Scrappy String Quilt Block Tutorial

This string quilt block tutorial is one of those fabulous quilt patterns that can be made from scraps, from yardage or both.  I used a little of each!

This quilt started with a pretty floral fabric that I bought many years ago and still hadn’t figured out how to use.

I started collecting fabrics from my stash, specifically blues and greens, that coordinated with the floral.

As you can see from the finished quilt, I ended up using some peaches and corals from the scrap box as well before I was done.

While I didn’t set out to use up scraps, this quilt definitely helped me with that long term goal.

In order to keep my focus floral pieces as large as possible, I made two types of quilt blocks.  8 of the 30 blocks are floral blocks and 22 of the 30 blocks are string quilt blocks.

Floral Blocks

If I were to make this quilt again, I would simply cut up the floral fabric and include it in the string quilt blocks.  I don’t know why I didn’t think of that this time.

But, I wanted the floral pieces to stay as large as possible.

Since I was working with a half-yard of fabric, I eight 9” squares.  To continue the white stripe at the center of the string quilt blocks, I also cut pieces of white fabric (actually navy dots on white fabric) 1” by 14½”.

Slice the 9” square along the diagonal from corner to corner and place the white strip in between.

Using a ¼” seam allowance, sew the two floral triangles to either side of the 1” strip.

Trim the floral block to 9” square.  If using an accurate ¼” seam allowance, the trimming will really only be the little stubs of white fabric in the corners.

String Quilt Blocks

As easy as the floral blocks are to make, the string quilt blocks are nearly as easy.

Requirements for each block: one 9” square of muslin (or paper, if you prefer paper piecing.  This tutorial will be foundation piecing.), one strip of 1” by 14½” white fabric, and a bunch of strips of varying widths, lengths and colors.

Place the white strip of fabric, right sides up, exactly along the diagonal of the muslin square.

Place the first colorful strip, right sides together and edges flush with the white fabric.

Pin in place and sew through all three layers of fabric (muslin, white fabric, blue fabric).

Press towards the blue fabric.

Repeat with another strip of fabric (this time olive green!) on the other side of the center white fabric strip.

Again, press away from the center.

Continue on, adding each successive strip to the muslin backing, always using a ¼” seam allowance and always lining the edge of the new strip against the strip already in place.

You can certainly work center to corner on one side of the block and then center to corner on the other side of the block.

I prefer to alternate back and forth, to use up the longer strips before getting into the smaller scraps in the corners.

Flip the block over to see the backside with the muslin square surrounded by tail ends of strips.

Using the edges of the muslin square as guides, trim away the excess from all four sides of the square.

And there is a quick and easy scrappy string quilt block.

Putting the Quilt Together

My blocks are 9” and will finish at 8½” in the quilt because that was the largest cut I could get from the floral fabric.

You can make your blocks larger or smaller, to work with whatever fabric constraints you have.

There are many layouts that will work for these blocks.

You can orient all of the center white diagonals the same direction like this.

You can orient the center white diagonals to cross paths.

I made mine into a diamond, and the kept the orientation the same way working out towards the corners.