When I was asked to share my good friend Bonnie Hunter's Book 'String Frenzy' during her book tour I said heck yes! I've been sewing strips of extra fabric, strings of fabric, together for many years.
Bonnie has such a wonderful eye for combining scraps into very effective quilts! You will love her book. So let's see what I selected to work on.
** BUY a String Frenzy for 20% off! **
I decided that I have a LOT of neutrals that are just not getting used. Some are pretty big pieces, others are 1/2 a layer cake square, or a part of a fat quarter that was left.
I decided that Bonnie's gorgeous 'Indigo-a-Go-Go' would use up the most lights. She make this quilt to use her African Indygo prints. It really stretched those into a full size quilt with this pattern!
I've been making these type of strip units almost since I started quilting. I did one great big project that was part of a challenge and then toured to different shows a few yrs ago. It's very zen like to sew strips like this, I really love it! Another reason I was drawn to this quilt was the fact that I got to sew these units.
Because I want my strips to stay in the background, I'm using fabrics that read tonal and don't have a lot of other colors in them
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As I had left over strips, I sew units to it to be used in the next strip unit, see below, it is an excellent way to use up leftovers!
I am EXCITED to use that strip of 'An American In Paris', I've had it awhile.
I decided to go with the pinky/red Figtree and the aqua Figtree fabrics. I have quite a bit of each and love them as a combo.
Lay out all the blocks so you like the placement.
Note that the direction of the strips in the aqua blocks. Some are horizontal and some vertical string placement.
This little surprise is why I love doing these type of quilts!
I have the top of my office assistant loaded up with this project. That way I can pull it up next to my Baby lock Solaris!
See how nice my Koala Studio table is, I love that my machine sits flush with the top and I have a comfy Koala chair to sit in.
I've decided the best way to do this is to make these 9-patch blocks.
I'll mix and match the red and aqua in the blocks so that when I set them the Figtree fabrics will be scattered around. And it's more motivating to me to sew these big 9-patch blocks as I go rather than waiting until the end.
The book has 12 quilts and tips of how to use your scraps. I love Bonnie's stories about each quilt too!
This is another of my favorites in her book, the pumpkin patch.. do you have a lot of orange to use up?
And Dawn's Early Light is so gorgeous with red/white & blue.
** BUY yourself String Frenzy, you'll love it! **
GIVEAWAY – Leave me a comment telling me
Do you save scraps?
leave the comment by 6pm April 11.
Winner is Nancy P who said "Yes I save my scraps, but now I have added saving scrap squares – thank you Pat Sloan. After being inspired by you, I now have baskets of 2, 2 1/2, 3 and 4 inch scrap fabric squares."
Book Tour:
- Friday, 4/5: C&T Publishing at ctpub.com/blog
- Saturday, 4/6: Pat Sloan at ilovetomakequilts.com
- Sunday, 4/7: Sandra Clemons at makeitblossomdesigns.com
- Monday, 4/8: Susan Arnold at quiltfabrication.com
- Tuesday, 4/9: Bernie Kringel at needleandfoot.com
- Wednesday, 4/10: Bonnie Hunter at quiltville.blogspot.com
CLICK to read the legal sweepstakes stuff I'm required to tell you.
895 Responses
I save any scrap 1” or larger, half inch HSTs are the cutest.
I have a lot of scraps. I use them in all your sew-alongs.
I have saved waaay to many scraps. A couple friends and I are using our scraps to make string blocks on different sized coffee filters. Our biggest one is 13″ in diameter.
I have been saving scraps for a the scrap quilt I’ll make “someday”. I love this!
I always have scraps and have a hissy fit if I see someone throw scraps away. Love your pattern.
After following aBonnie for almost 2 years, I now use amend save my scraps. Maintain her scrap system organization and strings are building.
Scraps are great when pieced together. The smaller, the better .
Yes, I’ve saved scraps for years! I love scrap quilts and right now I’m trying to use them up.
I save all my scraps and have way too many. ?Love your color choice
I love your beautiful color palette you have chosen for your scrappy quilt Pat and yes, I collect scraps!
Do I save scraps, she asks. I have such a reputation for saving scraps that my friends are always gifting their scraps to me!
Love the idea of using neutrals that tonal, this usage provides a calming effect to the eye and will produce a beautiful quilt.
I love scraps – not only my own scraps but everyone else’s scraps too! In my quilt group I am the one that other members bring their unloved scraps to and I take them home and turn them into quilts. I’ve turned a couple of the members into scrap quilters..
Love making quilts from Bonnie Hunters books! So yes I save scraps and strings.
YESI just started recently. Still in the process of cutting up my scraps using Bonnie Hunters method. Have done a patriotic string border on a star quilt now I’m working on another string border. I follow both of you on Facebook and have books from both you.
I do save scraps!
I love to sew with little scraps! I made a mini version of Bonnie’s Spider Web to use even the smallest pieces. Love the colors in Pats version of Indigo-A-Go-Go,sure to be a great quilt when finished!
I have trouble throwing any scrap away, no matter how small. The first time I met one of my best friends many years ago, she pulled fabric from my trash to make a little paper pieced tree. LOL. I sort scraps by color in their own clear bins.
I have sooo many scraps!! My goal is to make a quilt with them, and this might be a great book for me! Haven’t done a string quilt yet, but it is on my list of ‘to dos’!
I have a lot of scraps,I have started putting them in zip lock bags the smaller of them for easy access for when I start, found 2 phone books for foundation paper,lol
I only started quilting a couple of years ago, and cut all scraps into usable width strips. Bonnie’s blog has given me inspiration to turn them into a scrappy quilt. Now to overcome my need for matchy, matchy.
I do save scraps. I try to use them and I have made many,many scrap quilts but I still have scraps. Interesting, but I have not done a string quilt – yet.
I love your version of Bonnie’s quilt! Those are beautiful colors. I save my scraps. I have made one string quilt and am planning another one. Bonnie’s book has inventive ways of using even the smallest strings.
I love scraps and making scrap quilts.
I can’t use my scraps fast enough! And they seem to multiply.
I cut all of my scraps into sizes from Bonnie’s system and now need to find a plan to use them!
Yes, mother lived through the Depression — what else can I say!!??? Except, I nearly never throw away, if it can be used!!!
YES! I am a scrapper and LOVE saving and using them. I am always on the look out for more and my quilting friends frequently gift me with some. I LOVE Bonnie Hunter and her ideas for using them up. I am taking a class where the pattern is scrapy 3″ (finished) nine patches – about 300 of them. I am astonished at the people in class who are not comfortable with scrap. I always think of the women who have gone before us who only had scraps to work with and have turned out some breath taking beautiful quilts. I strive, I persist, I aim.
I save my scraps.. but haven’t ever done anything with them. This book looks like it has some great ideas to inspire me!
I save scraps and have them sorted into three categories: scraps, strings and crumbs. This is the system that works for me jot to just save them but to actually use them.
Not only do I save scraps, but I use them! Love your patterns to use them up!!
Yes, I have scraps that I recently cut into sizes that Bonnie recommends in her scrap user system. Now I have to make something with them!! Indigo-a-gogo is really beautiful and I love your colors as much as Bonnie’s.
I don’t have a lot of scraps. Little by little I make more.
Oh my YES, I save scraps and better yet use them.
Yes I love scraps! Trying to use Bonnie’s scrapsaver system but having trouble keeping up 😀
I am a fairly new quilter, and I am saving my scraps. As soon as I finish a project, I cut the smaller pieces of leftover fabrics into 1.5″, 2.5″, 3.5″ or 5″ strips or squares and store them by color in clear boxes. I don’t have enough scraps to make a quilt yet, but I’m working on it!
I save scraps. I have made a few small items from them but I really need to make a quilt someday from my scraps.
I have been using more and more scraps lately – I’ll never run out! I made a really cute baby quilt without buying anything. That was a first for me but there should be many more to come.
I haven’t done a scrap quilt yet, but have been saving for years. I just started saving my salvages. Have a whole bin, but unsure how to start organizing. I just started making 2 HST with the corners you cut off. Got a nice little pile syarted!
I do love scraps. I think it started with watching my mother make quilts as a child. She just used whatever she could find, and it didn’t matter if it matched or not. Her quilts came to life in my eyes and I have always been drawn to scrap quilts every since.
yes I have lots of scraps and I love making scrap quilts. I have several of Bonnie’s quilts started just love her quilts.
I have lots of scraps.
Took a class from Bonnie years ago. Now I save all my scraps. I use them but they keep multiplying like rabbits! 😀
I love using scraps that is my favorite patterns to use.
I do save scraps. They are cut into 1 1/2” strips for Gyleen Fitzgerald’s pineapples one day. But I do have a lot….
I absolutely save my scraps. I hate throwing any piece of fabric away. They all bring back such good memories.
Oh my gosh yes! I have them sorted by color. I love looking at them as well as using them for collage, landscape, and making blocks.
thank you!
I save scraps but don’t always use them.
I have scraps! Started using Bonnie Hunter’s scrap system a couple years ago.
I love your color choices, they are so crisp and springy.