String Block Quilt Layouts
One of the most exciting things about string quilts is just how much variety you can coax out of a single block. At their core, string blocks are wonderfully simple, strips of fabric sewn onto a foundation, often at angles, but the magic happens when you start playing with how those blocks come together. Rotate a block 90 degrees, and a whole new secondary pattern emerges. Swap in a light background for a dark one, and the design reads completely differently. Add a strip of sashing, and suddenly you have breathing room that makes the eye travel across the quilt in a new way. In this post, we're exploring thirteen different layouts, all built from the same basic string block, to show just how much creative possibility is hiding in that simple little square.
Why use a foundation for string blocks?
String blocks are almost always sewn onto a foundation, and for good reason. Those angled strips of fabric often leave the outer edges of the finished block with biased edges which are prone to stretching. Without a foundation to anchor everything, it's nearly impossible to keep the block square, and those bias edges can distort badly during handling, pressing, and assembly. A foundation stabilises the block from the very first seam, so your finished blocks come out consistent in size and ready to sew together without a lot of fussing or wrestling them back into shape.
When it comes to choosing a foundation, there are several options to suit different working styles.
Lightweight sew-in interfacing is a great option if you want the foundation to stay in the quilt permanently without adding too much bulk. A light cotton muslin or other lightweight woven fabric makes a soft, stay-in foundation that adds a extra stability and warmth to the finished quilt however does add bulk and extra weight to a quilt. It will make it more difficult to handquilt. If you intend to handquilt, a fabric foundation will make it more difficult.
Foundation paper piecing takes the string block to another level of precision. Because you are sewing directly onto a printed or drawn template, every strip is placed and stitched in exactly the right position, giving you crisp, accurate blocks that are perfectly consistent in size. This method is especially helpful when working with very narrow strips or odd angles that would be tricky to control freehand. The paper keeps bias edges completely stable throughout the entire construction process, meaning there is no distortion at all until you are ready to tear it away. For quilters who love the scrappy, improvisational spirit of string quilting but also want tidy, precise results, foundation paper piecing really offers the best of both worlds.
If you prefer to sew onto paper but in a more improvisational style, you could just cut out a square (include seam allowance) of light weight paper eg. newsprint, butchers paper/kraft paper or newspaper.
If you prefer not to foundation paper piece, here is a link to a YouTube video by A Quilting Life, demonstrating how to make a string block using fabric as the foundation. How to make a string block.
Now let's look at the layouts.
String Block Quilt Layout 1
This is the most basic layout where the diagonals run the same direction.
String Block Quilt Layout 2
Swap out every second block for a plain block. A solid colour or low volume fabric would be used in the alternate block. You may have some yardage in your stash that you want to use up. For your strings, choose colours that work well with the plain blocks.
String Block Quilt Layout 3
In this layout, rotate the blocks in every second row so that the diagonals run in the alternate direction. It creates a chevron pattern.
String Block Quilt Layout 4
Rotate the blocks so that the lines of the block form a diamond.
Using the same colour/fabric for the middle strip. The common colour/fabric unifies the quilt giving it a cohesive look.
String Block Quilt Layout 5
Rotate the blocks so that it creates an X pattern.
String Block Quilt Layout 6
Rotate the blocks so that you create a diamond pattern.
String Block Quilt Layout 7
Feature the same fabric in certain strip positions.
It could be the tiny triangle in the corner (black) or the centre strip (pink).
String Block Quilt Layout 8
Add sashing to break up the blocks. Sashing will reduce bulky seams.
String Block Quilt Layout 9
Chevron pattern with sashing.
String Block Quilt Layout 10
Diamond pattern with sashing.
String Block Quilt Layout 11
Use light and dark fabrics to create a different look.
String Block Quilt Layout 12
Using light and dark fabrics makes the diamonds stand out more.
String Block Quilt Layout 13
Create a sawtooth star block using string blocks
Hopefully these thirteen layouts have sparked some ideas and shown you that a string block is really just a starting point. The beauty of this style of quilting is that small decisions — which way a block faces, how light and dark fabrics are distributed, whether sashing separates or unites — add up to dramatically different finished quilts. There's no single "right" way to put string blocks together, which is exactly what makes them so endlessly fun to work with. So pull out those fabric strips, audition a few arrangements on your design wall, and see where your own string quilt takes you.
Click here for the String Block foundation paper piecing pattern
Or
Explore the shop's String Piecing FPP Collection
Option: You can skip the tiny triangle in the corners and have a larger triangle in the corner.
You may also like to read
Foundation Paper Piecing Patterns for Beginners