Round Robin Quilts
Page 1

Updated September 13, 2013

First, a general description of a traditional round robin quilt for those who may not have heard of them.  It's a quilt that is made by a group of quilters and it's a variation of doing friendship blocks.  To start, everyone makes a block for the center.  There can be all kinds of rules for size, color , theme, etc.  The blocks are passed to someone else in the group.  They add the first border.  Then the next quilter adds the second.  This usually continues until there are three borders that have been sewn by three different quilters.  The quilter who made the center block then gets the quilt top back to keep and finish.  

The round robins Scarlett has participated in were fun to do.  We didn't get to see our blocks until all the borders had been added.  We would have a luncheon where we would reveal all the quilt tops and then return them to their owners.

For some more ideas for your next Round Robin, Marjorie of the Sun Country Quilters has agreed to share her guild's version:

"When I made up the Round Robin Rules I really combined alot of Round Robins that different people gave me.  This is not all original.  We ended up with no groups and each night everyone brought the box they had and put it on a counter and took one that they had not done before.  We had about 8 people participating in this."

Round Robin Guidelines for Sun Country Quilters 2008

THESE ARE ONLY SUGGESTIONS.

You can adjust as you see what fits your group.

Group size:  5 or 6 people

            You may choose your group by March meeting or if you would like to be in a group but would like to be randomly chosen we will do that at the end of the meeting.  Sign a slip of paper for either a beginning or experienced quilter at the program table and put in the bowl.

• Center should be: 18”sq or 24”sq or 18” X 24” or your choice in size.  The bigger you make it the more the people adding rounds will have to do.

• Fabric:  You may include all fabrics that you want used in your quilt or each person must add one fat quarter

• Include a label that each person may sign and a journal tell why you made the original piece and each person can add a comment about choices.

• Be sure to include instructions in your box or bag so the others know what you envision as a finished project (maybe at the beginning of your journal).  Do you want only the fabric you provided or may others be added?  What will the finished project be used for: tablecloth, wall hanging, or lap quilt?  Will your quilt have a season theme or color scheme?  What kind of appliqué do you want used or not used in your quilt?

• The rounds may include but are not limited to: center, border and checkers, flying geese, star and/or appliqué, half square triangles and outside border.  The owner is free to alter, add, adjust or do anything they want with the quilt.  (You know if you don’t consider it a keeper for you I’m sure Georgina could find a good home for it.)

1. How each other’s projects will be exchange.  At the guild meeting or if someone can’t make it how it will be exchanged.
2. We will show our progress (note I didn’t say finished project) at the Christmas party  - so-  are you going to be sure the first person has hers back in September or when.  This allows for an additional month for a person in the group if they need it.
3. How will the quilt be rotated – draw number, alphabetical by last name or what?
4. Do you want to include a stand-by person or helper person in your group?  This person would fill in for someone gone a month or that has to drop out of the group.  Do you know someone or do you want to be one for another group?
5. Please select a lead person to call for instructions if someone in the group has missed the meeting?  The instructions for the next round will be in the newsletter but that may be too late for you.

I may add instructions later but this list will do for now.  I have never done a round robin so I may have left something important off.  Please let me know if you think of something that should be included or add to make this more fun.

At each meeting I will demonstrate how to do the round and give instructions.  If you are a new quilter this may make this a way to learn new tricks and feel more confident.

Now, one more option:

OSTRICH ROUND ROBIN

            This is the person who would prefer to make the whole quilt themselves.  You may follow the guidelines and rounds and make your own quilt.  You may choose this option if you are planning on traveling for a length of time.  To me this option wouldn’t be as much fun but you will still have the fun of showing at the Christmas party. 

          " Obviously I will have one of these quilts from the demonstrations each month," said Marjorie McGraw, program and workshop chairman of the Sun Country Quilters - Thanks for your help Lorraine Cothern and Marjorie Wannamaker.

This is the last Round Robin top that Scarlett needed to finish! Scarlett is all done with the ones she started some years ago.  This one has a block that was a sample for a class Scarlett took, the first border is by Bea Stone, the second border is by Rose Marie Straw and the third border is by Linda Gibbs.  Scarlett added the red print to finish it off.

Barbara Michels' Round Robin Quilt

Barbara took my class when Scarlett taught for the Ridge Quilters of Paradise and after finishing her block, used it in this quilt.  The first border was done by Mary Swartout, the second by Shirley Vincent and the third by Joy Kipling. Scarlett photographed this quilt at their show in September, 1998.

Scarlett went to the Marin Quilt Show in San Rafael, CA on September 6, 1998 and found this quilt in the show.  It's called Celtic & Teal.  The center block was made by Kathy Swartz of Mountain View, CA.  The borders were added by members of the QED (Quilt Engineering Divas).

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