Snuggles Quilts

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Making Blocks & More from Strips

In January, I did a post on scrap quilting and stash building. In that post I talked about how I like to collect 1 1/2″ and 2 1/2″ strips. I was asked “what do you do with all those strips?” I thought it would be fun to show you some simple blocks that can be made with strips. I also use strips to make borders when I think my quilt looks just a little too plain and I use them for scrappy bindings. Let’s take a look at some of the blocks I make with strips. These are only some of the many, many blocks that can be made with strips. You are only limited by your imagination!

Blocks

Block #1 – Rail Fence

Let’s start with some of the simplest blocks from strips, the Rail Fence. This block is very versatile because it can be bigger or smaller based on the length, width and amount of the strips. Below, I used 4 strips that are 1 1/2 x 4 1/2″:

Stitch these together to make a unit. Join 4 of these units together and you get a Rail Fence block! I made two of the units from different color strips to add to the scrappiness.

Block #2 – Four-patch

Here’s another really easy block made from strips. The Four-patch block:

And, no, you don’t have to cut out and stitch together individual squares to get this block. You can do it with strips! Here’s how. First you make what we call a strip set. Take 2 strips and sew them together lengthwise.

Then, cut the pieces you need from the set and sew them together to make a Four-patch block.

Block #3 – Nine-Patch

The strip set method can also be used to make the Nine-patch block. You will need 3 strips in your strip sets and you will need 2 different kinds of strips sets so the same colors are not next to each other. The illustrations below show what you need.

The above strip sets make a two color nine patch. If you want a scrappier block, you can use 6 different color strips, or if you want some tan or other neutral in there you can do that too.

Block #4 – Log Cabin

This one is my absolute favorite because it’s easy to make and there are many variations. The traditional Log Cabin has a center square with “logs” added on alternating sides. Cut the center square from a 2 1/2″ strip and the logs from 1 1/2″ strips.

Very easy stitching there. Here is another variation called Courthouse Steps:

These blocks allow me to sit by my strip containers and just pull out what I want. This is my favorite scrappy block.

Borders

Sometimes I get done with a quilt top and think it needs something else, either to bring out the design in the top or to simply make the quilt bigger. It’s a bonus when it helps you use up extra fabric from the project! Here are some of the borders I have done with strips:

The border above is called a piano key border. Really easy to make. Just choose a length and width for your strips that fits the size of your quilt top and you end up with the perfect frame. Here are a couple of variations on the piano key border by adding in flip & sew corners:

Finally, you can just add a simple checkerboard border or even just strips.

Binding

Finally, I use strips sometimes to make a scrappy binding. Just cut an assortment of strips from the leftover fabric from your project. I think it adds a bit of whimsy to my quilts when I do this.

Speaking of binding, next week’s blog post will be about how to make binding, both single-fold and double-fold. I will also demonstrate adding binding to a quilt, including how I make corners.

So that’s it for this week. Leave a comment on using strips, whether you use them now or not. I will choose a winner from the comment who will receive my pattern, Seaside Cottage.

I used a lot of 1 1/2″ strip sets in this one! It will give you some great practice. The drawing will be on Monday, March 8th. **We have a winner! Congrats, Janice Kohnke!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Quilting with Strips

If you have followed me awhile you will know that I identify myself as a scrap quilter and I achieve that often by using lots and lots fabric strips. This week I’ll talk about building a fabric strip stash for when you want to whip up a “strippy” quilt and other things you can do with these strips.

Collecting and Storing Fabric Strips

Since I generally buy more fabric than a project calls for (to account for errors in cutting, etc), after I am done cutting out a project’s pieces from large pieces of fabric I am often left with a narrow strip (narrower than 1/8 yard). What do I do with those? I cut them into usable strips for later projects! My favorite size strips to cut are 1 1/2″ and 2 1/2″ strips.

I chose these sizes because these are the width of strips I cut pieces from the most often. Whether they’re used for log cabin blocks, nine-patch blocks or for binding, it’s great to have them on hand. Early on in my collector days, I used to store my strips rather haphazardly.

The problem with these “storage” systems, over time the strips became a giant jumbled mess. Frayed and tangled, some of them were even unusable. So, my solution is the Sterilite tubs you can find at any big box store. Here’s what some of my bins looks like:

It’s a great way to keep my strips separated by color and width. I cut some pieces of acid free cardboard to fit in between as dividers. Now when I am working on a project I can easily find the size and color strip that I want without rummaging through a tangled mess.

Using the Strips

Making Blocks: I was inspired to write this post on using strips this week because of two projects I am working on right now. Here is one of them:

Of course! Use the strips in classic blocks like the Log Cabin. Using strips this way does not involve too much cutting. 

You can also make strip sets and make Four-patch or Nine-patch blocks:

Next, you can cut units from your strips to make flying geese and use those in a star block or the Dutchman’s Puzzle block:

I’m sure if you search through a catalog of blocks, you will find that there are many, many more types of blocks that can be made using pieces cut from these size strips.

Creating Unique Borders: I like to create unique borders for my quilts using strips. Especially if I have strips leftover from the project itself. Here’s the border from my new project I’m working on:

It’s basically a traditional piano key border with flip & sew corners of tan fabric to create the sawtooth. I started out with units like this:

Then I took a set of two of these 3-strip units and did flip and sew corners, going in opposite directions, and then joining those two units together to get the finished border unit:

Other creative borders include checkerboard style and plain piano key borders.

Or just simple strips combined with some plain borders in between:

Making these creative and unique borders are also another way to make a quilt top bigger if you want to.

Binding: Finally, I use the 1 1/2″ strips to  make single-fold binding and 2 1/2″ strips to make double-fold binding. You can even combine many different colors together to create a scrappy binding!

So that’s it for now. I hope this talk of strips has inspired you to start your own collection of strips and use them creatively. Comment on this post and be entered into a drawing for my patterns Rail Fence Blooms and Twinkling Log Cabin to make use of those strips!

The drawing will be on Monday, November 16th!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Do You Collect Fabric Strips?

When I am cutting out a project and I have left over yardage that is less than 1/8 of a yard, I like to cut strips to save for other uses. My favorite size of strips to keep are 1 1/2″ and 2 1/2″. Those are sizes I use the most in my scrap quilting and also for bindings. Because of this strip saving habit I have a lot of strips in all colors! In this post, I will talk about storage to keep them organized and what I use these strips for. Maybe it will inspire you to start a strip collection of your own.

Storing the Strips

When I started quilting, I used to just throw strips and scraps into a big bin and rifle through it when I needed one. Let me tell you …. big mistake! Over time, that pile of strips became a giant jumbled mess. The fabric was fraying and the strips were getting so tangled together they became unusable. My first attempt at organization was Ziploc bags of strips.

As you can see, this was OK at first, but looking closer you can see the strips starting to jumble together. Plus I didn’t separate them by color. My newest solution is the Sterilite tubs you can find at any big box store. Here’s what some of my bins looks like:

I made dividers from acid free cardboard cut to fit. Then I organized strips by color and size. Now, when I am looking for a strip of a certain width and color it’s easier to find it. And since they are carefully folded and stacked, they are less likely to get tangled or jumbled up.

Using the Strips

Binding: So, what can be done with strips? So many things! As I mentioned above, by having this stash of strips I always have fabric for binding! I like scrappy binding on my scrap quilts so this is an ideal use. I use the 1 1/2″ strips for single-fold binding and the 2 1/2″ strips for double-fold binding. Here’s some of my projects with scrappy binding.

Borders: Have you ever completed a quilt and thought it was not big enough or that it was missing something? Strips can help you with that! One of the easiest borders to do with strips is a checkerboard border.

Another easy one is a piano key border:

You can even use your strips just randomly like in this quilt border:

Making Quilt Blocks: Finally, these strips can be used to make all kinds of quilt blocks. One of the easiest is a four-patch or nine-patch block. Using 1 1/2″ strips you can make tiny 2 1/2″ four-patch blocks or 3 1/2″ nine-patch blocks. 2 1/2″ strips will make 4 1/2″ four-patch blocks or 6 1/2″ nine-patch blocks.

Bonus! you can make a lot of these blocks by using a strip piecing method I talked about in a blog post from last year: Strip Piecing Tips and Techniques.

Another type of unit used a lot in blocks that you can make from strips is a flying geese. Simply cut a 1 1/2 x 2 1/2″ rectangle from one fabric strip and then cut two 1 1/2″ squares from another fabric strip. Use the traditional stitch and flip method to make a geese unit that measures 1 1/2 x 2 1/2″!

If you use 2 1/2″ strips for your flying geese pieces, you need to cut a rectangle 2 1/2 x 4 1/2″ and two squares 2 1/2 x 2 1/2″. Then you will get geese that measure 2 1/2 x 4 1/2″. You can use these in all kinds of blocks like Evening Star and Dutchman’s Puzzle blocks. I’m sure you can think of others.

And then there’s my favorite block: the Log Cabin. Use the 2 1/2″ strips to cut your center square and the 1 1/2″ strips to cut your logs.

As you can tell… there’s a little applique I did on this quilt that shows in the right hand corner, but you get the idea! There’s also other versions of the log cabin block that can be made from strips like the courthouse steps (with or without cornerstones), a traditional log cabin with cornerstones and a star in the middle (also made with scrap strips!) and even a pineapple style.

So many blocks can be made from just strips that there’s too many to list here. What are some you can think of? Share in the comments and you will be entered in the ongoing drawing for my pattern Season of Joy!

The drawing will be on Monday, February 10th!

Happy Quilting & Strippin’
Deanne

Fun with Fabric Strips!

Looking for a new project or a unique way to border a quilt? Or even a unique way to bind a quilt? Look no further than your collection of strips! I like to cut leftover fabric, if it’s less that 1/8 yard, into strips. Specifically, 2 1/2″ and 1 1/2″ strips. I find those sizes to be the most useful to me. I also collect 2″ and 1″ strips for more variety, but I find that I do not use those as often. Here’s how I store my strips:

I sort the strips by size and color and then store them in 8 x 13″ plastic Sterilite tubs (found at Wal-Mart, Target or other similar stores). I made separators from strips of acid free cardboard for keeping the colors separate in the tubs. I like storing them this way so they don’t end up a jumbled mess. It’s funny how often they do when you just toss them into a tub with no organization. They seem to take a on a life of their own! So now onto the creative portion of this post. This week, I’ll focus on blocks and next week I’ll show you ideas for borders and bindings.

Making Blocks

You’d be surprised how many different quilt blocks can be made from 2 1/2″ or 1 1/2″ strips or a combination of both. Blocks made from these size strips can be as small as 1 1/2 x 2 1/2″ or as big as a 12 1/2″ block. Here are some of the blocks that you can make. And this is definitely not a full list!

A simple checkerboard block:

This is one made with pieces cut from 1 1/2″ strips so the resulting block is 3 1/2″. You can make the same block using pieces cut from 2 1/2″ strips for a block that measures 6 1/2″.

Flying Geese and Stars:

All you need here is a 1 1/2 x 2 1/2″ rectangle and two 1 1/2″ squares cut from strips for this unit. Make 4 of them and join them with a 2 1/2″ square and 4 more 1 1/2″ squares to make a star!

This star block is 4 1/2″. You can also make a Dutchman’s Puzzle from 8 flying geese:

This block is 4 1/2″. If you made your flying geese from 2 1/2″ strips, your geese would be 2 1/2 x 4 1/2″ and your Dutchman’s Puzzle block would then be 8 1/2″. 

Here’s a block from one of my patterns, Twilight Desert, that is all pieces from 2 1/2″ and 1 1/2″ strips!

Can you see it? The possibilities of what you can  make are endless with strips. Sit down with a tub of strips one day and play. You’ll be surprised with what you can come up with!

Here are some others:

I hope you enjoyed this! Share with me in the comments some blocks you have made or if you plan on starting to play with strips because of this post. If you comment, you will be entered into a drawing for my new pattern: Seaside Cottage.

All the checkerboard blocks in this quilt are all from strips! The drawing will be on Monday, August 26th. ***We have a winner! Congrats, Marsha B!***

Happy Quilting!
Deanne