Bonnie Hunter - String Frenzy

Publisher: Amy Marson

Creative Director: Gailen Runge

Acquisitions Editor: Roxane Cerda

Managing Editor: Liz Aneloski

Editor: Kathryn Patterson

Technical Editor: Debbie Rodgers

Cover/Book Designer: April Mostek

Production Coordinator: Zinnia Heinzmann

Production Editor: Alice Mace Nakanishi

Illustrator: Linda Johnson

Photo Assistant: Mai Yong Vang

Photography by Mai Yong Vang of C&T Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted

Published by C&T Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549

Dedication

I dedicate this book to all of the quilters past who made such beautifully unique string quilts from what little their scrap bags had to offer. Undoubtedly, they never knew what an art form they were creating, one string at a time. Their quilts continue to inspire and delight me. There are more string quilts to come!

I also want to take the time to thank my family. My parents, for always believing in me from a young ageforever putting up with my creative messes. My husband, Dave, for not only encouraging me in this endeavor, but for jumping on the bandwagon and becoming a full partner in this journey. What a wild ride! To my sons, Jason and Jeffyou are my heart and my soul.

There are so many others who have shared my excitement, offered encouragement and cheered me on when nights got long, and deadlines loomed near. Brothers, sisters, in-laws, and friendsthank you for every phone call, email, text, visit. We are not only related by blood or by marriage, but by our hearts.

To my readersNone of this would be possible without you, and I want you to know just how grateful I am to have you along as well. You understand my constant need of fabric, thread, and sewing time. I understand yours. You are my happy place. Lets make more quilts!

Acknowledgments

Scraps & Shirttails, Adventures with Leaders & Enders, Scraps & Shirttails II, String Fling, More Adventures with Leaders and Enders, Wonky Wishes Star-Quilt Pattern, Addicted to Scrapsand now String Frenzy. I am so honored to be a part of the C&T Publishing family.

My heartfelt thanks to those who helped in pulling this book together, including Alice, April, Debbie, Kathryn, Linda, Liz, Lucy, Mai, and Zinnia. I really couldnt have done this without your help and encouragement.

If you are lucky enough to be quilting, you are lucky enough!

Bonnie K. Hunter

FOREWORD

Are you buried in scraps?

Big pieces, small pieces, hunks, chunks, strips, pieces, and parts?

What can you do with all of the small leftovers from other projects that seem too small to save, yet too big to toss away?

Ive been in love with fabric for as far back as I can remember and have often asked myself the same thing. And then I ventured into the realm of string piecing and never looked back.

It may seem silly, I knowwith yards and yards of whole fabric in the stashto think of stitching all of these small bits back together simply to cut a shape to sew to another shape and then another. But something happened when I did. I was no longer simply following a pattern or design, but creating something unique that danced and dazzled before my eyes.

There is magic in the piecing. Every scrap is full of memories of the project from which it cameevery color, texture, and bit of contrast. They might not look like much on their own, these humble little pieces, but together they are a symphony of beauty, each scrap a spot on the timeline of your life as a quilter.

Oh, and did I tell you? String quilts are highly addictive. I dare you to make just one.

The twelve string-based quilts in this book come from my love of antique quilts and many were planted as seeds from blocks I submitted to the Quiltmakers magazine series 100 Blocks by 100 Designers. Single block submissions demanded to be made into full quilts, and found their way into this book. I hope they whet your appetite for digging into your scraps and creating your own unique, one-of-a-kind string quilts, for each string quilt is uniquethere are no two alike, ever.

Basic Sewing Guidelines

The patterns for the quilts in this book are based on rotary cutting and machine piecing methods. It is assumed that the reader has a basic knowledge of quilting techniques and processes. The tools needed are those used for basic quilt making: Its necessary to have a sewing machine in good working order (to avoid frustration), but no fancy stitches are requiredjust a good straight stitch.

That Seam Allowance

Accurate cutting and piecing are based on a seam allowance. Its important to sew a seam with your machine. If you can master this, all your blocks will be the intended size and youll be able to match points perfectly.

Even if your machine foot has a guide on it, its easy to overshoot a seam just by the nature of the guide already being outside of the foot. Many of us have a habit of running the fabric too hard up against the guide, giving us a seam that is too wide. Do not trust any feet with built-in guides until you do a seam test!

Do what you have to so your units come out to the appropriate size before going any further. You and your project will be glad you did.

About Project Instructions

Materials lists for scraps are approximate based on cutting all pieces efficiently from 40-wide strips.

You may use more or less fabric depending on your cutting style, and yardage amounts may vary depending on the number of different fabrics you use and the size of scrap from which you are cutting. Always feel free to add more scraps!

Backing yardage allows for either horizontal or vertical seams, whichever makes the most efficient use of the fabric. The yardage given allows for the backing to be 4 larger on all sides.

For double-fold bindings, I cut my strips 2 wide, joining them end to end on the diagonal and pressing the binding length in half so it is 1 wide, and then sewing it to the quilt with a seam allowance. This gives me a nicely filled -wide finished binding that wont nip off the points of piecing that go all the way to the edge of the quilt, especially nice on a quilt with pieced borders, or without borders at all.

The yardage given within each pattern allows for cutting up to 2-wide binding strips if you so desire.

Specialty Rulers

FAST2CUT BONNIE K. HUNTERS ESSENTIAL TRIANGLE TOOL

With this ruler (by C&T Publishing), I have combined the fastest way of making my favorite units accuratelywith easy measuring and cutting in multiple sizesall from one tool. My fast2cut Essential Triangle Tool is perfect for half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles, and Flying Geese units, all cut from easy strip widths.

HALF-SQUARE TRIANGLES

Use the red lines and numbers.

Determine the finished size of the half-square triangle unit and add for the seam allowance. Cut 1 strip this width of 2 different colors. For example: For a half-square triangle that finishes at 2, begin with 2 strips.

Place 2 desired fabric strips right sides together. Square off one end of the strips.