Strings Blocks and Leaping Frog Applique
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Another one of Dione’s dies I had to try was her cute Leaping Frog one… and we found out that it paired up really well with strings blocks…!
I knew that with all the cutting up of scraps, I’d also be making a whole lot of strings… so I brought some thin white cotton fabric along to make a few strings blocks in between cutting scraps…
Sure enough, by the end of the weekend I had half a bag full of strings:
I also went through Judy’s bins and pulled out some strings:
As you know strings make a lot of mess… no, it wasn’t me that made the mess on Judy’s floor, the strings did 🙂
I wasn’t the only one doing strings blocks that weekend… Pat’s granddaughter Yasmin was visiting and she joined in on the weekend fun… She made these blocks:
Aren’t they pretty?
Oh, she also offered to help me iron my scraps 🙂 🙂 Such a sweetie!
So where do the frogs come in?
Well, since I wanted to make the most of the dies I didn’t have, I used Dione’s Go! Leaping Frog Die (affiliate link) just to cut out a bunch of frogs to use in a project later…
When Yasmin saw them, she put one of the negative white pieces on top of one of her strings blocks:
How cool is that?
Here is it cropped…
This just goes to show that you can use more than just the actual applique with some of the accuquilt dies – which means less waste.
I made 8 strings blocks, trimmed them up and sewed them together to make two blocks that will be 11″ finished:
Some frogs photo bombed the picture…
I am not sure what I will do with the frogs… I was planning on putting the white ones on bright background squares… let’s see… I think I will have to put at least one in with my string’s quilt…
I also chain sewed 8 more strings blocks that are now on my ironing board waiting to be pressed and trimmed…
My plan for these strings blocks are to make them into a quilt for the back of my car.. it will be my Retreat Memory Quilt! It has bits of fabrics from a lot of the ladies at retreat 🙂
Well, that was pretty much all the sewing I got up to on the weekend….
As always it was wonderful to just spend all our time in the sewing room, while Judy banned us from the kitchen and doing any chores…
I didn’t take as many pictures of the food this year… but it was delicious as usual!
From yummy veggie soup…
…to delicious Cottage Pie…
The first night Judy made us some decadent dessert:
…and thankfully balanced it out later in the weekend with fresh fruit salad 🙂
And then all too soon it was time to pack up and head home….
I still had as much stuff to take back as I brought… funny that!
I’ve got one more bunch of photos from retreat to share with you, but that will have to wait for next week 🙂
Thank you Judy for another wonderful weekend! And if any of you are anywhere near Judy’s, you should go for one of her retreats – they are amazing!
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Isn’t that a fun block?! I did the same thing with mine and used both sections! I love it with the string blocks behind the white! Nice memory quilt soon enough!
What a fun way to stash bust. That frog die is just too cute!
Looks like a good time was had by all!
Love the string blocks!! But those frogs…they are going to make a very fun and pretty quilt!!
Joy, cutting those frogs out of string pieced fabric is genius. I love how you have the string pieced frogs on plain backgrounds and the single fabric frogs on string pieced backgrounds, too. Really interesting play between positive/negative space. Glad you had fun at your retreat!
Sounds like you had so much fun! I love those joyful frogs – so many uses for those I think. I was wondering if you could use the string-filled one for the label on the back of a string quilt….a cute unexpected surprise on the back.
I love the frog –he sure has character, now doesn’t he–
I like frog fabric and those cut outs–
sure looks and sounds like you had alot of fun at that ‘retreat’–
luv, di
such a lovely weekend and great idea. so lovely your friend shared her die thingy. Those frogs are pretty cute…. do you add sticky paper before cutting?
I am starting to sort my scraps into some strings. for pineapple blocks and leftover will go into string blocks too.
Hugz
That frog is so cool!
Thanks for the update Joy, it was a fun time, and just had another great weekend too. Back to work today.
I love seeing how everyone used the frog die! Who would have thought it would be so versatile? I have saved a number of those froggy cutouts from previous projects, I shall have to see what can be done with them. I particularly like the strings underneath. xx
Wow it really was an inspiring and fruitful weekend! Those frogs are a bit of fun!!Judy’s cooking looks wonderful too – you were well looked after 🙂