Jelly Roll Quilt
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share a commission.Colorful Jelly Roll Quilt
I am sure many of you have heard of a Jelly Roll Race quilt or even made one. This looks like one but I put it together a little differently.
I am taking a class on designing with Electric Quilt and this month the lessons are on working with precuts which as been a lot of fun.
What makes this jelly roll quilt different
You can do a search on Jelly Roll Race quilts and find out how to make one and you are supposed to be able to do it in no time at all. You sew all of the strips in the jelly roll together to make one long strip, then you take the beginning and end of your strip and sew them together, right sides facing, to form a continuous loop. You will snip this circle and do it all over again. I did mine a little differently.
Sewing rows together instead
I had two 40 piece 2-1/2″ bundles of these colorful batiks so I could make any size of quilt I wanted. I wanted one that could be used as a baby quilt. My size was 50 x 66 which is pretty close to what a Jelly Roll Race quilt would be.
- I wanted to just sew my rows together one at a time and then pick and choose which strip to add next
- I cut my first strip at 25 inches and then added the second strip
- I measured this piece at 50 inches and cut the second strip.
- 2nd Row: I started with the leftover piece of the second strip and added another strip
- 3rd Row: Repeat Row 2 again and again
I didn’t measure each row, I just laid it out below the quilt top and cut the strip. Sometimes I even cut a bit off of a strip to help vary the size a little and about every third row, I sewed from the opposite side to help keep the pieces from bowing.
Break time
A quilt top laying on the floor is like a magnet to Rusty. I laid the quilt on the carpet while I was picking the next strip and this happened. I guess that meant I was supposed to take a break.
Jelly Roll Quilt 50 x 66
Here is the finished quilt top. Most of the time when I quilt, I get up and move about constantly. I have my ironing surface several feet away, my cutting table several feet away, I don’t like to sit for long periods of time.
I am really enjoying my Nolting longarm. It really made it fast to get this quilted. When I bought this longarm last year, I received a spool of red thread and I finally used it on this quilt.
I had two pieces of fabric that matched the strips and I used them for the backing.
I also used 2-1/2 inch strips for the binding. If you are using a single 2-1/2 inch strip set, you might have to use something else for the binding.
I really love all of the vibrant colors in this quilt.
The quilt is a little small for this bed but I thought you would like to see it on a bed.
Rusty is turning into quite a little ham.
Here was the quilt on Rusty’s couch while he eats a biscuit.
2010 Jelly Roll Quilt
I used to have a blog post on blogger about the first Jelly Roll quilt I ever made. Here is an excerpt from that post.
I took this photo in December 2010 and I think I pieced during the summer. It was one of my UFO’s to finish in 2011 but it didn’t happen. I remember I was just getting into quilt blogging and reading about Jelly Rolls……..I had never heard of them. I got all excited and started cutting up a bunch of my 10 year old fabrics into 2.5 inch strips and making bundles of 40 strips for my own Jelly Rolls.
I even gave one to a friend who thanked me politely and probably walked away thinking I was a little crazy. Then I read about a Mile a Minute or Jelly Roll 1,000 feet quilt or something and this is what I put together. It sure didn’t look like the ones I saw on other blogs! Hmmm maybe because the fabrics aren’t coordinated.
The Jelly Roll quilt got shoved in the back of my closet and when we did the closet demolition I decided I had better do something with it. In 2012 I finally quilted it.
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About Connie
Hi, I’m Connie Kresin Campbell, the quilter, writer, and photographer behind Freemotion By the River. I enjoy inspiring others with my quilt tutorials and patterns. You’ll also see my sweet adopted dogs from time to time.
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Hi Connie,
On the jelly roll batik quilt I am not clear on the second and third bullet points. Do I add 50 inches to the first cut of 25 inches? It doesn’t look like your quilt. Or do I add the first 25 inch cut to the next 25 inch cut making the strip 50 inches? As a beginner I am comfused.
Thank-you, Christine Triplett
Such a sweet picture of Rusty smiling!
I think you’ve inspired me to try your method but I don’t think I’ll use just 2 1/2″ strips. I think I’ll vary the width as well as the length of the strips. I made a jelly roll race-style nap-size quilt several years ago using strips I cut from my stash, and I was very please with it. I gave it away long ago so I hope the giftee has been enjoying it.
Your JR race quilt turned out even & beautiful. I made one from a different pattern and had one side 6″ longer than the other. Obviously had to get Ms. Seam Ripper and let her help out with Frog Sewing, i.e. “Rip-it, Rip-it”! I was making a Quilt of Valor and it turned out OK after I re-did it. So have not tried this again.
Thank you. I am clearly enjoying everything I just read
Charlene
I enjoyed reading your post. I am inspired now to make a “random” jelly roll quilt. Love your quilt. Love Rusty.
I love you’re quilts with the jelly rolls will be trying to make one, thanks for showing your lovely quilts Barbara from the UK
I love the colors and the quilt. I absolutely love batik fabric. When you do your binding, do you hand stitch the back or do you machine so the binding to the quilt?
Rusty really is becoming quite the handsome model. Your Jelly Roll quilt is vibrant and gorgeous. Well Done Dear.
It looks good. I made a jelly roll quilt a few years ago, but mine were going vertical with a navy diamond every so often, no specific spaces. I don’t have the picture any more. I bought a new tablet and when they transfer from the old one to the new one, the man did not transfer the photos over. Needless to say I was not happy. Some were from outside, family, quilts. They were not on my desktop.
I’m glad you like your Nolting. I had bought a used one and nothing but trouble. I finally traded it for a Bernina Q24, it’s a great machine.
Rusty is one smart dog. He loves you.
Hi Connie, Thanks for sharing your new jelly roll quilt. I love the colors! I also love that quilt with no border. It would be a gorgeous wall hanging. The other quilt you showed, in the blue color, I feel would make a great picnic blanket! I always have one in each car, just in case the opportunity for a picnic pops up!
It’s beautiful Connie! What a great idea for a jelly rolls
Love seeing the “Ambassador” showing off his fabulous smile! The colors in the quilt set off his coat nicely! I was standing in line to have fabric cut and saw a basket of jelly rolls – I always steered clear, but they were cute Christmas fabrics. It was fun and nice to not need to spend a lot os time cutting, get right to the sub-cuts and sewing. And the variety of prints in the jelly rolls are fun. I might try making my own jelly rolls from the “stash”. p. s. Watched the video – it was like Christmas !!!!!!
I don’t think I’ve commented here before, but I wanted to because I love your idea rather than the typical “race” method! My next donation quilt will use this method. Thanks!
This is gorgeous! I always admire jelly rolls but have never known how to use one. AND I love batiks.
Glad you saw the sun yesterday, it didn’t make it this far east. Maybe today.
Love your Rusty photos, he’s a lucky guy!
Thanks for this cool way to make a jelly roll race. I love the colors and Rusty seems to love it too! Such a cheery quilt to brighten winter blues. Greetings from North Georgia!
I love the colors in this quilt and how you pieced it would be my preferred way of doing a jelly roll quilt. Very beautiful and it’s nice Rusty is your biggest fan!
Beautiful quilt! Thanks for sharing your love of quilting!
I love it. I like the colors, alos.
Wow! What vibrant colors. This is a lovely quilt. I really love the way it turned out. I think your spacing of the strips and choosing the strips really made it pop. And, Rusty just makes the quilt even cuter!! Thanks for including him in your posts. I always love seeing pictures of him.
The Jelly Roll quilt is so bright and interesting and should be easy to make as there is a lot of straight stitching.
I don’t see jelly rolls at my fabric store. I guess I can cut the strips to the size and width in various fabric colours using your dimensions as a guide to each row.
It is wonderful to see Rusty being such a great model. He must be great company for you in your studio as you work on your projects.
Hi Robyn, yes you could cut your own strips. Did the see the quilt I made years ago? I just cut strips from all of my fabrics and didn’t know that they really should coordinate. I can’t remember who I gave the quilt to but they loved it!
Donna Jordan makes an adjustable size jelly roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECUYdnNOIQ&t=647s.
That is a great video Pat, I watched it and now want to make one like it! donna Jordan has the greatest tutorials.
I like the jelly roll quilt you made. I think Rusty likes it a lot.
beautiful quilt.