rules for a round/roosting robin
 

I am in charge of our employee quilt shows & get togethers. I proposed a Roosting Robin (each quilter keeps their own quilt, instead of passing it along as in a Round Robin). Everyone thought it was a good idea. Now, I need to decide what each rounds rules are. The goal is to stretch our skills, be adventurous and try new blocks/techniques.

So, since we are expanding skills, I thought each round could try a new skill, but need to decide what are all the skills? For example: strip piecing, paper piecing, pieced blocks, applique, etc. But, what is etc? What other skill groups might I list?

I have googled Round Robins, Roosting Robin, Row by Row, Quilt Alongs and gotten several ideas - but since our goal is the skills expansion, I want to be able to do the skill grouping as the main base for each round.

Clear as mud? Any ideas of other skill groups? Thanks.

Curved piecing? That's one I haven't tried yet, but am planning to in the near future!

Oooo - good one! Thanks.

How about set-in seams such as those associated with the LeMoyne Star block?

Like Y seams? good idea. thanks

Applique, raw edge, machine stitched and/or needle turn.

We did an Ostrich round robin a few years ago in my guild. It is the same as your “roost” as an ostrich doesn’t fly.
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Each round we gave participants two options. For example, use a different shade of one of your previous colors- lighter or darker, or add applique. One time it was use a new to you piecing technique.
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I just watched Winnie Fleming’s Craftsy class on borders and I wish I had this information when I did a round robin before. No affiliation, I just found it very helpful. http://www.craftsy.com/class/finishi...bb&_ctp=4813,3</SPAN>

oh, like it! thanks

oh, great ideas - I had thought of offering 2 options for each round, glad to know that wasn't too weird! I will have to check out that class. thanks!

My guild did something similar. Everyone came up with ideas for the skills expansion, and those were put into a paper sack. Every month two items were pulled from the sack, and the participants had their choice of doing one or both of those things in their quilt.

Ooh, that's a good way to do it. Do you remember any of the skills?

How about scalloped edges/binding?

Maybe trapunto?

Reverse applique -
Triangle in a square units - some people find them difficult to do (Doreen Speckman called them Peaky and Spike)

I like the idea of having two options per round
Will there be a target size for the finished item - or will it be however big the person wants it to be?

There are several methods of applique around - you might consider putting all the applique options in one bag.

This is a good topic. I thought of using color skill, make a monochromatic or only two colors as an example.

How about mitered corners?

That sounds like a fun project. How about it you post it here also and we can follow along and create a masterpiece!

Love this thread :) What about adding dimension - folded flowers, pinwheels from prairie points, insects with dimensional wings or bodies ...

That sounds fun! I wanna play!

Forgot to mention, how about fabric dying, thread painting and general fabric painting.

Celtic Knots using bias binding?

Circles - set in or appliqued?

Would this require buying a whole another set/group of supplies?

wow, that is on my wish list, thanks for reminding me

ah - good one! thanks!

We decided we wanted to allow people to choose the finished size. I think I will suggest center should be no greater than half of finished size, and allow them to determine how wide each round is. thanks for the triangle in square unit suggestion!

ooo, that is good too! sometimes it is very hard to work outside one's color comfort zone! thanks!

yeah, that is a real challenge for some, good idea - thanks!

I was thinking we should post somewhere so we can see! Will post here a link to where it is once started.

oh, dimension! great idea - thanks!

ooo, I like it! we have learned several ways to do those, it would be good to include in the Roosting Robin! thanks for the idea!

not sure. maybe could suggest this for center to begin the project? Or give a basic list of skills we might use, to allow them time to prepare ideas before they get the rules. For example, if we say the rounds may include fabric dying and trapunto, then they could decide if they want to do it small (at beginning of project) or larger (one of the final borders). hmmmmmmmmmm.... have to think about this. thanks!

ah, something else on my wish list! that is a great idea - thanks!

oh, that would really break up a straight border, huh? And it is a challenge to some to do curves! great idea - thanks.

I am participating in a Round Robin as the president's challenge with my guild right now. First we made the center block, then we had to enlarge it and make a 3" finished border incorporating triangles, next was a curved border (pieced or applique), also 3" finished - if that was more than someone was willing to try, they could do pinwheels. Now we are doing a 4" finished square or rectangle border.

Still waiting on the last 2 borders. There are several books on Round Robins (for example: M'Liss Rae Hawley's Round Robin Renaissance) as well as different border books (example: The Border Workshop) that can be used for ideas. In M'Liss Rae's book, she does have some that run vertically instead of around.

oh, thanks for the input! I will check out those books. I like the plan your guild is doing!

Sounds challenging and fun!

That all sounds like it would be a lot of fun to participate in!

How fun and how creative.

I've been thinking about hosting another Robin, but we have had problems in the past with one or two participants getting behind and not passing on schedule. This sounds like it would end that problem. My concern would be losing lots of the folks who stop because they get behind. In our guild we have lots of people sign up for various opportunities (class, challenge, robin etc.) but in the end less than half actually do it. Any thoughts if you've hosted robins, roosting or otherwise?