Heart Strings Quilt Block Swap - Feb 2010

This is such a simple quilt block and it's definitely addictive!! So get out your scraps and leftover jelly roll strips and join us. We will be making 4 blocks each for our 2 partners (a total of 8 blocks).

This swap is open to all swap-botters, but future swaps will be offered as a monthly swap for members of Quilts n Things. So try this out, and consider joining future group swaps.

This swap is for all levels of quilters. It doesn’t matter - you just need to be accurate.

Since the weight of the finished squares will be relatively light, this swap will be open to all.

INSTRUCTIONS: Here is a super simple tutorial for how to make the blocks. http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/string_piecing.htm

We will use the foundation FABRIC method. This means that we use a piece of muslin or flannel as the base for our square, to stabilize the square and also to make it easier to put it together. Please use this method –do NOT use the paper piecing method.

The finished blocks will be 6 ½ inches as opposed to 12 ½ as in the tutorial. Make your fabric base at least 6 ¾ inches, so that if there is any “shrinkage” due to sewing, there is a bit of extra room to compensate for it.

REMINDERS:
--- It is very important to iron each strip down as you sew it.
--- The same fabric can only be used in a square 2 times.
--- The squares are supposed to be scrappy. The scrappier the better! So please don’t try to coordinate things. Just grab a strip and sew.
--- Strips should be no wider than 1 ½ inches finished (after sewn down). This will allow for the squares to have about 10-14 different fabrics each.
--- Please use good quality 100% cotton fabric.

RULES (sorry about that):
--- You must have a rating of at least 4.90 with no “1”s in the last 3 months.
--- You need to have at least 10 mailed/package swaps that you have been rated for.
--- I will review each profile before partners are assigned, and reserve the right to remove you from the swap if need be.
--- If there are “circumstances”, email me and we will try to work things out.

Here’s a suggestion from @junemoon from a previous string square swap.
The quickest way is to use an assembly line method. Make a pile of your muslin/flannel squares and a pile of your strips; sew a strip onto each square, then iron the whole pile at once. By alternating sewing and ironing, you're not moving from sewing machine to ironing board every 10 seconds.

So come on and join in!