Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
nanajayne

question about postage stamp quilts

nanajayne
12 years ago

Now that SBQ is together I need to look at things I need to do in the sewing room and one is make a dent in my scrap fabrics.

I am organizing my 2 1/2" sq. and hope to do something with them as leader and enders.That will cover some of the scraps.

My current new plan is to try and put together a postage stamp quilt with 1"(finished) sqs.. The question I have is has anyone made a Postage Stamp quilt?? I have cut up most of my small scraps into 1 1/2" sq. sorted dark and lights. I am aware I will need MANY more but need a plan to the best way to put them together to make a scrappy top. I would like to work with them as I go but not sure what is the most suitable way to go. Strips?Blocks? Pairs? etc. Any help or opinions?

Comments (8)

  • geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
    12 years ago

    Jayne, I think 6 1/2" blocks are easier to work with. If you make them a 'row' at a time then sew them together into a 6 1/2" square. They are easier to begin and start with a light or dark, too. It's easier to keep the seams going the proper way on the back, too. I've done it the 9-patch way and like it better a row at a time.

    Make one each way to see which way you want to go....if either one. lol

    SharonG/FL

  • day2day
    12 years ago

    I made mine just by grabbing a light square and sewing it to a dark one...I think they were 2" finished. I had to be extra careful with pressing so as not to stretch the long strips.
    I think 6 1/2 ' blocks is a better way to go.

    Mine, I guess, wasn't a true PS quilt because I repeated fabrics.

    ~Geraldine

  • nanajayne
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I don't believe that a postage stamp quilt has to be as a charm quilt that has only one of each fabrics. I hope not as I plan on using the same fabric many times.
    I made a charm quilt with 2" sqs. but set them diagonal.
    That was made in strips.


    I like the idea of 6 1/2" blocks done with strips--should allow me the freedom of making up a bunch and auditioning later.
    Your quilt is great. I love the look of so many different patches.

  • minnie_tx
    12 years ago

    They are really lovely

  • kathi_mdgd
    12 years ago

    I like both of them!!
    Kathi

  • calliope
    12 years ago

    Actually, the very first quilt I ever made was a postage stamp baby quilt when I was pregnant the first time. I did it square by square as well, but think if I ever did another one, I'd sew strips and then cut through them to have strips of blocks, rearrage them so that the pattern was random and then assemble them as perhaps 12" blocks. I think my explanation was clear as mud. LOL.

  • geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
    12 years ago

    If you're using scraps and using the same fabric, this was an easy way for me. First cut fabric 1 1/2" by 3" and sew the long sides together of 6. Light, dark, light, dark, etc.

    After sewing all of them together, cut 1 1/4" on the side of a verticle seam.

    This gives you 2 rows, so you can pick and choose which rows you want together...you will always have a light and dark in opposite corners so all you have to do is flip it. If you do a lot of 2 row sections, you shouldn't have the same fabric in the same block. Anyway, this is something I made up...ask if you have any questions....I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack...nor do I explain things very well.

    SharonG/FL

  • nanajayne
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you Sharon for your good advice. First I will do the sqs. that I have cut from my scraps into the 6 1/2 " blocks but when I go to cut up more I will use your suggestion on the rest and see how it looks.
    I appreciate everyones imput. I don't expect this to be special but have always been inspired by some of the older quilts I have see made with the small sqs. of left over fabrics.