Busy Hands

My neighbor recently gave me material cut into 2" strips and some cut again into 2" squares. I made an Irish Chain from many of the strips, but have about 3/4 of the strips and squares left. The lovely lady keeps asking me what I am going to do with the rest of the material and when can she see my progress. I am at a loss as to what to do next!! Can anyone suggest a pattern(s) or ideas as to what I can make with these strips and squares?

mom-6

The strips could work nicely as a rail fence.

They would also do well as sashing for something else and use the squares as cornerstones.

Any patterns designed for jelly rolls would work equally well for 2" strips. They would just result in a smaller finished product.

Jeanne S

Log cabin comes to mind first, jelly roll race (with squares inserted in randomly in the rows, or the vertical braid pattern separated by columns of squares. There are so many options. Even though your strips are more narrow than the traditional 2 1/2" strip, I think you could use any jelly roll or strip pattern with what you have and add more to get the size you want. Another thought is to make a scrappy quilt by making a block with a center of squares, like a 9 or 16 patch square framed with the strips, like a "square-in-a-square" pattern with a scrappy center.

Tartan

There are lots of patterns that use 4 patches. Jenny has a new pattern using 4 patches at Missouri Star Quikt co. another spot to check for free patterns is Bonnie Hunter's site www.quiltville.blogspot.ca a jelly roll race uses a lot of strips and I like when appliqué is added on top of the strips for added interest.

KLO

What a coincidence! Check the post that came just after yours. She did strip pieced blocks based on Missouri Star Quilt Co. (Jenny Doan) tutorial. Then you could use the squares for cornerstones as Mom-6 mentioned.

QandE2010

I don't know how may you have, but a string quilt pattern would probably use up a lot of the strips and then use the squares in the border (like piano keys only square with a solid between the squares). Or you could make a D9P and use the strips for sashing or narrow borders. Let us know what you decide. Good luck!