Round Robin Prompts/Structures
 

Hello all, I am putting together a little manual of Round Robin event approaches.

The first RR in which I participated had only one prompt, used for every round, which was:
"Make It Better!"

And that was a good way to run a RR.

But I have been in others where every round has a different prompt. Some involve the quilt tops passing through different quilters at every round, no repeats...and some group quilters so they work on the top more than once in the RR process.

I am also interested in setups that rencourage or at least allow for something diffferent than the usual medallion design.

So I have two questions for you all:

1. What are good prompts to guide every round of the Round Robin?

2. What are good ways to set up how the tops move through the Round Robin pool of quilters?

I am most grateful for your hints, tips and suggestions!

Have you looked into Ricky Tims' most recent quilting activity? It's called Mad Adders, and it's Round Robin-esque, except the rules/guidelines are a lot more relaxed. Lots of encouragement to break from the typical "rounds". I put it out to my non-guild guild, but the $75 entry fee per person was too steep for them. I was thinking maybe you might be inspired by some of Ricky's ideas.

https://www.letsquilttogether.com/sh...dders-2023-24/

If you go to Ricky's FB page, he has a video where he shows a couple of his previous Mad Addered quilts.

I visited the site, and I don't understand why I would pay $75 to get tips once a month. I have never participated in a round robin or any sharing activity, but it seems that you could just create your own. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

I'm sure you could create your own. I'm also sure that someone would have to be the leader and probably put considerable time and energy into making sure everything runs smoothly and projects get passed from one person to another. A lot of the success of the round robin would depend on that person keeping things going. That's probably what the $75 is for and IMO it would be earned.

What, exactly, is a "round robin"?

bkay

Personally, I prefer a lot of rules just so I can meet the other participants expectations. However, for a group used to working together I think the pushing the rules people/rounds are often the most successful.

I'll have to look for them, but I used to have a link to a site that had several successful strategies.

Bkay, typically you have a small (maybe 6) group of people and everyone makes their own center, then it gets sent to another person to add a border, then to the next. Typically it is a one month turnaround. Sometimes the rules are that Round 1, Center, needs to be made so it can be on point. Then Round 2 is to add triangles to put it flat. Round 3 might be to make the shape rectangular (I see a lot of square quits in round robins) by just top and bottom borders. Sometimes a round requires a technique, like applique... those are the sorts of things Western Wilson are looking for.

There are many variations, sometimes everyone follow a certain order, that is you always get the round from one person and always send to another. Sometimes it is designed so you never get/send to the same person. Sometimes people include fabric that must be used or can be used. Or specific styles like modern or primitive or the list is endless! It takes lots of trust to do a round robin (especially by mail and not as a guild or work group project) and you have to be open about what you receive back especially in an "anything goes" style.

Thanks all for the replies...I will definitely check out Ricky Tim's setup.

I think folks like the camaraderie of working Round Robin style, and especially if you are working alone at your machine most of the time, it is nice to plug into a wider group to get some caring and sharing, right?

Bkay, Round Robins are where a pool of quilters gets together and each makes a starter block. That block is passed to the next quilter for the next "round", who in turn passes it on to another. You end up at the end with everyone having a top that has been worked on by multiple quilters (ie. the top with your starter block eventually makes its way back to you). Sometimes each round is guided by a prompt ie. "experiment in orange with flying geese blocks of varied sizes".

I found getting a piece I had no hand in making but had to add to really fired up a design problem solving skill I did not realize I posssessed! I am not the best or most disciplined quilter but I am good at rescuing quilts that for whatever reason are not coming together. That for me is really fun!

I think you answered your own question - you've never participated in a round robin, so you see this activity as nothing more than getting tips.

As Cashs_mom stated, there is a lot of organization and tracking that needs to happen in order to make this a successful experience for everyone. In addition, all participants will receive commemorative pins and there are some prizes. All of that costs somebody something. Ricky is a world-renowned quilter and teacher, and does deserve compensation for his time, effort, and instruction.

The whole point of Ricky's exercise is for everyone to let go of their expectations.

"It is critical to state that all participants need to mentally prepare to relinquish any vision for what might transpire with their original starter piece. It is also vital to remember that the participants in each group will have different abilities and perhaps different skill levels. The goal is to be creative, innovative, and FUN! There will be lessons on various techniques. Skill-building and original design will also be part of the experience."

Personally I'm kinda bummed that my local group didn't want to participate, it sounds like a lot of fun to me. We used to do challenges and that's kind of how I view this. I know I could sign up with Ricky and get myself assigned to other singleton quilters who also want to participate, but I think I'd have more fun doing it with my friends. Oh well, maybe next year. 🤞😊

So, would Ricky be the person tracking and organizing the groups, or does the group leader have a job? Just trying to find out more about round robins. I am not a traditional quilter and would worry that my style would not fit, or that I would be required to do something that is not in my skill set.
BTW, I have no problem compensating people for their time. No one knows better than quilters about being compensated for their time. The price tag is not always the deciding factor.

Yes. Thank you, Peckish for such a great explanation. This is the reason I wanted to participate. I'm bummed too.

The thing I like best about RR work is that you are pushed to apply the skills you have in new ways, pushed to acquire new skills (like block lotto prompts, RR prompts are often intentionally made to get you to try some particular technique), and you are also pushed to solve a design puzzle.

I think most quilters find that the RR process brings out a whole new quilter in them. I for one dislike paper piecing (I find it hard to think upside down and backwards, which I am told means I can never be a helicopter pilot...guess helicopter pilots are also whizzbang at paper piecing...) but I had to use PP to do what I wanted to do to the starter block I got in the last RR I participated in. Made me a lot better at PP!

Like Peckish and 1CharmShort I am getting no takers in my quilt guild for forming a Mad Adders team.

Is there anyone out there that is willing to do this via mail? It adds some extra time pressure and mailing costs, but I am on to form a team of 6 where we mail our work to each other.

Janet

maybe check in with this post.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/vbulle...s-t321420.html

Thanks Thimblebug! Meanwhile, I am still looking for fun, inspirational and unusual RR quilt prompts!

I don't know how I totally missed this thread on all my "new posts" checks. I would have jumped in earlier to let you know that the QB Mad Adder wanna be's were looking for folks! WesternWilson, now that you're our seventh team member, you can be my Round Robin Jiminy Cricket as I have never led a group and have never done a round robin and love insight and advice. Peckish, it sounds like you have done this before so be sure to keep me on track as I try to keep our Terd of Hurtles going in the right direction.

Please don't hesitate, any of you, to give advice or comments on the QB Flinging Flimsies Mad Adders thread!

Thank you for getting folks to us, Thimblebug6000!!!

Ha! I've NOT done a round robin before, I've only talked to others, most of whom didn't enjoy it much. So I'm sitting right next to you in this boat!

The QB Flinging Flimsies are going to be rocking the boat together then! I think it will help that we are all willing to try something new and are flexible about expectations. The operative word is FUN! If it isn't fun, we are not doing it right and so we need to adjust accordingly.