String piecing... I've never done much with this scrap-bustin' technique, but just KNEW I needed to be in on the fun. Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you will take a little bit of time to look around my blog... learn a little about me, take a peek into my studio and see some of my favorite quilts that I have in my Gallery... and don't forget all of the quilters I have featured in my Quilters Through The Generations series.
A quick and easy definition of String Piecing:
String piecing (also sometimes called improvisational piecing) involves sewing fabric strips together. The strips, or “strings”, can be any color combination, from scrappy to graduated color families. The strips do not need to be a uniform width, which makes it a great technique for using scraps!
But honestly, the first thoughts that came to mind when I saw the name of the hop were stringed instruments. While I don't play (I offer the vocals), Dave has a small collection of stringed instruments... guitars - both six-string and 12-string and a mandolin.
Each one of them has a very different sound and purpose. When he's leading a group in singing and there are few other (if any) instruments he will use his six-string... It has a loud voice that sings out for all to hear and stays in tune when played hard.
His 12-string can offer a sound of more instruments during special meditative (quieter) songs because of the octave strings...
But his favorite is his mandolin... This sweet little gal can offer its voice in songs much like a descant echo.... a little angelic, even.
I sketched out a pattern and settled on the size of blocks as 4" so that it would make a nice sized wall hanging for our basement... this happens to be where the stringed instruments reside.
Using scraps from my scrap bin and a special collection of music/instrument novelty fabrics left from a couple projects I completed several years ago I started in...
I used some light-weight interfacing as my foundations for the string-pieced blocks, a little over-sized so that I could trim them down to the perfect size...
It was coming together nicely... all I had left was the head-stock.
The backing was pieced from the same scrap novelty print collection. I quilted in texture in the body of the guitar with some matchstick type quilting and used a heavier (maybe an elastic stitch) stitch setting on my machine to replicate the strings.
I pulled out my collection of buttons and found 12 vintage mother of pearl buttons that would work perfectly for the tuners on the head-stock and for the anchor pegs for the strings below the sound hole. Happy dance!
The neck of the guitar is a little wide and could have been tweaked just a little, but I will keep that in mind should I ever want to make another. :)
I think it fits right in our with our small basement space, alongside the instruments. :)
Are you musically inclined?
Do you have another creative outlet beside quilting?
Be sure to leave an email address if your account is set up as "no-reply". It would be a shame to be randomly selected as the winner with no way for me to contact you!
Happy Hopping!
Melva
Monday, March 25th
Thursday, March 28th
Wish I could play but I can't. No skill at all.
ReplyDeleteI played the piano for many, many years, but have gotten away from it. There's only so much time in the day, I guess. Lovely quilt to showcase strings.
ReplyDeleteWOW, Melva your guitar is awesome. Great idea! My children both play, one violin and one guitar. Not me. I watch and enjoy. Thank you so much for joining the All About Strings Blog Hop. You nailed it with your design and inspired for sure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great use of strings!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child, I played the piano, but that was long ago, and long forgotten!!!!
ReplyDeleteLovely quilt to add more music to your music room!! ekmvalencia@gmail.com
Your string-pieced guitar is amazing! What a clever idea and wonderful execution of it. I used to play piano and sing when I was young, but now I just love listening to music!
ReplyDeleteAwesome quilt just stunning! I used to dance Danish folk dance, my son played trombone in middle school, my daughter played flute and saxophone. My husband plays electric bass.
ReplyDeleteWoW Melva, so very creative. I love it!!
ReplyDeleteVery creative!!! It’s a lovely modern look.
ReplyDeleteNow, this string guitar is awesome! I love it! I play guitar, baritone uke, dulcimer, piano, all acceptably, none exceptionally, but I have fun playing them, and that's the most important thing. Would love to learn the mandolin some day... Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteI love listening to music but I just don't have a musical bone in my body! But wow you nailed it with your guitar, very cool!!
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm impressed with how that wall hanging turned out!
ReplyDeleteOne of my kids for a violin for Christmas, so that's been our first foray into learning a stringed instrument. I can read music but don't really practice enough to say I play an instrument :)
rach62803(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sweet, your guitar is lovely. And so creative. Lovely to have on your wall. I played piano when I was younger. No more though. Sing? LOL well lets just say that The Lord loves to hear me. But my husband plays both the acoustic and electric guitar, and he sings in the choir at church. God has given us each different talents. I love to quilt and sew and I make greeting cards with rubber stamps. Thank you for inspiring today.
ReplyDeletequilting dash lady at comcast dot net
I am not musically inclined, but love listening to all kinds of music. Your string quilt is certainly unusual and is a great addition to your room of instruments.
ReplyDeleteOh WOW!! I love your version of strings! No music inclination at all I'm tone deaf.
ReplyDeleteoh Gosh, Melva. Not a musical note in my body! The only one that came from me was in my son when he was born ;) He loves music, is in a band and plays multiple instruments. He is such a joy to listen to when he is strumming and singing quietly to himself. One of my other hobbies besides quilting is my love of flower and vegetable gardening. I love to sit in the dirt and pick the tiniest of grass blades from the earth~
ReplyDeleteGreat execution and use of string blocks! Proof that they don't all have to be boring! Your mini quilt is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIngenious string quilt creation.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! Your eye for design blows me away. What an incredible project and so fitting in your room. I love love love this! I had a dream of being a piano player. After years of lessons, I decided to give everyone ears a rest. It's not in the cards for me! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteA girl who still uses graph paper - my kind of planning. Love your take on the 'strings' and what a lovely piece to add to the string wall. I use to sing in the traveling group (many years ago) Up With People and played a mean saxaphone back in school. Now I just hum a lot!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and thoughtful quilt. Thank you for taking us through the process. I used to play a few instruments as a kid but, no longer. My husband s learning the guitar. I garden, take photos, knit, dye fabric, cross stitch and recently made a Paverpol sculpture. I guess I prefer the silent hobbies. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win.
Love your quilt! My husband has 5 guitars. I also like to garden, make dolls, crazy quilt, crochet. Thanks so much for for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteLove music, but I'm just thankful that I'm told to make a joyful noise! Your quilt is wonderful and fits perfectly with all the other instruments
ReplyDeleteThat turned out awesome! Looks great on your wall.
ReplyDeleteYou too creative license in creating an original art piece. It's perfect. Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteI cannot carry a tune in a basket. But I do enjoy hearing all instruments. I've been to the Music Instrument Museum here (noted as the best museum in the U.S) and I think I've seen an instrument with a wider neck so your quilt fits right in. kthurn(at)bektel(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYears ago I played guitar, saxophone, and violin. I would love to again, but I just haven't gotten around to it. I do other needlework such as crochet and embroidery. I also do computer programming.
ReplyDeleteA string quilt of a stringed instrument -- genius! And it looks really beautiful too. I was in the band from 4th to 12th grades but all my musical skills have long since left me LOL! Quilting takes up most of my free time and my creativity, although I make jewelry or cards every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh!! that guitar is SO creative!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun quilt -- love it! We enjoy music, but I can't make it anymore -- the voice is gone. Nancy A: rangerer@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteVery creative and pretty. Thank you for the inspiration behind the quilt.
ReplyDeleteVery diffrent and cute way to do strings...ty for sharing... happyness04431@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea and I love how it turned out. I played/started playing again the piano.
ReplyDeleteI love your guitar!!! It is perfect next to your husband's mandolin and guitar. Your idea was definitely inspired. I play the piano and sing. Two of my daughters play the violin...I always dreamed of playing the piano while they played their violins together, but the oldest one move halfway across the country before her sister was competent on the violin. Maybe one of these years I'll get them together and we'll give it a whirl!! I also have a guitar hanging on the wall...I tried to teach myself, but I am about as good on my girls' violins (which isn't saying anything at all!!).
ReplyDeleteWow this is wonderful thinking outside the box quilty piece. Your imagination is amazing. love it.
ReplyDeleteI love your quilt. It is unique and original and it is just great. No musical talent here. I don't even sing very well. :(
ReplyDeletea stringed instrument out of strings!! wonderful. I can tell Alexa to play music...beyond that, not at all musical.
ReplyDeleteyour little quilt fits in perfectly with the other strings on the wall :)
Love your guitar and fits perfectly with the other strings. I played the violin for a while I was in 4th grade. My mom made me play even though I didn't want to. Now I wish I could play. Besides quilting, I also do machine embroidery and sometimes combine the two makes it extra special. Thanks for sharing your quilt.
ReplyDeleteI thought of violins and other string instruments when Carla first posted about the hop. The Monkey Boys sing and play several instruments, but I'm not so musically inclined. I love your string project!
ReplyDeleteLove your string instrument quilts! So creative!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea, very clever way to use strings.
ReplyDelete