Round Robins
Yes! It's Time for Round Robins Again...
We had lots of fun making Round Robin quilts the last two years and some guild members were sorry they didn't join. Round Robins are a great way to play with colors we don't ordinarily choose, use our stashes creatively, hone our problem-solving skills, give up control over every detail of our quilts, gain pieces of our friends' work to keep forever and use beautiful orphan blocks. Don't feel overwhelmed or intimidated - all skill levels are welcome and we have an experienced quilter available to advise you if problems crop up.
Here's how to play:
- Notify that you want to participate before or at the February meeting. This is a five month commitment, but you work on one project per month. Having said that, I know that things crop up. We will work with you if you need a time extension. As a group, we can lengthen some of the deadlines to make this a bit easier.
- Bring your Round Robin kit to the February meeting. (A friend can do this for you.)
- At each guild meeting, you will give a quilt top to someone else. You will follow the format of the project you are given, and pass it to someone else next month. If you want to change something radically, please contact the person who made that piece before you proceed. At the end of the Round Robin you will have the necessary pieces to finish your quilt. You are not to see your quilt until the end - that's the fun of it all!
- A note about feelings. We have had bad experiences with members being dissatisfied with the workmanship of other participants. If the quilt you receive has serious problems, please discuss them with the previous sewer, not with the quilt's owner. Explain what needs to be done to make the last contribution workable. This can be a moment for teaching and skill building. The previous sewer can rework their contribution and we can arrange a new timetable for this quilt. Removing an attached contribution without discussing it with that maker can be unkind and embarrassing. People have quit over these issues, so think about the ramifications of your actions. Please do your best work and leave time to plan as well as nicely sew you contribution. You want nothing less from the other participants.
Round Robin Rules
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This year's Round Robin is open to the following formats.
In each of the following Round Robin possibilities, the originator can pick the theme and/or color, provide just the them fabric or all of the fabric, or all of the above.- Fill in the Block - On a muslin background, the owner marks out a grid with each square the size of the blocks they want to receive. Each person sews 3 - 5 blocks to fill in the squares. Complete blocks are safety-pinned to the background and passed on. The owner sews them together in the order they choose.
- Row Quilts - Each person completes a row of specified width and height and the owner assembles the rows into a final quilt.
- Progressive - It starts out just like the Fill in the Block above. The difference is each person decides if they will make 2 blocks measuring 6" x 6", or 4 blocks measuring 3" x 3" - any size blocks, that when combined will fill the 12" x 12" square. Completed blocks are pinned on the background and passed on. The owner sews them together in the order they choose.
- Medallion - The originator creates a center piece of any size. Each successive quilter sews on a border and passes it on the the next person.
- Create a kit for your project. Your kit must include:
- A container big enough for your growing quilt top and supplies. It should be labeled with your name, email address and phone number.
- Your starting work (blocks, borders, row, etc.).
- You Round Robin type (refer to 1 above).
- A disposable camera to document the steps in making your unique top.
- A journal to record the thought processes of your quilt making team and/or biographical information about them. This could include fabric swatches.
- Extra fabric. Participants are free to use their own fabric, too.
- Instructions to your quilt making friends. Do you have a finished size in mind? Color scheme? Theme? Mood? Colors you hate? Do you want to use 100% cottong fabric only? Do you want all fabrics prewashed?
- A label and permanent pen so your team can sign it.
- Inspiration: a photo, a poem, a recipe, your favorite tea or coffee!
- Follow these specifications:
- The first kit exchange is at the February 28th meeting.
- If you are not sure of the owner's theme or round robin type, email or call them.
- You can always call or email with questions or help.
- August: catch-up month if needed.
At the July meeting we will unveil the quilt tops and give them to their owners.
Need inspiration? Take a look at the quilts created for the 2006 Round Robin.
Click here for a printable version of these instructions.