Tutorial - Woven Strings block

I was fiddling around on Pinterest the other day, and saw this quilt.  The artist calls it Ribbon Lattice. I really, really like that quilt.  Then last year there was a month in Stash Bee where the block we did was called Simply Woven (a Moda Bakeshop Pattern).   Here are the Simply Woven blocks I made for Stash Bee:

Now it's my month for Stash Bee in 2015, and I've edited a post from the last time around since I'd love to have more of the same blocks.

Please use  a SOLID WHITE background, that's truly white. Examples would be Kona White or Bella, but just make sure it's not cream, or even a light cream. For the strings, use bright colors, but no black.

I figured I could follow the steps in the Simply Woven tutorial but use 1" strips, and come up with a block to my liking.  So here we go, and I'll call this Woven Strings.

You'll need 1 9" square of background fabric, and 6 to 8 "strings" that are 1" wide and between 10" and 12" long.

1. Make a freehand slightly curved cut about 1 1/2 - 2" from the left side.

2. Add one of your strings. Press towards the dark.

3. Turn the square so that the first string is horizontally across the top. Make another cut - either slightly curved or straight. Try to mix them up.

4. Insert another strip.

5. Turn the fabric again so that the most recent string is at the bottom as shown.  Make another cut.

6. Insert another strip.

7. Keep going - you can make the strings closer together if you wish, to get 4 strings across instead of 3.

8. Keep going!

9. Another one!

10. (I cut before I took the photo...)

11. More...

12. Looks like I have room for yet another string.

13. So make another cut.

14. While this is the last one I inserted for this block, it's possible that you've cut yours close enough together that you can do four across and four down. I'd like any combination - 3 + 3, 3 + 4, or 4 + 4. 

15. Please do not trim the blocks - I'll trim them to the size I want when I get them.

Odds and ends

I've been catching up on BOMs and swaps.

 This is a little top called Charlotte - from the Book 3 Times Charmed. I used up some blue charms.

 Star of Hope  - made for Dawnelle - November block for Block Swap Adventure.  She asked for southwestern batiks, with the outside being dark and the inside being light.

 Simply Woven blocks - the November blocks for Alison - Stash Bee

 October Block for Sugar Block Club - Lucky Star

October Blocks for the Sisters 10 BOM.  The one on the left incorporates the label made specifically for this BOM.

Scrappy Split 9-Patch Star

As I'm preparing to teach a class on making quilts from scraps, I decided to make a few class samples. The quilt hanging in the store is the Christmas Swoon - all reds and greens. I made a scrappy star top, as well as a scrappy swoon (picture of that one to come later.)

Two Finished Quilts - Which version do YOU like best?

These are both made from the same block - the X+ block.  The first uses coordinating fabric; the other is scrappy.  So far, I've heard that everyone likes the scrappy one best.  I like them both equally.

Christmas Swoon

I've been making several different scrappy split 9-patch quilts for the community service project in my guild. I decided to make a Christmas Swoon quilt, using Camille Roskelley's pattern. There was a swoon-along group on Flickr (I saw it too late to join), and I got the idea from there. I finished it yesterday, and took it to the quilt show today to give to Kristen. She'll hang it in the shop, and I'll be teaching a class on how to do the scrappy 9-patches in November.

A little of this and that

I haven't posted for a month - but have been super busy cranking out tops and blocks!  And earlier this week, I dropped off four tops to be quilted - so when those come back, I'll have four completed quilts to share. Here are some things I've been working on lately:

Spools blocks for guild BOM

"Boomers" - made for September Block Lotto

 The above block is a double four-patch. Bonnie Hunter made an entire quilt in greens and tans with this block here. I decided it would be a great way to use up my 1.5" squares.  (Bonnie's uses 2" squares for the smallest pieces; I used 1.5")

Here are four of the double-four patch blocks laid out. 

This top is called "Flower Boxes," from the book Scrap Basket Sensations. I donated it to my guild. 

Crayon Box block - October Block Swap Adventure - for Charlene

Crayon Box Block - October Block Swap Adventure - for Charlene

October blocks for Sew Bee Wonky

Stash Bee Hive #4 October blocks for Christy

Chaos Star - Lucky Stars BOM - October

Blocks for Blocks-of-the-Month, Part 2

The other two Blocks-of-the-Month that I'm working on are the Sugar Block Club and the Lucky Stars BOM. Both are sent via email, but you can check out the blogs for information.

Sugar Block Club - June - Home Sweet Home

Sugar Block Club - August - Camp Out

Lucky Stars BOM - June - Sunlight Star

Sugar Block Club - July - Lime Sherbet

Lucky Stars BOM - July - Dulcet Star

Lucky Stars BOM - August - Pinwheel Star

Lucky Stars BOM - September - Windmill Star

Sugar Block BOM - September - Come Fly with Me

Blocks for Blocks-of-the-Month, Part 1

I've been doing some piecing on a couple of scrappy quilt tops, and since those are finished (photos after I add borders), I decided to get caught up on the BOMs I've been participating in. I like making the individual blocks and deciding what colors and designs to use.

Sisters' 10 BOM - May - Aunt Eliza's Star

Sisters' 10 BOM - June - Contrary Wife

Sisters' 10 BOM - July - Hattie's Trick

Sisters' 10 BOM - August - Old Maid's Puzzle

Sisters' 10 BOM - September - Sister's Choice

Quilt Doodle Designs BOM - May - Mama's Spools

Quilt Doodle Designs BOM - March - Rail Fence

Quilt Doodle Designs BOM - April - Ball Park

Quilt Doodle Designs BOM - June - Grad Party

Quilt Doodle Designs BOM - July - Jumping Jack Blossom

Quilt Doodle Designs BOM - August - Log Cabin

Quilt Doodle Designs BOM - September - End of Summer

Update as of September 8

Block Lotto
- January blocks completed
- February blocks completed
- March blocks completed
Block Swap Adventure
- January block completed
- February block completed
- March block completed
-April block completed
-May block completed
-June block completed
-July block completed
-August block completed
-September block completed
Modern Monday - all blocks completed - need to piece together
Pieceful Kwilter SAL - 7 parts completed, ready to start part 8
Quilt Doodle Designs BOM
- January block completed
- February block completed
- March block completed
-April block completed
-May block completed
-June block completed
-July block completed
-August block completed
-September block completed
Sew Bee Wonky
- January blocks completed
- February - It's my month, so I don't have to make any!
- March blocks completed
- April blocks completed
- May blocks completed
- June blocks completed
- July blocks completed
- Aug/Sept blocks completed
Sisters' 10 BOM - Gen X Quilters
- January blocks completed
- February blocks completed
- March blocks completed
-April blocks completed
-May blocks completed
-June blocks completed
-July blocks completed
-August blocks completed
-September blocks completed
Stash Bee
- January blocks completed
 - February blocks completed
Sugar Block Club
- January block completed
- February block completed
- March blocks completed
-April blocks completed
-May blocks completed
-June blocks completed
-July blocks completed
-August blocks completed
-September blocks completed

Traditional Tuesday - all blocks completed

UFOs (tops that need to be quilted or donated)
1. granny squares on white - quilted, needs binding
2. scrappy +x blocks
3. striped +x blocks
4. selvage strings w/white border
5. HSTs BOM
6. Bumblebeans large color challenge
7. Quatrefoil
8. cheddar bowties
9. 100-patch
10. crumby log cabins
11. green Bento box
12. Laurel Burch Christmas
13. Oklahoma Backroads w/hearts border
14. Oklahoma Backroads w/Alexander Henry border


WIPs (tops in progress)
1. Boomerang blocks - turquoise
2. Block Lotto tall fly blocks

3. string quilt #4
4. Mondern Monday
5. Traditional Tuesday
6. bold stars on white
7. Bumblebeans small color challenge
8. double 4-patch


Quilts completed/Tops donated
1. Discontinuity - quilted and bound
2. scrappy rag quilt - completed and donated to guild
3. 4 hearts/1" blocks - tied and bound, donated to guild
4. Sow-Along - 30's fabric w/white border - quilted and bound
5. Lighted Forest - quilted and bound
6. Batik New York Beauties - quilted and bound
7. 5 1/2" strings - quilted and bound