Sunday, April 1, 2012

Jelly Roll Strip Quilt

I purchased one of the Moda "Deep in the Heart of Texas" jelly rolls when at the Dallas Quilt Show. I've felt so bad I haven't done anything with it. Still feel horrible (giving up and tomorrow going to allow DH to hospitalize me - he doesn't know yet), but wanted to sew last night. Knew it had to be something simple or would really mess it up feeling this bad!

Since I love the "Arizona Sunrise" test quilt made by following the tutorial from Missouri Start Quilt Company, I decided that would be what I would do with the "Texas" jelly roll as well. DH helped me set up my beautiful black Singer 301 long bed machine, and I started in sewing strips together. As Jenny in the tutorial says, I just opened up the jelly roll and didn't do anything but pick up one strip after another and sew them together end-to-end on the bias. I am having second thoughts about that now that the strips are sewn together.

By not separating the strips a bit, in some places there is too much of some patterns, in some places the same patterns are abutted, and in the center there is a very light strip that doesn't seem to go in the quilt at all (but it was in the roll). I think I've learned I will be a bit more discriminating the next time.

This does not mean I will not use and enjoy this quilt. I'm trying to get some things made up that are actually for our place. I'm wanting to do some "Texas" decor in the den - not overpowering, just some touches. When finished this quilt will hang on the wall above the sofa.

Difficult to get a picture of the entire quilt top. DH just saw it - he likes it. I've got to find some fabrics in this line to complete the quilt. I'm thinking the bright red will be my choice for a border, and then maybe a bluebonnet fabric for the backing. I plan to complete this quilt with straight line quilting, which will take me a bit of time and lots of thread! I plan to stitch horizontally with a 1/4" stitch line on either side of each joining seam.

I have another Jelly Roll - by Moda, called "Summer Breeze." I will do some rearranging of strips before I sew them together.

Again, a great learning project. Can't wait to complete it and get it hung. Must get great niece Presley's "Arizona Sunrise" completed first.

God bless - thanks for looking! Comments appreciated.