This Quilt started out as one not meant to be. Pat Sloan's current challenge requires you to use some of her fabric. I first ordered some online and not long later received a refund. It was out of stock. The next week I was taking a trip to Charleston so I decided to go on a fabric hunt. 
In the Charleston SC area we are limited to just a few fabric stores. My first stop was Stitch n' Sew, no luck. After that I wondered over to Five Eighths seams and again. No luck. So last stop and way out of my way was People, Places and Quilts. By far my favorite quilt store. I almost walked out without any of Pats fabric. Just by chance I look down on the clearance Wagon and what do I find?? I bought the last 4 yards of her fabric!!! I did leave a few fat quartes for the next desperate hunter!!
My next step was figuring out the fabrics. My usual quilt designing is to figure out the pattern after I choose the fabric. With this challenge I had to rotate my normal thinking. I decided to goggle paint palettes and decided on this color way.
I went to my scrap basket and started cutting strips. I started with 20 Fabrics but ended up with 22 after cutting pieces.
The sewing marathon was on!! The String Bean blocks went together quickly. I tried to chain piece them which worked out really well! I finished in 2 sittings!! Makes me think about precutting all my pieces for other quilts!!
I decided to make this quilt 4 rows across and 4 down. Pat in her challenge gave you the block but not a layout for the quilt.
I decided to add a border to the quilt. The only fabric I had enough of was Pat's. I think she meant for her fabric to be highlighted so the Dots it was! I made the border 4 1/2 inches wide.
For the backing I used a piece of red and orange that was large enough.
I am still working my way threw Leah Days Free Motion Quiltinh Videos. The next video was clamshells. She said to start these on a straight edge. I decided to go around the outside of my quilt with these. I think I did pretty well!!
When I finished the outside I was just not feeling it. So I watched the next video. It was on pine needles. I thought this might look good in the long strips.
I started out doing it like Leah said but as I made a few mistakes I felt they looked more like string bean leaves and the block name. So of course that's how I finished the rest of the quilt,
and the outside borders.
I could not decide on the binding. I knew there was to much red in the quilt. I needed to do pink or Aqua. Just couldn't decide on which. So my friend Teri chose the Aqua!!
So here's Pat Sloan's String Bean Quilt!! I am going to give it to my Unckes wife who has recently started cancer treatment. I hope it gives her comfort.
