Here's a tip for using jelly rolls
 

For those who like to use jelly rolls but have problems getting everything lined up.
Took me a while to figure this out. I've made half a dozen JR quilts but the last one
was giving me fits. Anyway, when you sew the first two strips together, press then
trim each side so that it becomes a perfect 4.5". It's that zig zag edge that throws
everything off. After you've trimmed those edges, everything will go smoothly
(assuming you've made a test for the perfect 1/4" seam with your fabric and
thread). Hope it's clear.

Thanks for the tip, I am waiting for my first jelly roll to come in, cant wait to make my first jelly roll quilt!

I've never worked with jelly rolls - this is something I would like to do ! There are so many wonderful quilts using jelly rolls.

I've never had a problem with the pinking edges. I don't even think about them when I sew them together.

That makes sense for sure. I am going to try that out when sewing strips together. Thanks for sharing.

The pinked edges drive me nuts. I think next time I use pre-cuts, I'm going to cut off the pinked edges. I just never know where the edge of the fabric truly is.

Oh, I do love posts that start with "here's a tip for......"! :thumbup:

Jan in VA

I assume this is an excellent tip for all precursor with zigzag edges.

Thanks for the tip. I haven't made one yet but it will be very helpful when I do.

Thanks for the tip. Just got through piecing a top using a layer cake and some of those edges were weird!

The problem with many precuts is that they are not on grain and when you sew them together your have off grain pieces that oppose each other and you get weird edges. I bought and used one jelly roll from a well known manufacturer and it gave me fits-I will stick with yardage that I can cut to my preference and keep it on grain. Precuts are not always time saving and not always well coordinated.

Awesome tip!! I thought I was the only one that found those pinked edges a bit awkward to work with. I get the job done, but this tip will certainly make working with them easier and even more fun!!! Thanks!! :)

the precut strips with the pinked edges are measured all the way to the tip so becarful cutting off the edges then they won't be the correct size measure 1/4 inch seam from the tips ...

Thanks for the info.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Thanks so much! I just was working on my 2nd quilt which was made with jelly rolls and was ready to give up as nothing was coming together right!

I've been having an issue with the Strips packages I've gotten from Wal-Mart, I end up with rows that are a good half inch to inch longer/shorter than others. Anyone else have this problem?

perfectly clear! good idea! but...

What if the two you have stitched together only come to 4.25 and not 4.5? I think you will find that most Moda jelly rolls are barely 2.5" width with the zig zag left on. In fact my seam for any two strips can never be a full quarter inch.

If you are making something like the 1600" jelly roll quilt trimming would not be a problem, just very messy to clean up. However, if you are using pinked charm packs or other precuts, cutting off the "points" will result in block that is too small. Lay your strip or charm or layer cake on top of your cutting mat. You will notice that the points on either side reach to the 2.5" or 5" or 10" line. This is why you don't want to trim them. When sewing, just know that the outermost point is actually the edge of the fabric.

You never know whether to measure from the hills or the valleys!

not all jelly rolls are created equal..I bought one a while back and wanted to add some of my own fabrics to it...when I went to sew the strips one was wider then the other...the ones I bought were 2 and 3/4" not 2 and 1/2"...I will measure from now on....just an FYI....

I like Garielle's Mimi's idea for laying precut strip or layer cakes on the cutting matt...great thought!

Just wondering... Why are some precuts made with pinked edges? Does that fabric tend to ravel when cut?

Thanks for the info...I have several jelly rolls...

I've only bought one jelly roll and the edges were not pinked!

So far I haven't met Moda jelly roll that's less that 2.5" (except when it's cut
crooked) but I usually cut the strip in half to start with...so much easier to work
with. After cutting the strips in half, I starch and press them before cutting.
You can either return the strips to Moda (if that's an option, as I see you're in India)
or reduce your seam allowance a smidge. But if the strips are really off, I would find
a different pattern where the 2.5" is not so important. It's also possible to just make
the pattern and you will end up with a smaller block. If all the blocks are consistent
then it's all good too. Just depends on the pattern.

At least they gave you 2 and 3/4" and not 2 and 1/4". That additional 1/4" gives
you the chance to trim it just like you would have to trim the edge when cutting
yardage.

Most cotton fabrics tend to ravel. That's why they pink the edges.

I read ...probably on this board ... that when using jelly roll strips, you should put a piece of painters tape 2.25 inches on the LEFT side of your needle and use that as your guide. Then when you sew your strips together you will end up with the right measurement. Your seam may not be a consistent .25 inch, but your strip set will be 4.5 inches. Hope that made sense!

I'm one of those quilters who love pinked edges. After I finish piecing a top, I turn it over and try to remove the threads that have raveled off before taking it to the LAQ. Cutting off those tiny threads takes forever! With the pinked edges, no stray threads to remove. When I do my own quilting, I do not remove the raveled threads as I really dislike that job. My only problem with jelly rolls is when the strips are not cut straight of grain.

I will never buy another Jelly Roll with pinked edges. I just finished sewing strip for a class I am taking and we were to cuthme in half having two 1 1/4 strips and with the pinked edges the strips were wider than 2 1/2" and I didn't trim them before sewing and many of the strips are off.

Trimming off the pinking is going to make your block too small. Do a test first before you cut the whole lot of strips.

Is it me or does that defeat the purpose of having them pre-cut if you have to cut them? I must note be seeing the big picture...

I am getting arthritis in my non-dominant thumb and holding the ruler down hurts every time. I was considering trying pre-cuts to avoid the pain.

Thanks for tip.

Just a tip: Before you open your jelly roll, run a lint roller over each end a few times to pick up all the little pieces of fabric. It makes all the difference in the mess jelly rolls make after opening them.

So help me out. (Never used a jelly roll). Why not just cut 2 1/2 strips of fabric rather than pay extra for pre-cut jelly rollls when you have to trim and cut anyway? Also, I'm not sure how you pre-wash a jelly-roll. Sounds like a lot of unnecessary work.

I am currently making a childs quilt out of pinked charms that are cut off grain. I am seriously thinking of throwing all the block into a scrap bag to use with a wonky cut quilt sometime. I am another who will not buy precuts again. It's not that hard to cut the fabric and know for sure what size is.

I have only used charms once but I just bought 4 more packs. I didn't realize there was potential for issues. Is it all brands? I have only used Moda and thought they were fine. Any trouble with Modas anyone?

I have been getting jelly rolls at Big lots and there is no pinked edges on them

I've bought several jelly rolls, and none has ever had pinked edges. I've only ever bought one layer cake and the pinked edges drove me insane.

For me, the benefit to buying a jelly roll is being able to get all 42 fabrics in one range, where I would never be able to afford even just 1/4 yard cut of every fabric. I usually buy Hoffman batik jelly rolls because I love the scrappy yet co-ordinate quilt you get at the end, and buying batik yardage is just too expensive here in the UK.