Jelly Roll Race

Our church sponsored a "sew in" night last week to work on quilts that will be distributed to those in need due to the recent tornado in OK complete with a prize to the winner.   We opted to skip the racing part of the contest and went with a random drawing from the names of those attending but the 1st person that completed DID win the prize of batting to complete her quilt.   The person that organized the event also presented each of us with gift bags of quilty notions, homemade jelly and a mouthwatering homemade apple pie tart in the shape of a heart.  She works, she quilts AND she bakes!



I pulled my top together from leftover strips (mostly pastels) from other projects and one really pretty 20 piece jelly roll from the  Anthology - Color Stories in bright pinks and lime greens.  I was worried that my pastels would be too light so I added a bright pink cornerstone to the end of each strip as I sewed them together.    I'm not sure if my fears were grounded, I think it would have worked but I do like it with the cornerstones.   Now, I need to shop.   I want to add a bright yellow/green inner border and a pink outer border.    Maybe a pillow case too.

Here's a link to a video showing the process to Missouri Quilt Co jelly roll race instructions.   I do warn you that it is NOT a quilt top in an hour   It took me an hour to join my first strip together!   But amazingly, from that first seam to just a little over 2 hours and I had a quilt top.   I don't think it took me over 2 hours to join my cornerstones and all my strips together either.   Fast, easy, FUN.  I see more of these in my future.  In fact, I have 2 planned and waiting for ME but they aren't made in the continuous roll method.  Maybe I need to re-think them?


 
Lots of pastels in there, I was worried it would be too light so opted to add the pink cornerstones to give it a bright theme and hopefully bring it all together.

 
My mile of strips after they were sewn together with the cornerstones.  I worked out a system that I chain sewed the cornerstones onto right side of the strips, snipped off the first 3 and re-loaded from the last one joining them back to each other.  This kept them in the color order I wanted.   Batiks work so nice to just give the seams a finger press and on to the next group of 4.


 
Meanwhile... Kricket and Mickey grew weary of waiting on me so we could go out!


Comments

Nancy said…
Haven't made one of these yet, but I've been wanting to. I actually like your addition of the bright pink to the strips, and how it pulls it all together scattered over the quilt surface. It was a good thought and gives a nice contrast and unity to your quilt top. OK, I'm inspired. The time factor sure has appeal, too.
Valerie said…
Thanks Nancy! I should have noted that I was sewing on my little travel machine. She's not very fast but is reliable.