String Frenzy: Strips, Strings and Scrappy Things! 12 More String Quilting Projects

Hunter (Addicted to Scraps) gives new meaning to the concept of leftovers with this smart, savvy crafter’s guide to using scrap materials to piece together beautiful quilts. “Too insignificant for clothing construction, too tiny for household linens—these were the bits destined for the trash bin,” Hunter remarks about her choice of materials. Noting that quilters are a resourceful group, she writes that the foundations (the beginning material on which quilt pieces are built) used for string piecing can include muslin, printed cotton, batiste, lawn, sheet music, church bulletins, newspaper, and family letters. Hunter recommends paper foundations, as sewing straight strips of fabric across the bias of a fabric foundation can cause warping and rolling and a foundation that won’t lay flat. “Paper is sturdy in every direction, having no bias,” she counsels. With the basics out of the way, Hunter’s easy-to-understand, step-by-step instructions demonstrate how to construct such beautiful designs as Crumb Jumble and Emerald City. Short on fluff and long on useful information, this slim volume offers abundant, well-stated advice for creating unique heirloom quilts. (Dec.)