Earlier this year I completed this Square Dance baby quilt as a gift for a special friend’s new baby boy. It’s one of my favourite so far so I thought I’d share it for the Bloggers Quilt Festival.
The design is called the Square Dance quilt and you can find it in this book by Pam & Nicky Lintott.
I love Moda jelly rolls and books by these ladies are some of the most useful I have found.
(Click on the link there to read what a jelly roll is. Go on. We’ll wait for you)
For this quilt I created my own jelly roll with fabrics from Spotlight. I’ve created a more cohesive look than some jelly roll quilts by using only 7 different fabrics as well as the background dotty white fabric. I repeated the red fabric for the binding and used what was left over of each fabric in the back of the quilt.
You can see my progress in these posts here, here, here and here.
Here’s my top tips for creating your own jelly roll:
- It can be 40 different fabrics if you like that much variation
- This is your chance to have less than 40 different fabrics and a more coordinated look
- Try to have an idea up front of how many fabrics you might want – I had 7 plus the red plus the background white.
- You need 2.5″ for each strip across the width of the fabric
- If you use 40 fabrics, you would require one strip of each one. If you use 20 fabrics, you need 2 strips of each one. If you use 5 fabrics, you need 8 strips of each one. You just need to do a little math.
- Remember to get a little extra when you are buying to make up for any shrinkage if you pre-wash your fabric or crooked cutting in the store
- Keep the scale of each print in mind. You will be cutting 2.5″ strips so you may lose the sense of a large scale pattern.
- Start out choosing 4-5 fabrics you think might work.
- Lay out bolts of fabric you have chosen on a large counter in the fabric store, overlapping them a bit to see how they look together
- Step back a couple of paces. You’ll get a better idea of how the fabrics will look together from a distance
- Switch your bolts around to get an idea of the mix
- Once you have 4-5 fabrics you are happy with, add more fabrics one by one to see how the mix will work.
Some extra things to think about
- Do you need a background fabric as well?
- Do you want a border fabric? One of those in your “jelly roll” set or a different one?
- Do you want a different binding fabric?
- Do you want fabric for the back?
Hmmm, now I’m thinking its time for a cuppa and a browse through the rest of the Bloggers Quilt Festival posts. Hope you found my tips helpful!
I love your quilt. I'm going back to look at all your other posts to watch your progress.
Where in Spotlight do you find a large counter to lay out your fabrics? We usually use the quilt fabric bargain table because it's conveniently located in the corner near the full priced fabrics!
If you buy "fat flats" from Spotlight be aware that, in my experience, they are smaller than fat quarters!
Good to know, Lynne. Thanks.
My local spotlight often seems to have an area where they dump stock to sort and it often has room to lay out fabrics. They are also very kind about using their cutting counter when the store isn't too busy. Joys of a regional centre, I suspect.
Bellissimo!!!!
Loving this quilt! I really like how you used the red as the little accent squares! Totally fresh!
Love your quilt! And great ideas about making your own Jelly Roll! AND 'where you are' every day of the week – wow! 😉
A fresh and lovely quilt! And one I'm sure will be much loved!
Thanks for the tips on making your own Jelly Roll! I have been thinking about doing that, but cutting from stash…
Happy quilting!
Love this pattern, the red squares really pop. the fabrics are really soft and tranquil. Gorgeous quilt.
Nice quilt–and very cool, the way you created your own "pre-cuts."
What a great guide to making your own jelly roll.
Your quilt is so great for a little boy. Fabric choices were amazing.
That is a great colour combination. Seeing the fabric strips on the back of your quilt, and then seeing the front, I never would have envisioned that would be how they'd look all together. You've got a great eye!
very nice quilt and those red squares work so well. how nice to have all the info you've posted! great fabrics and pattern. thanks for sharing and have a great day
Adore the quilting and the pops of red you added in this one!! TY for sharing!
Gorgeous quilt. Love your fabric selection. I enjoyed reading your tips!
I absolutely love your quilt!!! I've seen it on a few link parties and I had to stop by and tell you how beautiful it is!
Hi 🙂 I followed your link here from Sumo's sweet Stuff.
I have always had this great appreciation for quilts, so I had to come see yours. And now I'm going to go check out the other ones linked up to the quilt party 🙂
Last year I made a quilt for our grand daughter. I am now scheming about which pattern I'm going to make for the grandson due to arrive mid-July. I only have 12 more patterns ear marked in the quilting books I picked up via mission type stores. o;-)
I too like how your red squares really 'pop'. Your quilt looks snugable!
A great quilt. I love that you made your own strips for it.
Such a beautiful and detailed quilt! I love the little red squares!
As a non-quilter (perhaps someday *sigh*), it was great learning more about a jelly-roll!
So, so great to have you link-up on “A Little Birdie Told Me…”! I’m so glad we’ve kept in touch from our days in the SITS tribe!
Warmest wishes,
Jenn
Thanks for popping over, Jenn. I don’t get to visit your blog as much as I’d like lately but its on my list ;o)