Jelly Roll Quilt Top & A Blowout!!!

Yesterday it rained.  Almost all day.   It was lovely.   Last week I started a new quilt after seeing one that a friend had done.  We got together one night, two friends and I.  The three of us started our Jelly Roll Quilts.  She said that there are jelly roll races going on with quilters all over.  I had not heard of this, but her quilt was so cute.  Very fun and scrappy looking.  Here is what you do. You sew each jelly roll strip together, from the short end.  In the races, they don't sew diagonally across, for the sake of speed, I guess.  Then, for the most part, these quilts are done for charity, from what I understand.  But I took the time and sewed mine diagonally, as if you were making binding.  You just take each piece, not paying much attention to color or print, pulling them randomly from the pile.  When done you get yards and yards of one VERY long strip of fabric.  We discovered that at this point it was good to fold it sort of fireman hose style, so that you don't get it too tangled up.  Then taking a piece from each end, right sides together, you sew down the entire length of that long strip.
And it is a loooooooooooooooong strip!!!

On the above photo, you can see how I joined my strips.  On the diagonal.  Then press seams open.  It will feel like you are sewing forEVER.  And you kind of are!  There is a long way to go.

Make sure you have filled an extra bobbin.  You WILL be needing it!!!

You can see that I piece on my little Featherweight.  What a work horse these little machines are.  If you are lucky enough to have one, enjoy it!  Mine belonged to my Dad's sister.  And it was probably Dad's Mother's before that.  It is a beautiful little machine.  I love to sew on this jewel.

Moving on.  So for the jelly roll, you keep sewing your seam until you get to the end.  Then you cut where the fold is, and finish the seam.  You don't have to press you seams yet, but I do.  Press all seams one way.
Now you will have two very long strips sewn together.  Find right sides and put them together, and do the same thing all over again.  You will do this 5 times total.  Each time, of course, your length is getting shorter.  

This is the perfect quilt for the first time quilter.  It is all straight seams.  No rotary cutting.  Easy Peasy.  And you can have it your quilt top done in a few hours.  This is my last seam now.

 This is a must have sewing tool that I use.  It is so handy for when you are piecing and you need a little tack on your fingers to grip the fabric.  I also love it for when I am doing free motion quilting. It really gives you a nice grip, and does not leave any residue on the fabric. 

 You can find it in the stationary aisle of any store like Target, or Walmart.  Cheap, and lasts forever!
And then.....press all seams to the same side.  And TA DA!!!

I love the scrappy look of this.  It is a perfect size for a picnic, or a throw.  The random placement of the strips adds to the scrappy charm.  Apparently, upon doing some Google searches, you are to cut off an 18 inch piece or so of the first long sewn strip.  This gives the overall pattern of the quilt a more random look for where the strips are diagonally sewn together.  But I did not do this.  I like it just fine.  I may try that on the next one.  This fabric line is called BLISS, by Moda.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!  I am finding myself more and more drawn to the aquas and reds together. 

Upon admiring my handiwork, I thought I would pin the quilt top to my ironing board, and get a photo of it.  So I ever so carefully got up onto my little ottoman I keep in my sewing room, and using my left leg to climb up, seeing as how that is my better of the two bad knees, and when I landed on my right knee, the one that has been quite painful lately, it snapped!  LOUD, like a thick rubber band, and I went down like a ton of bricks, in agony!  Thank goodness Greg was home.  He was so mad at me though.  Mad because he says I should never have tried to get up on that ottoman with my bad knee!  But it was bound to happen.  It has been bothering me a lot this past week.  So down I went.  I was sniveling and hurting, and I'm not gonna lie...a bit annoyed that he was so mad at me!!!   When he realized how bad it was, and that I couldn't walk out of that room, he came back in there and wrapped it in an ace bandage, and went to Walgreens to buy some crutches.  It ached something awful all night long.  But today I was able to put a little weight down on it.  And I am wearing a knee brace.  We are two weeks from changing our insurance plan.  I hope to nurse it til then.   I have done it to my left knee, and it did strengthen back up.  Hoping the same for this one.  We have BAD knees in our family!  All of my siblings, and my Mom!!!  Actually, one brother has bad shoulders and hip.  So all in all, we have bad parts!!!  Sheesh.

Erika's David, bless his heart, has come to pick up Noah for me today.  He took him to school and will be picking him  up.  Hopefully tomorrow I can walk a little better.  As for today, I will be sitting.  And icing.  And taking Advil!!!!