"Sew As You Go" Striped Quilt Block!

Im just wondering will each month be a different block or will they all be the stripes like shown here?

They will all be the same like this one. Is there another block you are interested in??

Nope, I was hoping they would all be like this. I've been wanting to do a quilt like this!!

I am wondering why we sew the strips to the plain backing fabric rather than just sewing the strips together with no backing fabric?

. @EmilyT sewing the fabric to the plain backing keeps the seams straighter and when you are done sewing on all the strips you can flip the block over and if you have already cut your backing fabric the right size you can trim around the edge of it making the front look nice and square. I have been in many swaps for this kind of block and working with a backing fabric makes a world of difference in the look of the final block. Hint: Be sure to press after each strip is added, that really helps too! I have a huge Rubbermaid container full of fabric strips just waiting for more blocks like these.

Having the back the correct size to help in trimming sounds like it will help me. There were some block swaps I think I sewed 3 times before sending one because I kept not getting the correct size. Kept the lopsided ones for my own scrappy quilt.

Thanks for the helpful info, @perkl8r

Thank you so much @perkl8r

Question girl here again! If I want to make two of these at a time, to keep one for me, should I cut my backing fabric 12.5 x 25, make it, trim it and cut in half or should I just do two separate 12.5x12.5 backings? Thanks in advance!

@EmilyT ~ that is totally up to you. Which ever way is easier for you!

My personal opinion would be to do 2 separate ones!

Silly question. I the pic above the stripes are diagonal, in the video posted they are hours/vert. Can we do them either way? :)

*In *horz. Sorry, on my phone, which insists on autocorrecting everything!

That will change the string block and receiver expectation due to project requirements if the strip direction isn't specified. (just saying; from a string block connoisseur)

I am also a string block veteran, all of the blocks I have ever made are in the diagonal. You start with the longest "string" that goes down the center from one corner to the opposite. You then add additional strips to both sides of the middle strip. Then you press open. You do this continually until you have covered your entire base square.

My advice is to make your base square an inch larger than size requirements for exact trimming when it is finished. I have tried starting out with my base square the size I need it and it has caused many headaches!!!

Excellent Turorial

The main thing I do differently is that I work both sides of the strips instead of one side at a time.

Do we have to make the strips all straight and even, or can they be kinda wonky and different sized? Most of the ones I have made are a little wonky and thin-medium thin widths (1 1/4" min to 2" maximum width strips--like the one in the swap pic)

Thanks also for the advice of making my backing an inch larger, a wise thing for me to do!

Thanks Crochet junkie for that tutorial. It was very helpful to me! So, just to clarify, the strings should be diagonal like the picture correct?

FYI--if you cut your base a couple of inches bigger than your desired finished size, you'll have better luck having the correct measurement at the end. The sewing on of the strips seems to shrink the base just a bit, and it may be too small if you start with a 12.5" base. I usually start with a 14 or 15" base just to be sure it's correct when trimmed--I also like to make my blocks 13" square because sometimes I make 6.5" blocks to put together into a 12" finished block. I've used the trimmings to make tiny scrap blocks later.