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
Article continues below this Ad
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 love scrappy. I have learned so much from you and Bonnie.
I save scraps but need to start doing something with them! Getting too out of hand!
Yes, I save scraps. Working on a project with oranges right now. Also planning a string quilt…
Yes! I’m saving scraps of fabric too! I can’t wait to have enough to make one of Bonnie’s string quilts. Thank you Pat for giving us the opportunity to win a book.
Yes I save scraps! Want some? LOL
Yes, I save scraps. I love to buy scrap bags at shops, and friends give me their scraps💜💕❤️
I love Scrap quilts especially string ones. I love Bonnie Hunter. I love to use my treadle to sew strings. I don’t have a favorite from her new book because I love them all. I do have a few in mind to start on though
I have scraps I love scraps just need to find more time to sew my scraps I also adopt other peoples scraps cant have them going in the trash now can we
would love to be in the draw please have a scrappy fun day hugs Beth
I have tons of scraps. I just never know what to do with them. I need this book I guess!
I love scraps!!
I save scraps and my friends save me their scraps and I use them whenever I can.
From the beginning, I have been a scrap lover. Pat, you taught a workshop a couple of years back at our Peninsula Piecemaker Quilt Guild bi-annual event that was centered around scraps. I just finished the last of my pink and purple blocks, all made from a multitude of scraps with a pop here and there of green. Found Bonnie’s column around 2011 and adopted her scrap system of cutting. Scrap quilts touch my heart!
Scraps??? You have not idea!! I am making a date with one of the boxes when I head to sewing camp next month. Going to bring my baby go and slice them down to useable sizes!
I’m just getting back into quilting and also making bags so my scraps pile isn’t that big yet. I love to combine my scraps as often as I can into organized units (square, rectangle, strip, shapes and sizes for each) so they don’t get out of control. I love see what I can make with the .
Oh yes, my scrap box is bursting at the seams so I think I need Bonnie’s book.
In my Guild, I am knqwn as the “scrap queen. I have ags, boxes and drawers of scraps. I am up to my eyeballs in strings, etc. Not complaining, I love every little piece of it!!
Yes I collect scraps. The larger ones I have a handle on but those little bitty ones are getting out of control.
I love scraps and I have lots. I have them in totes, boxes,bags, and anything else I can store them in. I am working on a scrap quilt right now. The problem is I don’t see the level of scraps going down as I was them. I think they just keep multiplying on there own.
I pretty much only use scraps…so many friends give me theirs…and I too use one-inch and larger scraps….I’m addicted!!!
YES!!!!! Scrap quilts are my All Time Favorites! And Bonnie Hunters patterns are always the most intriguing and super interesting designs. I have made Pumpkin Patch, Jamestown Landing, Talkin’ Turkey and Wild & Goosey (three of these are king size!). So keep your scraps and strings and use them to make pretty quilts!
Boy, do I ever! Scraps are my favorite! 😁
I’ve never tried a Bonnie K. Hunter quilt, but they are so practical and fun! I love that they don’t require a trip to the quilt shop, but just accessing your scraps and leftovers.
I do save some, depending on the fabric. The rest I send to my sister to make donation quilts
Yes, I save scraps and scrap quilts are my favorite to make. I’ve “made” fabric from scraps, done string quilts, 9 patch, and love them all. Just got my copy of String Frenzy and have picked out two I want to do!
I have a ton or a Kazillian scraps is more like it. I’ve been saving scraps since I started making quilts around 2006. I drop them in ziplocks, small decorative boxes , pretzel tins and I could go on with other places I stash them too, I love the idea of sewing up strips and organizing them into color groups. I hadn’t even thought of what I would do with them. And to be honest I would love to win this book because I’ll donate any quilts I make with my scraps to a local charity or nursing home. I think I have some cute cap raps that would make great baby blankets to donate too. If I don’t win the book ( I’m pretty unlucky that way, I just don’t win things) anyway, I’ll be buying the book because your blog about it and your strips really intrigued me. I really didn’t know what I was going to do with all of it. Now I do!!!!
Thanks for the inspiration Pat!
Off to go sew some strips…no kidding!
I save scraps because I have followed Bonnie for years, she is the queen of scrap quilts as far as I’m concerned.
I gather all scraps larger than 2” for myself and send the smaller ones to a friends who likes them. I try to make a scrap quilt for gifting every other project. Keeps my stash manageable.
Yes I save scraps and hope to start using them soon.
Yes, I save scraps. My intention is to make an applique floral quilt soon.
I have so much scraps I don’t know what to do with them. This looks like it this book be a great addition to my library.
Yes I save all my scraps. At first I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them but, after making a couple of Bonnie’s quilts, I know!!! I am about to start “Dawn’s Early Light” now in a different color way.
Scraps are great to work with and save—even selvages! Love creating mini quilts, wall hangings and even scrappy scarves!
Bonnie Hunter is such a creative quilter and her book String Frenzy would be a great addition to my quilt library.
I save lots of scraps. Have three scrappy quilts two tops finished and one king size bed quilts almost finished. Scrappy quilts sort of scared me at fist, thought they might be ugly. They are so much fun and so very pretty. I probably have enough scraps to do at least 6 more scappies.
I have a lot of scraps because I can’t throw them away. I do need to organize them a bit.
Yes, saving scraps with Bonnie’s system. Now if I could only make the scrap quilts as fast as the scraps multiple.
YES I save scraps! I have 3 tubs on the shelf above my sewing table that are for string scraps. I usually cut little leftovers into 2.5” squares. When I get pieces too small for that or strings, I throw them into a bag to take to my preschool class. They love gluing the fabric scraps into “designs”! I love Bonnie and her patterns. My Virginia Bound is on the bed in my sewing room. So fun also to look at it and each time find a fabric I used in another quilt.
I have scrapes. I sometimes think I have too many of them because I don’t know what to do with them. I know there are books out there that will give me ideas for the scraps. I just have to find one the suits my needs.
I love your site and I love Bonnie’s quilts too.
Yes I save scraps, have just discovered “crumbs” which I think is a perfect way to describe what you can do with those tiny yummy left over morsels of fabric 😊
I do have scraps saved, actually gave some to a neighbor quilter yesterday. I haven’t found the time for a string quilt yet but it’s on my TBD list — someday!
I have soooo many scraps – strings, chunks, strips, squares – not enough time to sew them all up!
I save my scraps!!!
I am new to quilting but one of the first things I was told was to save scrap for paper piecing.
Oh yes, I save scraps! All my quilts are scrappy or “controlled scrappy” now! I have not made a string quilt yet but that’s on my list.
Of course I save scraps! Doesn’t everyone? They really come in handy when doing a quilt with small pieces!
I save scraps and organize them into precut sizes (2.5 inch strips, 2 inch strips, 3.5 inch strips, 5 inch squares, 3.5 inch squares, 2.5 inch squares, etc. I then have usable scraps to use in scrappy quilts.
Do I save scraps? Absolutely! I’ve been saving them for years. Some are 40 years old. 🙂
My scraps are almost as big as my stache. Thank you for the giveaway.
Yes I save scraps. Need to find a more organized way to save them.
Scraps need to be saved,they could be needed if only for applique or some other project.