alisonquilts

I have just purchased my first jellyroll. It is William Morris fabrics (subtle colors, complex patterns), with eight different fabric patterns included. I love William Morris patterns. Love them.

I want to do right by these fabrics, but it occurred to me after I placed my order that the jellyroll strips cannot be washed before quilting, and all of my stash fabric has been washed, so now I am uncertain about including fabric from my (extensive) William Morris stash holdings. Then I thought I would do a 1600 quilt - quick, simple, only requires the jellyroll...

...but the WM fabric seems too orderly (in a wild, untamed, beautiful way) to put it in such an asymmetric quilt.

So, my question is: can anyone suggest a pattern that is symmetrical, but naturalistic; subtle, but dramatic; full of movement, but restful...and thus worthy of my WM jellyroll? And would it matter if I added stuff from my stash? Does modern fabric shrink that much? (I have always washed all of my fabric - no experience not washing it.)

Looking forward to picking your brains...

Alison

PS Did I mention that I love Willliam Morris fabric?

katier825

Moda bakeshop has lots of great patterns. This is one of my favorites. I think I have pics in my album.

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/10/...uilt.html#more

I added muslin, and used it also for the 9 patch blocks. I did mine in batiks and didn't prewash because i used a jelly roll. I also didn't prewash the muslin. When done, I used a few color catchers and it came out great. The pattern was easy!

Prism99

It really is not a problem at all mixing washed and unwashed fabrics in a quilt as long as you do a reasonable amount of quilting, since all of the fabrics will conform to how the batting shrinks. A fabric that shrinks a lot when washed alone will not shrink in the same way when quilted. Shrinkage differences from mixing washed and unwashed fabrics in a tied quilt can be a problem because the ties are not enough to "bind" the fabrics to the batting.

nstitches4u

I used to pre wash all my fabric, but several experienced quilters convinced me that it was not necessary with today's fabrics. I still pre wash reds, blacks and navy blues. Everything else gets put into a quilt and then washed with Shout color catchers. So far I have had no problems.

sylviak

I just bought my first jelly roll at the Dallas Quilt Celebration last week. I thought about the 1600 quilt, but haven't seen one that I particularly like. Thought about some kind of log cabin or Court House Steps. Then a friend on another site suggested this: http://sonnetofthemoon.blogspot.com/...lt-step-1.html

She uses 3" strips, but some one suggested in the comments that you could use 2 1/2" strips and a 5" center for the two blocks that you cut in quarters. I bought Wildflowers V by Moda and I think it would be pretty.

Handcraftsbyjen

Strip Tube patterns and I also like Jelly Squares by the Pattern Basket and several patterns by Cluck Cluck Sew are great jelly roll patterns.

QM

Most good fabrics will shrink 3%. (cheap ones may shrink much more.)

Dolphyngyrl

They have books out there called strip therapy that are based on jelly rolls, I have one and really like the book

Feathers-N-Fur

http://quiltingtutorials.com/all/sum...t-jelly-rolls/
I really like the Summer in the Park. I made this for a baby shower and got rave reviews. One jelly roll was enough for 2 good sized baby quilts, so I imagine it would probably do a nice sized twin.

alisonquilts

Wow! Thank you for all the ideas, and the advice on mixing washed and unwashed fabrics.

SylivaK: I like the bento box patterns quality of "featuring" the fabric
HandcraftsbyJen and F'n'F: tube piecing is awesome - and those tutes make it look easy (and very tempting). I will definitely try a Summer in the Park quilt at some point...

Now that I am not as worried about mixing up the washed and unwashed fabrics, I will be comfortable adding from my stash. I was also thinking about trying bargello for the first time...If any of this ever happens I will post pictures. (Don't hold your breath.)

Alison