String Play

I've been having fun playing with strings this week.

Because I have a lot of red and light-colored strings I considered putting together a block like this.

But I wasn't pleased.  Something about the size of the strings or the size of the blocks or the proportions between the two.  Maybe uniform sized strings would be better.  And as much as I love finished two-color quilts, I get bored making them.  I set those pieces aside.  

I moved on to log cabin blocks by themselves.  Each one is about 5" square with the narrowest logs being 3/8" sewn.)

I really do love log cabin blocks but I think they are most effective when the strings are narrow.  (The blocks in this quilt on pinterest are 3 1/2"-4".)  Most of my strings are at least an inch wide and I didn't think I wanted to waste the time and fabric cutting them narrower.  I laid those blocks aside, too.

Next I made some quarter log cabin blocks, like these.

Hmmm.  Maybe.  These are 4 1/2" blocks that will finish at 4".  Lots of color.  Bright.  Too much color?  Gosh, they are a lot of work.  I press seams after each log and then cut off excess to make the sides even.  It takes a lot of time, even with a system of sewing a dozen at a time.  These are some of the questions I asked when looking at these blocks:  Do they need more than just red centers to unify them?  The same red centers?  The same size red centers?  Should they be bigger?  Would it be better to have logs the same size?  Should I be concerned about wide logs?  But after all, it is a scrap quilt....  Do you ask yourself questions like these when you're in the process of beginning a quilt?

One more try.  These are 6" blocks in all brights, mediums, and darks.

These are perhaps not so time-consuming as the quarter cabins but the strings are longer, so probably the same amount of sewing time but less time cutting after each seam.  These look more peaceful than the quarter cabins.  Maybe....  The light squares would be formed from triangles at the corner of each block, probably all lights and different on each corner.

One of the challenges I face when I begin a quilt (without a pattern or when I'm not trying to make a quilt like one I've seen) is that I sometimes stop too soon.  Many blocks are more likely to give an idea of a finished quilt than a few blocks, but I quit after a few because I don't want to waste my time on blocks that won't become a wonderful quilt.  I need to give my ideas enough time (by making plenty of blocks) to know how a finished quilt might look. 

Hmmmm.  I've been busy this week but I haven't accomplished much.  And I'm trying to remember why I thought I liked sewing string quilts.  Mostly already cut?  Well, not exactly already cut.  Some of the strings are pretty shifty and uneven and have to be trimmed.  The time?  Unh-uh.  They take a long time to sew and press (because I press seams open to hand quilt).  And think about it:  the smaller the pieces of fabric, the more seams and time needed to make something large.  Being frugal?  Yes -- I'm not wasting much.  A jumble of colors?  Yes, I like many colors together if there's either some control of the colors or some pattern.  And it's fun to see what colors will look like together without committing to a whole quilt with just a few colors.

Some of the things I've been thinking about this week as I've stitched and ironed these blocks is the difference between seeing all of a quilt at one time, as in a photograph for display, and seeing only part of a quilt as it lays on my lap and feeling it around me.  There's a difference, isn't there?  The most beautiful quilt from a distance can be less than satisfying when seen in bits up close.  And if it doesn't feel good, it will probably be hung or folded for display and/or put in a closet and left there.  I want my quilts to be pleasing both in the overall view and up close, and I especially want them to be comfortable.

My quilt progress is like a guessing game.  Which will I choose?  Or which will I choose first?  Or will I choose something else?

I hope you're enjoying whatever you're doing.

I'm linking this post to
WOW (WIPs on Wednesday) at Esther's Blog hosted by Esther.
W.i.P. Wednesday at Freshly Pieced  at Lee's blog, hosted by Laura.
Let's Bee Social #19 at Sew Fresh Quilts hosted by Lorna.
Thanks, ladies.

--Nancy.
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