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Quilting Isn’t Funny Blog Tour!

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cover_Megan_QuiltingIsntFunny

Thank you Megan Dougherty for giving me the best laughs I’ve had since I read a copy of The Sweet Potato Queen’s Book of Love by Jill Connor. Like Jill, Megan’s brand of humor is equally irreverent, only Megan’s subject is quilting not amor. Quilting may seem a dry subject. Yet, she proves in her new book, Quilting Isn’t Funny: A Collection of Threadful Humor by The Bitchy Stitcher, that the quilting lifestyle is very, very funny. Oh yes.

As part of her Quilting Isn’t Funny Blog Tour, I took to reading my review copy during my lunch hour, sitting demurely at my desk in a typical cube environment. LMAO hardly describes it, as I devoured chapter after chapter. I especially loved “A Quilter’s Survival Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” and “How to Put the Spark Back into Your Quilting”. Total snort laughing. I had to remind myself that I was at work, and I should behave like the professional person they hired. Further, I fought the urge to print off copies to share with my all-male co-workers, each and every one of them brilliant programmers. The only thing that stopped me was C-O-P-Y-R-I-G-H-T. Megan trusted me with her copyrighted material, self published in PDF and soft bound.

I have the same strong desire to share this book with all of you. And luckily, I can do it L-E-G-A-L-L-Y, because I’m part of Megan’s Quilting Isn’t Funny Blog Tour. All participants get to give away a copy of her book to one of their readers. So, stay tuned, as my giveaway will be in a separate post that will go out later today. Don’t miss any of the stops in the tour, see the schedule below:

Dec. 2 – Maddie Kertay  – Bad Ass Quilter’s Society
Dec. 3 – Sam Hunter – Hunter’s Design Studio
Dec. 4 – Carla Crim – Scientific Seamstress
Dec. 5 – Scarlett Burroughs –  That’s me!
Dec. 6 – Jill Dorsey – That Moxie Girl
Dec. 9 – Victoria Findlay Wolfe – Bumble Beans Inc
Dec. 10 – Lynn Harris – Little Red Hen
Dec. 11 – Teresa Coates – Crinkle Dreams
Dec. 12 – Joshua Helms – Molli Sparkles
Dec 13 – Liz Kettle – Stitch Journeys
Dec. 14 – Leah Day – The Free Motion Quilting Project
Dec 16 – Lisa Sipes – That Crazy Quilty Girl
Dec. 17 – Charlotte Newland – Displacement Activity
Dec. 18 – Teri Lucas – TerifiCreations
Dec. 19 – Cheryl Sloboda – Muppin.com
Dec. 20 – Kelly Biscopink – Stitchy Quilt Stuff
Jan. 6 – Generation Q
Jan. 8 – Rose Hughes – Rose Hughes – Quilt Artist
Jan. 9 – Janice Ryan – Better Off Thread
Jan. 10 – Flaun Cline – I Plead Quilty
Jan. 13 – Heather Jones – Olive and Ollie
Jan. 14 – Meg Hilko – Without A Stitch On
Jan. 15 – Laura Lochore – Quokka Quilts
Jan. 16 – Elaine Wong Hasselhun – Dashasel Sews
Jan. 17 – Kim Lapacek – Persimon Dreams

You can visit Megan on her blog, The Bitchy Stitcher, anytime. Enjoy!

Comments

  1. “A Quilter’s Survival Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” and “How to Put the Spark Back into Your Quilting”. Total snort are your favorite chapters.
    My funniest thing is not having enough material for a fullsize that I wanted to make so cut for a lap size and it turned out bigger than full???

  2. I know this book has got to be a hoot! I love Megan’s sense of humor and can’t wait to read it. I recently featured her on my blog …if you want a sneak peek of her quilting studio.

  4. Not really funny, but once as I was on the way out the door to the first sewing guild meeting I’d attended in months–I’d missed a lot because my husband was ill–I wanted something for show-and-tell, so I grabbed a lap quilt I’d worked on months before. It was only after the quilt was being passed around the members that I realized I’d never bothered to finish off all the dangling thread ends. Nobody actually mentioned my gaffe, but from some of the expressions I saw it was clear others had noticed.

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How to Make String Quilt Blocks (Turn Fabric Scraps Into a Beautiful String Quilt)

If you’ve got a basket of long skinny fabric scraps and no idea what to do with them, string quilt blocks are your answer.

String quilting is one of the easiest and most forgiving scrap quilt techniques. It uses narrow strips of fabric sewn onto a foundation to create bold, colorful blocks that look far more complicated than they actually are.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn exactly how to make string quilt blocks, what size scraps work best, how to keep them balanced, and how to turn them into a finished quilt.

What Is a String Quilt Block?

A string quilt block is made by sewing fabric strips (or “strings”) onto a foundation piece of fabric or paper.

The strips are usually:

  • 1″–2½” wide
     • Different lengths
     • Mixed prints and colors

The result is a layered, textured block with diagonal or straight-line movement.

String quilts are ideal for:

  • Scrap bins
     • Leftover binding strips
     • Jelly roll leftovers
     • Long skinny offcuts

They are one of the most waste-efficient quilt styles.

Why String Quilts Are Perfect for Scrap Fabric

String quilts are forgiving because:

  • Strip width doesn’t have to be identical
     • Seams don’t need to align
     • Color placement can be random
     • Slight inconsistencies add charm

This makes string quilting perfect for beginners who want to build confidence without worrying about perfect matching seams.

What Size Scraps Work Best for String Quilt Blocks?

Here’s what works beautifully:

Best strip width:
 1½” to 2½”

Minimum length:
 At least 6″–8″

If your strips are shorter, sew them together first to create longer “strings.”

If you only have very tiny scraps, crumb quilting may be a better option.

Supplies You’ll Need

  • Assorted fabric strips
     • Foundation fabric (muslin or lightweight cotton)
     • Rotary cutter & ruler
     • Sewing machine
     • ¼” seam allowance

Optional:
 • Add a center accent strip for visual structure

Step-by-Step: How to Make String Quilt Blocks

Step 1: Cut Your Foundation

Cut foundation squares slightly larger than your finished block size.

Example:
 For a 10″ finished block, cut foundation pieces 11″.

You’ll trim them down later.

Step 2: Place Your First Strip

Lay your first strip right side up, diagonally across the foundation.

This will anchor the block.

Some quilters like to use a consistent center strip for cohesion.

Step 3: Add the Second Strip

Place a second strip right sides together on top of the first strip.

Sew with a ¼” seam.

Flip open and press.

Step 4: Continue Adding Strips

Keep adding strips to one side until you reach the edge of the foundation.

Then flip the block and fill the opposite side.

Press regularly to prevent bulk.

Step 5: Trim the Block

Once the foundation is fully covered:

Flip block foundation side up.
 Trim to your exact unfinished size.

If your finished block is 10″, trim to 10½”.

This squaring step is important.

Popular String Quilt Layout Ideas

String quilt blocks are surprisingly versatile.

Try:

  • All diagonal strips same direction
     • Alternate block rotation
     • Chevron layout
     • Controlled color gradient
     • Neutral center strip
     • Red center “spine” for classic look

Rotating blocks creates secondary patterns automatically.

How Many String Quilt Blocks Do You Need?

For 10″ finished blocks:

Baby Quilt (40″ x 50″) – 20 blocks
 Lap Quilt (50″ x 60″) – 30 blocks
 Throw Quilt (60″ x 70″) – 42 blocks
 Twin Quilt (70″ x 90″) – 63 blocks

Adjust based on sashing and borders.

 

How to Keep String Quilts From Looking Chaotic

Scrap quilts need balance.

Use one or more of these tricks:

  • Repeat one neutral strip in every block
     • Keep background color consistent
     • Limit to 2–3 dominant color families
     • Alternate light and dark blocks
     • Add sashing

Structure keeps string quilts from feeling messy.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using strips that are too narrow (creates bulk)
     • Not pressing seams
     • Skipping trimming step
     • Mixing drastically different fabric weights
     • Forgetting seam allowance when trimming

Foundation fabric prevents stretching — don’t skip it.

Paper vs Fabric Foundation for String Quilts

Fabric foundation:
 • Stays in quilt
 • Adds stability
 • Faster

Paper foundation:
 • Removed after sewing
 • Lighter finished quilt
 • Slightly more work

Most beginners prefer fabric foundation.

Why String Quilts Are So Addictive

They’re repetitive in a relaxing way.

You can:

  • Sew without overthinking
     • Use scraps guilt-free
     • Chain piece easily
     • See fast progress

And somehow, those random strips always look intentional once trimmed into a square.

Making String Quilt Blocks

If your scrap basket is overflowing with strips, a string quilt block is one of the smartest ways to use them.

It’s forgiving.
 It’s flexible.
 And it turns leftover fabric into something bold and cohesive.

You don’t need perfectly matched prints.
 You just need a consistent block size and a little trimming discipline.

The rest is just stitching.