block o' strings tutorial.

as promised...a string block tutorial. {the SUPER easy way.}

gather some strips from your stash.

any length, any width, any color, any pattern.

i think i took out about 60ish, just to have a nice variety.

you're gonna want 4 of those strips to be a solid white or a white print.

you will want to make sure that your white strips are all the same size.

{mine were about 1 1/2".}

take some regular printer paper and make four 6 1/2" squares.

on the wrong side of your white strip...
spray a thin coat of quilt basting spray.
quickly adhere it to the middle of your 6 1/2" square.

this is optional...
trim down the white strips.
it doesn't have to be exact, as you can see on mine.

now it's audition time.
play around with your strips until you are happy with them.

i can get 4 to 5 strips on each side of the white strip.
you won't know exactly how many until you start sewing.

lay your first strip right side down onto your white strip.

turn your stitch length down to about 1.5
{just trust me!!!}
and sew your first strip on.

after each strip, press with a dry iron.
it makes a difference to press after each strip, so don't skip it.

keep adding strips until you cover the right side of the paper.

now flip your paper over.
go again until you cover this side of the paper.

your covered block should look something like this.

and the back should look like this.

trim off the stragglers using the paper as your guide.

now here's the fun part.
remember how i told yall to shorten your stitch length???
that was so the needle would perforate the paper for you.
just tear off the paper gently, like you would a check out of your checkbook.
you'll be doing this in sections.

flip it over and voila...you've just made your very own mini string block.

now this is important:
spray this block with a lightweight starch.
{i prefer to use magic sizing.}

the reason why i starch is for 3 reasons...
it flattens the seams for easier quilting.
it retains the proper block size instead of stretching.
and lastly, i find that it's much easier to baste my quilts with a crisper, flatter block.

make 3 more of these mini string blocks.

audition time again!!!
play around with your blocks until you are happy.

sew the top 2 mini blocks together.
press seam to the right.

sew the bottom 2 mini blocks together.
press seam to the left.

sew the top to the bottom.
press using more lightweight starch.

and now you have a complete 12 1/2" string block.
isn't it gorgeous?!?!

you can make a doll quilt out of this block. {like this one.}
you can put 3 of these blocks together to make a great tablerunner.
or put 12{ish} of them together for one sweet quilt.

note to add: make sure to change your needle before going back to fabric.

i use a completely seperate needle for paper foundations.

hope yall enjoy.

oh and one more thing...

i started a flickr group for the peeps that make my tutorials.

{this includes my moda bake shop tutorials too.}

i'd ♥ to see them all in one place!!!

so please...go join!!!

p.s. i quilt: sew & tell