Make This String Quilt With A Bag Or Two Of Strings

Quilting Cubby | May 19, 2016 | Free Quilt Patterns, Summer Quilts

Don’t Throw Out Your Strings – Make A Diamond String Quilt

Create these diamond string blocks for your string quilt. Would you be surprised to learn that a bag of strings like this one, by weight, is equal to about 3 metres of fabric. If you are paying $22- a metre for fabric, that bag could have $60- worth of fabric! Wow how many diamonds would that make. Simply have a scrap bag ready, name it ‘strings’ and throw all of your strings into the bag.

Be inspired by this diamond block. The closest block description of this string quilt pattern is Endless Chain.

The fabrics you are using, are from your projects so you already know that you like them. It doesn’t matter if they’re all mixed up. Mix styles of fabric as it will add to the project and it also becomes a memento of fabrics you have used in other projects. Use some solids too. Mix up solids and prints. It will make the diamonds more lively and dimensional, and by using very thin strips of fabric, it will make each block more unique than the next.

Choose a white solid fabric for the background since there are so many colors in the strings.

Cut into 5 1/2″ blocks, the amount depending on the size quilt you would like. 80 squares would normally make up a nice size lap quilt. 4 squares sewn together will make the block. Make a pencil mark 2 inches in from each corner of the squares. The fabric within the pencil marks will remain white. The strings will be attached from the pencil marking outwards.

With fabric right sides together, place the first string strip on the right side of the square, overlapping the pencil mark by 1/4 inch on the inside of the pencil mark. Angle the string down to the opposite center of the corner below. Stitch using a 1/4 inch seam. Open out the seam and press nice and flat. Be sure to line up the outside edge of the string with the corner. Check that there is at least a 1/4 inch overlap at the bottom corner. This will ensure the points are not lost when the blocks are sewn together. With fabric right sides together, place the next string at the bottom corner overlapping the 1st string and line it up to the opposite corner 2″ pencil mark overlaying it by 1/4 inch. Sew down the strip using a 1/4 inch seam.Open up the fabric and press. You will see the ‘V’ formation of the first strip that will eventually form your diamond.

The strips always need to be longer than the edge of the square. Later you will trim, or rotary cut all ends the same as the 5 1/2″ square.

With fabrics right sides together, place the next string against the first string and stitch. Fold back and press.

Continue adding strings until you have stitched enough strips to cover the 5 1/2″ square. Do the same on the other side. The strings needn’t all be the same widths. That’s what makes the variation of the diamond.