Sunday, February 14, 2021

This Week's String Therapy? Hugs & Kisses Make It All Better...

 

Hi, all!


It's time for this week's therapy session, and I'm definitely feeling the need for a little love this week.  So it's fitting that this Sunday is also Valentine's Day!  What better day to do a little string therapy based on hugs and kisses?

A few months ago, I saw a couple of quilts on Instagram that caught my eye, and I added them to my folder of possibles for String Therapy.  Both were similar in style, with one looking a little more contemporary as far as coloring.  



When I got ready to make this quilt, I looked at all those little string blocks and realized that I would run out of willpower to make them long before I had enough for a whole quilt!  But I went to my magic drawer to get papers to make the string blocks (old phone books make great foundation papers) and lo and behold, look what I found!


A whole pile of string blocks I made a long time ago, then tucked away into the drawer when I got bored with them.  Amazing the things we hide away, isn't it?  There were twenty-five blocks altogether, not enough to make a traditional string quilt, but I had a plan....


I took those blocks and cut them into quarters.  As you can see, that gave me a stack of 50 small blocks with a white diagonal piece in the center, and one stack of 50 blocks with no white diagonal.  Forming a plan, I cut some centers and sashing and played with layouts.


First, using the blocks with the white strips, I created an "X" block (or a kiss)....


...and then, using the pieces with no white strip, I created "O" blocks (hugs).


Here you can see one of each type of block.  I chose 1.5" white sashing strips for the "X" blocks, and a dark green for the sashing of the "O" blocks.  I had a variety of 1.5" squares in my scrap drawer, and pulled 25 different greens for the center cornerstone.  NOTE:  You can make this without the cornerstone, but I find that it is much easier to make your blocks line up perfectly with that cornerstone, and it allows you to cut all your sashing pieces the same size.

Once I finished making the 25 blocks, I dug a great black and taupe print out of my stash, along with 36 2.5" squares in shades of green.  I cut the sashing the 2.5" wide by the same length as my block.  It required 60 pieces for this quilt.


The layout is simple - just alternate the blocks (although I did find that I had to start with an "O" block to make it all work out even!) placing sashing and cornerstones between the blocks.  Once again, the cornerstones keep the rows and columns perfectly aligned!


I added a 5" border to make this quilt end up 60" square, my favorite lap size.


And after a quick ride on the long arm frame, here's the finished quilt!


"X" blocks, quilted with a large soft loopy meander...


...alternated with "O" blocks to share a quilt full of....


...lots of LOVE!

Go check in your drawers and drag out those string blocks you started making ages ago, or grab your strings and make a bunch now!  

So keep in mind on this Valentine's Day that some hugs and kisses make everything better - if not in person, then in a quilt that you can wrap around yourself or someone else - and share the love!


Hugs!

Sarah

16 comments:

  1. I can imagine your total delight in finding some blocks hidden away, and the finished quilt an equal or even more delightful moment. Love those loops and swirls.

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  2. Another great quilt! How wonderful to open the drawer and find blocks there already made, happy stitching!

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  3. Love that layout! Will keep that idea in the back of my mind for another snow day (sew day).

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  4. What a lovely finish--nice work hugs, Julierose

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  5. Sarah, your quilt looks awesome! The color mixes are terrific. Getting those stashed away string blocks out of storage is a big bonus. Bringing all that time you spent making them back to life. Fabulous finish!

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  6. Isn't it amazing finding blocks ready to make a pretty new lovely quilt? Well done Sarah!

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  7. Now that's a string that I would definitively make. Love this one. If only I could find a drawer with some string blocks already made. :^D Thanks for the inspiration. ;^)

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  8. I love making string blocks. Thanks for sharing a delightful way to use them. The quilt is bright and fun. The scrappy cornerstones are perfect.

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  9. thank you for simplifying the block and show us how to get creative with that pile of blocks we have stashed away!

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  10. How fun!! How big were your string blocks to begin with? I think I have some 8.5" ones tucked away somewhere...

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  11. So fabulous! I don't normally like green, but geez I love your green quilt.

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  12. Absolutely beautiful. You have a great gift of seeing possibilities in changing things around.

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  13. I love your string quilts. I just adore using strips or strings, whatever you want to label them. In fact, I finished two baby quilt tops today and they're both strings. Do you know about kat of Covered in love? she's collecting string blocks for charity this month (almost up!) Check out her post if you'ld like to someday try her QAL method.https://katandcatquilts.blogspot.com/2021/02/assembling-foundation-pieced-batting.html

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