marking fabrics! If you are using dark fabrics or fabrics with a busy print, use tailor’s chalk or light-colored marking pencils.
Shears
Sharp dressmaker’s shears are needed for cutting several layers of fabric at one time. You will also need scissors for cutting paper; using your best shears to cut paper templates will dull them in a hurry. Small embroidery scissors are excellent for cutting away excess threads.
Pins
Pins should be rust-proof and perfectly straight. Pins with plastic heads are easy to work with and are less likely to be accidentally left in the fabric.
Measuring Devices
A wooden yardstick and a 12″-15″ ruler are necessary for string quilting; both should be in good condition and free from nicks. A tape measure will also be necessary, particularly for making string material.
Iron
Ironing is necessary for professional results and is an essential part of almost every step of the piecing process. It is best to use an iron with a steam setting; if this is not possible, pressing with a damp cloth will suffice.
Needles
Needles will be necessary for any hand sewing or appliqué work; use Sharps,
which are medium-length sewing needles. Use quilting needles called Betweens
in sizes 7-9 for any hand quilting that may need to be done.
Sewing Machine
Although string quilting can be done by hand, it is recommended that a sewing machine be used; this will save a great deal of time and will result in an item that can stand up to much wear. The sewing machine needs no special attachments, but it should be able to stitch forward and in reverse; a basting stitch would be an asset. A presser foot with