String Pieced Quilt

This is one of my favorite techniques for piecing a quilt. I love it because it requires working with mostly scraps, of which I always have a large supply. I've probably said this before, but I'll say it again: I HATE TO THROW AWAY FABRIC! So I save every little piece of scrap I have left from any project, large and small.

Not only is scrap piecing a money saver--no need to buy fabric to make a quilt--but it usually results in some very creative and beautiful designs. It is also a very versatile technique, as it allows for very simple or quite elaborate piecing. So it is a friendly sort of way to piece a quilt, in that it is equally attractive for beginners as well as advanced quilters.

Here is one of my string quilts. However, I haven't made nearly as many as I would like, so my pile of scraps keeps getting bigger.

One of my favorite quilters, Bonnie Hunter, is also a "scrap addict" (her words, not mine); I love her designs and the artistry with which she makes something out of practically nothing. Her designs are full of color and variety, as well as minuscule pieces of fabric artistically joined together in several different ways. I also appreciate the fact that she is willing to share her "quilting wisdom" through a regular online live show, called "quiltcam," an informal chat where she takes her audience on a ride of sorts while she works on one of her projects.

I hope you learn to enjoy working with scraps as much as I do. Happy scrap-busting!