Saturday, October 12, 2019

Gumdrops and Strings

With the vegetable garden put to bed for the winter (wish I could say the same about all the weeds and yard clean-up yet to do before the snow flies), there is a substantial increase in my leisure time (sewing) this month! YAY!

This week, in addition to finish Gumdrops (later in the post) and basting several kids quilts in preparation for quilting them next week for Quilts for Kids, I got to play in my scraps. Our Rainbow Scrap color(s) for October is dark neutrals, which for me includes my drawer of grays and blacks as well as my drawer of browns and beiges. This week my focus has been strings.


So far I've stitched 24 string blocks. They measure 7.5" (7" finished), and I probably have enough strings to get another 12-24 blocks, depending on how large I want to make the eventual quilt. Each block has a black strip in the center diagonal, although not overtly pronounced. These have been a blast!! My goal is to get this one finished (and quilted) during this coming week so I can turn my attention to the dark neutral patchwork quilt I'd like to make of squares and half-square triangles (HST's) in the latter half of the month.

But I have just finished up a Rainbow Scrap quilt and am sharing it over at Angela's blog for Rainbow Scrap Saturday. Here is Gumdrops (perfect name courtesy of Mari), hot off the press. Or machine. Whatever. 


Gumdrops measures 40.5" x 47" and was quilted with a tight stipple to give additional security to the selvages (something I always do).  

Here are some detail shots so you can see some of the fun fabrics and selvages.


That purple paisley fabric below dates from the 1980's.


The oldest fabric in the quilt, however is the green-orange-yellow paisley fabric (1960's) in the picture below.


My friend Diann will recognize these Little Penguins!  The blue fabric is the backing and binding.


This quilt was #1 on my Finish-Along 4th Quarter goal list. You can see that list HERE.  Gumdrops will go to Quilts for Kids. Our next meeting (next Saturday) is a special one to teach some scrappy quilting techniques.  I will be demonstrating the String Stars and showing Gumdrops for selvage use ideas.  

21 comments:

Chantal said...

Gosh! I love your string block with those colors. I have a mind of making one for myself or more for the boys. Excellent job on Gumdrops. It's really fun to see all the different fabrics. ;^)

Laura said...

I also love your dark string blocks! They will make a wonderful quilt...maybe I should put that on my someday list!
So much fun to see scrap quilts...I recognize that purple paisley! :)

Julie in GA said...

Gumdrops is a fantastic rainbow quilt (and perfectly named!) Beautiful string blocks!

Cathy said...

Oh, I really like that color combo in the Strings. I have a lot of black strings because I usually use mainly the brights. Wasn't sure what I was going to do with them but now I think I know.

I really have to say that I wasn't sure how I was going to like those Gumdrops but now that I see the finish I think they are yummy.

maggie fellow said...

I do like the string blocks in the dark colors -nice

Jo said...

I spent two hours on garden cleanup here (still behind schedule) and sewed the rest of the afternoon. I love what you did with those selvedges.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Congrats on a delicious finish, Cathy!! I'm looking

The Joyful Quilter said...

... forward to seeing that String quilt come together. It is going to be SEW pretty!

Angie said...

I love the Gumdrops quilt! Perfect name, too - it does look like gumdrops candy! I'm not so sure I'd be able to part with this one.

PaulaB quilts said...

Bet you can’t eat just one gumdrop! If I had a Go cutter, I’d love to try it with alternating darks and lights, no selvages. I can do them by hand as well, and I might keep it down in mind for RSC 20.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Love those string blocks - they look so effective together and will make a stunning quilt. Gumdrops turned out nicely and I had forgotten about using the selvages until I saw the closeups. Nice!

MissPat said...

I do like those dark neutral string blocks. Will make a manly quilt. I don't keep selvedges, but there are some darling ones these days with all kinds of creatures and other things.
Pat

Louise said...

Gumdrops is SWEET!! I love seeing it all together and quilted up crinkly after watching these blocks slowly grow over the year :)

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Gumdrops is the perfect name for that quilt, Cathy, and it is so much fun! Hello to the little penguins - I am just about out of those little guys myself, and still love them. What a great quilt for a child that is going to be!

Jenny said...

Your dark string blocks will be perfect for a masculine quilt. Good on you for completing a RSC quilt nice and early, I'm sure most of us aren't quite at this stage yet. Selvedge quilts are always fun to make, and yours loojs great.

gayle said...

The more gumdrops you made, the better I liked it! What a perfect name for a happy quilt!
Your strings are singing a siren song...

Susie H said...

I think your Gumdrops turned out spectacularly! The blue binding is the perfect finish. I have also been enjoying sewing up string quilts -- they're so freeing! Your blocks are beautiful.

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Cathy! Look at you, going to town on that fourth quarter list that you just shared. Woot woot! You'll have all 12 (or was it 13??!) done in no time! ~smile~ Roseanne

Sally Trude said...

Yes, your gumdrop quilt does give me a sugar high...yum! And I just recently started garden round 2...lettuce, beets and radishes, because Portland only pretends to have winter.

Debra Dixon said...

Agreeing with everyone that the strings quilt is fabulous!

Preeti said...

Gumdrops are juicy and delicious but I am really salivating over the dark strings...like a schoolgirl has a big crush on her older brother's friend, because he is so mature and handsome...unlike all the silly unkempt boys in her class.