Friday, May 13, 2011

Bloggers' Quilt Festival - Summer Romance

Summer Romance, 2009-2010

Making Summer Romance was a big departure for me because it required sewing with abandon.  It was string pieced on paper foundations, using stash fabrics cut in random widths, from 1.25 to 2.5 inches wide.  There was nothing to measure, no fiddly little pieces to match up in each block, no concerns about nipping off points.  Just make the blocks, use a ruler to trim them to size, then sew together.



Here's a little of the process.  I put a strip of solid white down the diagonal center of each bloc for some uniformity. 

More strips added to one side of the center strip.  Use the longest strips first and save small pieces for the corners.


Strips added to both sides of the center.


Trimmed to size with square ruler and rotary cutter.

Four blocks together


The finished top

Quilted, bound, and on the bed!

To see more entries in the Bloggers' Quilt Festival, click on the button below to go to the list of participants on Amy's site.

36 comments:

  1. That is a very pretty quilt. Lots of sewing but well worth it!

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  2. Super pretty, and so soft looking!

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  3. I love this! And thank you for the tutorial about foundation piecing -- it is on my "to learn" list for 2011 :)

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  4. Gotta love the string quilts. They are so beautiful.

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  5. This is so pretty. I'm making a string piece quilt but I am using a muslin foundation. I hope I don't regret that.

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  6. I like your pastel string quilt. Actually, you have a quite a few really nice quilts!

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  7. This quilt is gorgeous! Thanks you for telling us how you made the blocks. It's really a great quilt!

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  8. Lovely colors and fabrics. Have done strip quilting in a couple ways both with material as the foundation and paper. Prefer the fabric way butveither usually lends itself to fabulous results. Thanks for sharing and have a great day

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  9. When I first learned foundation quilting, I thought I'd died and gone to Heaven, because the results were so squeaky neat. Now I find, it leads to all kinds of wonderful and new ventures. So freeing. String quilts are some of my favorites.

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  10. How gorgeous - so dreamy and romantic, I love it!

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  11. I love string quilts. This is very pretty in these colours. Love it!

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  12. Lovely quilt. I like the soft colors of your fabrics. My favorite kind.

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  13. I love the way these quilts come together. Your quilt looks great. Lovely colours!

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  14. Love the quilt...so fun and yet delicate!

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  15. Beautiful quilt! I'll have to try this one ... love the shabby chic look. Thanks for sharing the instructions!

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  16. ces sont couleurs très douces joli réalisation

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  17. Oh i love string quilts! and this one is SO pretty! Looks super cozy!

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  18. Very beautiful cheerful darling, Quilt work

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  19. Lovely quilt. Have never made a string quilt thanks for the tutorial on how you did yours.

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  20. This is very pretty and thanks for posting the way you did this. I think I'm going to have to gove it a try.

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  21. What a wonderful quilt - thanks for sharing your process! It looks really feminine ... beautiful.

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  22. love those pastels... great job!

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  23. I have a string quilt on my 'to do' list and one of these days, it will get done.

    Your quilt is delightful and made from your stash ... priceless!

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  24. Very pretty. I need to get a string quilt made I've been wanting one for ages!

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  25. Great name for such a romantic quilt!

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  26. Love the soft colors you used. Very pretty quilt.

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  27. What a soft, wonderful color palette. I also see you have made a Winner's Bouquet (Cider Mill). I just finished one. Did you see the lovely one in this Festival?

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  28. That's one of the loveliest string quilts I've ever seen! They really do *eat* strings, don't they?!? Thanks for sharing it; took a peek around and your work is just wonderful.

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  29. Such beautiful soft colors and I love the butterfly applique- I have never made a string quilt but perhaps someday- They always turn out so pretty.
    Regards from Western Canada,
    Anna

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  30. Very pretty. I like the method you used to piece it.

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  31. This quilt is gorgeous. Although brightly colored quilts can be interesting, romantic ones in pastel colors like this are the kinds of quilts I actually want in my bedroom. I've really been interested in string quilting lately (I added these 2 projects to my website recently: http://www.favequilts.com/Quilted-Pillows/String-Block-Pillow and http://www.favequilts.com/Block-Patterns/Sun-Rays-Quilt-Block), but I haven't made one myself yet. You convinced me this should be my next project!

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  32. I have never made a paper pieced quilt--yours is gorgeous. I love all the pinks--it makes for a very feminine quilt.

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  33. Awesome job!! I love this technique, I usually do it as a quilt-as-you-go pattern. Basically instead of the paper as foundation, you using backing fabric and batting as foundation. Then you just join them with sashing and when you are done, your quilt is already quilted!!

    Cheers!
    Rachel
    http://www.dewberrylane.com

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  34. Your quilt is lovely! I love soft colors

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