I am very excited to be participating in a 6 person “Round Robin” that will carry over into the new year. I consider everyone in our group to be extremely talented and I cannot wait to see my quilt when it comes back to me late next summer.
A Round Robin is a fun cooperative project for a group of quilty friends. Everyone makes a center medallion to start the fun and it gets passed along to each participant in turn. Everyone adds a round of their own design (basically an inner border) meant to highlight the medallion and create a beautiful quilt. So, in typical Round Robin fashion, I passed my medallion to the next person in the group knowing I wouldn’t see it again for about 9 months. It’s super secret sewing!
I had the choice of requesting certain particulars related to adding fabric, applique, any blocks I don’t like (there aren’t any) but I chose to be let go of creative control this time around. It’s a little bit scary, but I realized that if I want a quilt that looks exactly like I envision, I can just make it myself. This participatory project allows me to reap the rewards of other talented quilters’ ideas, visions and skills. That’s an opportunity too good to pass up!
A Round Robin also tasks me with thinking differently about my own quilting. When I get a kit full of someone else’s fabrics I am, at first, curious. What kind of colors, patterns and textures did they choose? Often, it is nothing I would have ever picked for myself (not the point, right?) Instead I get to move outside my comfort zone and craft something for a friend without my own personal fabric bias. I also want to be respectful of my quilt friend’s fabric investment, so I tend to plan and cut more carefully than I otherwise might. Finally, it forces me to use my very best quilting and pressing skills because I want the wrong side of their quilt to look as well-crafted as the right side.
Today I am also thankful that I am actually ahead of the game for this round! I used some template cutting and piecing techniques that are definitely not my norm. I didn’t want to wait until the last minute to try my hand at something unfamiliar, and somehow during the busy holiday season, I managed to be both inspired and productive.
I will definitely share pictures of finished quilts with you, eventually. Meanwhile, have you participated in Round Robins before?
Photos of your favorite returned quilt are welcome in the comments!