'Wot RoTT' exchange

[E.M. T.]

Rita, spray starch is fine, if you want it stiffer repeat the spray/dry/iron process a couple of times.

Any fabrics you like are welcome - I think that it would be amusing to have some pumkins in the orange set :lol: Just keep to your colour palette within reason, one of my fabrics has green leaves with pink flowers, but hey, the threads have got tangled at the bottom of the sewing basket, who knows where they have been and what they have got mixed up with, right :wink:

[E.M. T.]

For what it is worth, we have got 14 members of this little gang in under 36 hours

[Rita C.]

Looks like it's turning into a mob! :lol:

[Debbie W.]

I want in on this exchange!!!

[Debbie W.]

I pulled fabrics from my stash last night.

I figured that I can cut (8) 2 1/2" strips WOF that would cut down to two 1" x WOF strips after they were washed and starch pressed.. Then I would sew those (16) 1" strips into two strip sets of 8. (Actually to make it a bit easier to sew the strip sets, I would cut them in half so they were only 21" long rather than WOF). Press all the seams open. They should be 4 1/2" wide at this point. Then subcut the strip set into 3 1/2" wide cuts. That makes 12 little reels!!

Doing it like this would only take one evening or less to make 12 reels! Three evenings repeating this process makes 36! Then add in 5 extras made from scraps and you are DONE!!

Well, unless you have signed up for the border reels also! Hint hint!! It only would add a few more evenings to make a second batch!!

HTH!

[Margo C.]

My method is a little different from Michelle's, and both will work just fine!

I cut 8 different fabrics into "chunks" about 6" wide X WOF (width of fabric) to allow for shrinking during prewashing and distortion when starching.
From the washer, I spread them out on old beach towels and spray starched them and left them overnight to air dry.



This morning I steam ironed them nice and flat and cut 3 strips 1" wide X WOF, and left the 4th strip untrimmed on one side. This will allow for any errors in my seam allowances!



I arranged 4 stacks of strips making sure that each stack had 8 different fabrics.

[Margo C.]

Each seam was pressed OPEN before adding more strips. It helps to use a hot dry iron and lift the seam up in front of the point to get a crisply pressed seam.
Pressing the seam allowances open distributes the bulk better on these narrow strips. After all the seams are pressed open, I gave the whole unit a good press with lots of steam to get everything nice and flat and straight.



I used a 4-1/2" wide ruler to trim one side of each unit 3/4" from the last seam, then made sure the other side was trimmed exactly 4-1/2" from the first cut.
I used a 3-1/2" wide ruler to cut the individual units, keeping the fabric straight on the cutting mat and being sure the edges were squared.



I was able to cut 11 "reel" units from each assembled set of strips, and got it all done before noon today! WHOO-HOO!!

[Rita C.]

We use front-loading automatic washing machines here and usually the fabric comes out of the machine in a tangled mess. So what I am wondering is this, does anyone know if that thing of cutting a tiny corner off the fabric will prevent this and or will hand washing do instead? Margo and Michelle, thanks for the details of how you are doing it. I know that they will come in useful when I get back on Sunday. Rita.

[Margo C.]

We use front-loading automatic washing machines here and usually the fabric comes out of the machine in a tangled mess. So what I am wondering is this, does anyone know if that thing of cutting a tiny corner off the fabric will prevent this and or will hand washing do instead? Margo and Michelle, thanks for the details of how you are doing it. I know that they will come in useful when I get back on Sunday. Rita.

Rita, I just put my "chunky" cuts into a couple of lingerie bags. I still had some tangles (trimming the corners may have helped that), but at least they weren't all twisted and knotted together.

[Margo C.]

I like your extra amount on the two sides Margo! I happen to sew with a scant 1/4" so my strip sets come out a smidge over, so I can square them up to 4 1/2" after pressing.

Bottom line here is: These are fun and easy to make!!

[Margo C.]

I like your extra amount on the two sides Margo! I happen to sew with a scant 1/4" so my strip sets come out a smidge over, so I can square them up to 4 1/2" after pressing.

Bottom line here is: These are fun and easy to make!!

ABSOLUTELY!!

[Debbie W.]

Dear Margo...you are always so wonderful to post pictures and detailed directions for us. It's makes life so much simplier that way.
Thank you for taking the time to do the show & tell.

[Margo C.]

Dear Margo...you are always so wonderful to post pictures and detailed directions for us. It's makes life so much simplier that way.
Thank you for taking the time to do the show & tell.

Glad to help Debbie! What's that quilt you are holding in the new profile photo???

[Debbie W.]

Margo,
That is the center medallion block I made for the Round Robin that my quilt bee is doing this year. I made four 12x12 appliqued flower blocks, quartered & mixed them up, then sewed them into a block with four fractured flowers. That was a lot of fun and I can't wait to see how the rest of the quilt looks when everyone is done with it. This is my first experience with a Round Robin and I'm somewhat nervous about working on everyone else's quilts. Pressure, pressure, pressure!!!

[Margo C.]

Margo,
That is the center medallion block I made for the Round Robin that my quilt bee is doing this year. I made four 12x12 appliqued flower blocks, quartered & mixed them up, then sewed them into a block with four fractured flowers. That was a lot of fun and I can't wait to see how the rest of the quilt looks when everyone is done with it. This is my first experience with a Round Robin and I'm somewhat nervous about working on everyone else's quilts. Pressure, pressure, pressure!!!

Sounds like fun! I'm glad to see you on the Wot RoTT forum!!