The Scrap Basket :: A Milestone, String Quilts, and Some Excitement!

ISSUE 20 :: Already?? :: WHAT'S UP :: WORTH A READ :: ROUND-UP :: YOU ASKED . . .

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Issue 20? Really? It's hard to believe The Scrap Basket has been going for 10 months now. Truth is, I rarely know what the next issue will hold when the current one goes to press. But so much wonderful stuff is going on in this community of ours, over a couple of weeks' time, there's always plenty to share. We're so fortunate to be surrounded by such gifted, generous, and inspiring creators!

WHAT'S UP

My original plan for this space when I began working on this issue was to share a new block tutorial - an Improv Quarter Log Cabin block. And that's all well and good. BUT.

The most exciting thing that happened this last week was finding out that my Mod Mood quilt, made in collaboration with Bee Sewcial, won FIRST place in the Group Quilt category at QuiltCon! To say I'm thrilled is an understatement of course. Everyone in the bee is pretty excited as well. wow.

WORTH A READ

Instagram - love it or hate it? - a thoughtful look at one element of social media by Suzy/Suzy Quilts.
Watch for more to come about a joint quilt show, blackandwhitetwelvequilts. Meanwhile you can see quilters' works in progress on Instagram.
Do you or don't you? How to Block Quilts by Cheryl/Meadow Mist Designs.
Katie/Sew Katie Did recently shared Creative Inspiration for Quilt Backs. For more ideas see the Quilt Backs flickr group and :: quilt backs :: (hers) and Quilt Backs (mine) pin boards.
You've got to check out Alex/Teaginny Designs' new Chromascope quilt block on Sew, Mama, Sew. I kind of love it.
A good technique for your quilting tool box: Sewing Full Circles from Yvonne/Quilting Jetgirl.
And from one of the panels I would have loved to have heard at QuiltCon - Jennifer Sampou shares Keep It Creative: Top 10 Tips to Fuel your MoJo.

ROUND-UP

For our block-of-the-month this year, Seattle MQG will be making improv slab blocks, the first section being string blocks. I've done very little with strings, so my interest was piqued, and I went looking for string block projects to highlight in this issue.

Happiness was made by Kris/Sew Sunshine using a QAYG string method, arranged in the popular diamond configuration.
[kmjarchow]

Amanda Jean/crazy mom quilts created Candy Coated 3, one of the patterns in her book, Sunday Morning Quilts. The simple design is perfect for the scraps Amanda Jean loves so much. There are several string projects on her blog, including the darling mini spiderweb quilt. [crazymomquilts]

The Double Pinwheel String Quilt by Paulette/the way I sew it is a new-to-me design, and isn't it great that she provides a tutorial.

Isn't this String Quilt Revival by Rachel/2nd Avenue Studio another lovely variation? [2ndavestudio]

Don't forget you can also use string blocks to make pillows, as Maureen/Maureen Cracknell Handmade has done in making her Herringbone Pillow, which is also QAYG. A Herringbone Quilt Tutorial is on Maureen's blog, and there are several more string quilts under her My Quilts tab. Note that Maureen also has a class on Craftsy, Quick Quilt-As-You-Go. [maureencracknell]

If you're interested in making string blocks, here are tutorials for a good variety.

String Quilt block, Sherri McConnell on Craftsy
Half Square Triangle Scrappy Strings Style, Karen/blooming poppies
Pieced Centre String quilt block, Kaye/Miss Print
Spider Web quilt block, Heather/House of A La Mode
an improv String block, Jenifer/42 Quilts
another style of Improv String block, Penny/sewtakeahike

Do you have a favorite?

YOU ASKED . . .

I can tell you exactly when I began using a hera marker. It was right after this post by Nicole/mama love quilts in January 2012. And it's been my quilt-marking tool of choice every since. Recently I had a reader ask, "Do you know how to remove marks from a Hera marker on 100% cotton?" Honestly, I don't find this to be a problem as usually my quilting hides the markings. Occasionally, if I've changed my quilting course, I've given my piece a little steam press. My other suggestions would be using a bit of pressing spray or fluffing in the dryer.

P.S. As a kind of glance back over the first 20 issues of The Scrap Basket, I was going to list the top links, but then I realized the stats would change as readership increased, so that wasn't really accurate. So instead, I've made note of the issue that had the highest open rate, and that was Issue 12, featuring mini mini quilts. The top links in that issue were Noodlehead's Ten-Square Quilt Tutorial, The Secret to Perfect Curves with a Walking Foot from Right Sides Together, and I do not work for free by Kitchen Table Quilting. It's kind of fun to look back!

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