My Quilty World: Round Robin Fun

Last year I became involved in a "Row Robin" and enjoyed myself so very much. If you don't know what that is, please click on this Row Robin Journey Link. It was a fantastic learning experience for me and if you have never participated in something like this, well do it at least once just to stretch yourself a bit.

This year the group is putting together a "Round Robin" and it is hitting at a time when I just don't have a moment to spare to build a center medallion. The group is short a person so I ask if it would be okay to use a panel. I get a resounding "yes" and quickly order the panel and get it in the mail to the first person on my list. Now to see what they do with it. I have asked that it simply stay wall hanging size and to keep it sewing related so that I can use it behind my quilt frame in the studio. Let the fun times begin. My first one should be in the mail to me soon and it has to be out the door by the end of January.

Sondra's RR is the first to arrive and as I am off to Telluride, I run to the studio to pull fabrics from my batik bin that will match, pack it all up and away I go. She has a beautiful Mariner's Star as her center and I adore the colors. Now, please let the creativity come.

Her theme is related to the ocean and with her star being slightly off center, I decide to keep that going. Birds fly over the ocean so I will add geese to three borders.

I have an amazing atmosphere to work in and LOVE being back in the mountains while working on this.

Today is the day I have totally free to accomplish this task and so after getting everything cut, it's time to chain me some geese. Fortunately I don't have to make hundreds of them and within a couple of hours, I am ready to move on to the next step.

Well dang, the layout doesn't quite fit. Now what? I guess the last two geese will just have to be a wee bit narrower. That'll work, right?

Okay, this one is ready for shipping. Bring on the next one.

It's February and I have Suzanne's center in the house. It is so lovely and elegant.

I want to keep the wonderful angles going as well as set it on point (which in this case takes it back to how it started out). What I have in mind means that I will have to attempt to draft a paper piecing pattern for it. I am off to Las Vegas to meet my mom and sister for a few days so take the paper and finish drafting them there.

Suzanne has included the fabrics she wishes us to use and I want to make these corners really stand out. My next trip is back to Telluride and that is where I make the first corner as a prototype and give it a whirl. What do you think? I really like it but as far as I'm going to get on this trip.

3/29 I'm finally finding some time to work on this and want to sew on my sweet "Cocoa", a 301 that is set up in my bedroom. She hums along wonderfully and soon I have all the corners made and attached. This sweetie needs to go in the mail. Deadlines, oh my.

I have received TWO of the next centers in the mail today as well. Someone is really on the ball here. Oh my, thinking cap on now. They are both incredible.

Here is Joan's:

And Julie's:

I have this sudden inspiration on Joan's and run to the bedroom to see if I can put together a TINY star from some of the scraps in the bag. This is what I come up with. It measures 2 1/2" after trimming. Now to figure out how many I would need for my idea.

4/04 I love it when I feel inspired. No putting this one on the back burner. I am ON IT today. Tiny star pieces are everywhere.

4/05 Let's sew these bits and pieces together and see what we come up with. Oh, they are just so dang cute.

This day is done and I have laid out something but am not sure I like it yet. My thought is just to use the left, top, and right sides - like the stars in the sky - but now I'm not sure. I think I'll sleep on it.

4/06 It's a new day and I wake knowing exactly what I want to do. TA-DA This one is ready to go in the mail and is not due for quite awhile. Can I get the second one done on time so that I can mail both at once?

4/28 It has taken me almost a month to start receiving inspiration on this center. I hunted and hunted for some light fabric to use and have received these two in the mail. Please let one of them work.

5/9 Another week has gone by and I am at retreat. I have selected one of the light fabrics and placed a border on the center. I think I am going to attempt some applique with bias tape. So very scared right now.

6/9 I've made the bias tape out of the scraps that came with this top and added a few of my own fabrics that matched dang close in color. It is pinned on and I am ready to sew. Since I am appliqueing, Lady Elna needs to come out and play.

It is slow going but my heart stops beating so fast after the first corner and I just keep at it slowly but surely. Once this is on, this one is ready for mailing too. What do you think? I like it but think perhaps my background is a bit too light. Drat. Box these babies up and they are both soon on their way. I am late by a week with the purple/gold one but ahead of the game on this second one and it feels so good.

August 2 - MY TOP IS BACK!

Within moments of it's arrival, I have picked out a backing, binding, and drawn a panto to quilt with.

8/7 There are enough scraps left in the bag to put together a label. There's been a change in plan for the binding and I am now going with the orange left in the bag. Use it up.

8/22 I have received the last center and oh the colors just make me so happy. At once glance I know exactly what I want to do with it. I remember a border that I used on my grandson's quilt. It was from Bonnie Hunters, Old Kentucky Album quilt. It is going on here.

The colors are gorgeous and I can't wait to get to use them. I have pulled as much from the scraps left in the bag as I can but need to enhance with some white dove fabric that I ordered (I had a sneak peek at this one a couple weeks ago) and a bit of brown from my stash. It'll work. First up, some square in a squares and flying geese.

Now to make those long sectioned borders.

Oh the more I work with this fabric, the more I am in love with the colors. Perhaps a turquoise, brown, and white quilt is in my future. Time will tell.

Next up: layout the corner blocks.

Once everything is sewn together, I am ready to cut and attach. The first side borders go on. I'm liking it.

Now for the top and bottom borders along with the cornerstones. Oh my. And it is finished. I will hand deliver this one in two weeks at the beach retreat as Janet is attending. I can't wait to give it to her.

With this top, I am finished with the Round Robin. It has been a ton of fun and I once again learned oh so much. Thank you, Suzanne, for the push I needed to expand my knowledge and skills. Super, super fun.

Janet's Finished Top

8/24 Okay, the quilt machine is empty for the moment and I just want to get my top quilted . It's not very big and shouldn't take long. Let's do it.

Within an hour, it is off the machine. Oooh, ooooh, oooooh. I am on a roll today.

Not too bad for a self-designed panto and a newbie who doesn't have a clue about spacing out the panto lines. I'm okay with it.