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#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2025
Posts: 4
I just got my very first sewing machine during the joanns discount sale and my grandma gave a jellyroll that she wont get to. Its from moda fabrics. I picked out a pattern i want to try but the jelly roll width is 4.5 in and not 2.5 in with only 20ish strips, not 40 like most patterns call for, and i cant find anything online on why this might be. Do i need to cut all the strips in half? that still wont give me the 2.5 in i need for 40 strips. Should i just buy more fabric or find a different pattern for 4.5 in strips. Tyia
#2
is it a free pattern, available online? if so, please post the link. maybe one of us can figure out how to adapt it to your supply of strips.
in the meantime, please post
that will help us offer more suggestions to use what you have.
in the meantime, please post
- the exact number of strips,
- plus how wide the are from selvage to selvage (end to end, the long way.)
- and a photo of the strips laid out next to each other
that will help us offer more suggestions to use what you have.
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- necessity is the mother of invention. lazy is the crazy aunt.

#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2025
Posts: 4
Okay, so i must have miscounted earlier because there are
32 strips of fabric
they are 44in long and eactly 4.5 in wide
My grandmother had a couple of patters with it when she gave them to me, including a moda fabrics, log cabin-courthouse steps pattern
Edit: I’m having trouble uploading the image so here is a link to it.
32 strips of fabric
they are 44in long and eactly 4.5 in wide
My grandmother had a couple of patters with it when she gave them to me, including a moda fabrics, log cabin-courthouse steps pattern
Edit: I’m having trouble uploading the image so here is a link to it.
Last edited by Quilternewbie1; 03-16-2025 at 12:37 PM.
#4
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 17,887
It seems to me the strips of fabric were cut by someone, other than a brand precut roll, from fabric they had in their stash. If the pattern calls for that width it will be fine. If you need 2 1/2" width you will need to cut them.
#6
I think I would look at something like a simple bricks pattern. Cut each 4.5 inch strip into 2.5 inch pieces so that you get rectangles measuring 4.5x2.5. A bricks pattern is very good for beginners because there are no seams to match. Here is a link to a YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/live/6nObtmwa0Kw
#9
you could use them for a log cabin but i think the suggested "bricks quilt" would be a better place to start since you are new to quilting. log cabin blocks are not as easy as they appear to be. the process to make them is simple. keeping the seams perfectly straight and all the pieces the perfect size can make a person crazy.
(look for 10 comments to follow that say they are a snap. lol)
(look for 10 comments to follow that say they are a snap. lol)
__________________
- necessity is the mother of invention. lazy is the crazy aunt.


