At one of my quilt guild retreat weekends, we all brought our favorite jelly roll to make a quilt using the 1600 technique. Below is a photo of my result.
Our jelly roll quilting retreat was fun because everyone brought their own favorite jelly roll. There were lots of different colors, textures and fabrics — a quilter’s dream! Sewing with jelly roll strips was a new concept for me. I had to throw conventional techniques out the window and trust that all these strips would really turn into something beautiful.
A jelly roll 1600 quilt is a nice project for beginning quilters. It’s a good lesson for sewing straight seams (there are lots and lots of them!) and it helps you learn to sew without pinning your seams together. Here is a link to a good tutorial: Jelly Roll Quilt 1600 Technique
Once I finished sewing all my strips together, I added a 1 1/2 inch inner border in a solid black fabric. Then I added a 3 1/2 inch outer border in a large, bold print from the “Table for Two” fabric line. Ms. JM, my quilter, added lots of curves and swirls to make this quilt even more special. I gave this quilt to a new bride–I just couldn’t resist passing on the love from these hearts and flowers.
If you’ve never made a Jelly Roll 1600, give it a try! It’s fast and fun.