Going to Long Beach with Amy

Long Beach Quilt Festival is this week, so it is cutting and packing time.  Just got in Soul Blossoms, so I will be taking Amy Butler with me.  I have the whole collection, and I'm cutting yards, fat quarters and Sample Slices 5"x 9 1/2".

Sample Slices are my answer to Charm Squares.  They are bigger, so easier to cut and you get more of the fabric to enjoy.  I have patterns that work with them--Eden Rose, Pristine, Happy Child, Gypsy.  There are at least 2 new ones in the works--Pam Cakes (the larger Eden Rose) and a frame block.  And it is a size that other folks use, too.  Check out Atkinson Designs' Texas Two Step--my kind a' quilt!

Race 'n Roll

Basic instruction for the Jelly Roll Race quilt--
Sew all 40  2 1/2" strips together, using a diagonal seam, to make one long 1600" strip.

Cut 18" off one end.  Bring the end up to the beginning, and sew together down the 800" length,  cutting it open at the end.  It is now 2 strips deep.

Bring the end up to the beginning, sew down the 400" length, cut open at end--now it is 4 deep.

Bring the end up to the beginning, sew down the 200" length, cut open at end--now it is 8 deep.

Bring the end up to the beginning, sew down the 100" length, cut open at end--now it is 16 deep.

Cut in half so you have 2  50" pieces and sew one on top of the other to finish about 50"x 64".

Now you can press, trim and square it up. Add a border if you want.

Be sure to find the video and visit Heirloom Creations website for more.

Jelly Roll Racer

So I had to try the Jelly Roll Race pattern Cheryl told me about.  I grabbed some leftover Christmas strips Laurel had given me.  And yes, I should have left the white out, and not used as many duplicates--but it was worth it to use up all of these strips.  So do I now have to applique or write on the white stripes?

This was a lot of fun to do--I highly recommend it.  And I will do the next from Hoffman's Zinfandel Bali Pop--low contrast, lots of variety...and gorgeous fabric.

Fourth at Home

Happy 4th of July to all.  For us, it is a quiet day at home.  I just got back from a nice show in Reno--the Quilting, Stitches & Crafts Expo.  Had a great time selling kits and meeting RoseCard fans.

Most fun was seeing Cheryl at Sew Kwik Quilter.  Along with her wonderful kits, she carries Jelly Rolls, including some original combos that she puts together and sells on her website and shows.  Cheryl told me about Jelly Roll Races.  See the quilt on her table there?  It is made by sewing your entire Jelly Roll into a 1600 inch long strip.  To start the races, cut 18" off one end.  Then you bring the far end up to the beginning and sew down the 800 inch length (2 strips deep).  Then bring the end up to the beginning and sew down the 400 inch length (4 strips deep)--and so on, until you have a piece about 48"x 64".

The races and instructions are on a YouTube video by Heirloom Creations from Sioux Falls SD.  What a great idea for a retreat or guild workshop for community service!