2023 Mystery Round Robin
This year the mystery quilt will be a stay-at -home round robin (SAHRR). For those who are unfamiliar with a round robin, a round robin is a medallion quilt that is composed of a center block surrounded by a series of borders or frames. Each quilter makes a center block and hands it over to another quilter to put a border around the center block. The new border might be plain, pieced, appliqued, or embellished. It might not even go around all four sides. Then the center block is passed to a third quilter to add a 2nd border and so on to each member of the group. After the final border is added, the quilt top is returned to the center square maker to finish the quilt. The challenge is each quilter will be designing and putting a border on each quilt. It may be the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. The maker of the center block does not see her block until the final border has been added to it.
What is a SAHRR? A SAHRR is similar to a traditional round robin, but instead of passing your piece around to others to add borders to your block, you will complete the rounds yourself, following instructions each month for what to add.
The SAHRR will begin January 1st. First you need to make/select a center block. This can be any size and any shape, such as a square, rectangle, circle, triangle, etc. You could even decide to use a panel. This could also be an opportunity to use a block or something you started in a class/workshop. But keep in mind that the larger your center block, the larger your finished top will be. A twelve inch square block makes a good size for a round robin.
Each month I will give instructions in the newsletter for that month’s round, and possibly a set of instructions between newsletters. You can incorporate the suggested item/technique any way you want to, or ignore it. You can also wait a month and incorporate two months’ rounds into one border. This is your quilt, so do it your way. The last set of instructions will be in May.
With traditional round robins, people are often hesitant to participate, fearful that they won’t like what someone else adds to their pieces or that they won’t know what to add to someone else’s piece or that their quilting skills may not be good enough. (In my experience, most everyone does a great job adding rounds and the person with the original block is very happy with the results.) But a SAHRR eliminates these issues as you get to do it all yourself. Rounds will be very doable and I will often include options on how to incorporate the round’s item/technique.
SAHRR 2023 – Intro and Round One(pdf) SAHRR 2023 – Intro and Round One(docx)
Box Swap 2019 – 2020
You decide on a block pattern (all blocks alike) or type of block (stars) you would like made for you by members of your group. The box is filled with fabric and your instructions and swapped over the year to all members of the group, each making you a block. At the end of the year you get your box back full of blocks made by your group members, to do with what you wish.
Box Swap 2018-2019
October 2018 – June 2019 – In a Box Swap, you decide on a block pattern (all blocks alike) or type of block (stars) you would like made for you by members of your group. The box is filled with fabric and your instructions and swapped over the year to all members of the group, each making you a block. At the end of the year you get your box back full of blocks made by your group members, to do with what you wish.
The swap will be made up of two groups, nine members each. Each group will be headed up by either Janice Boutotte or Bonnie Broders. The groups will be revealed at the October guild meeting, where a check list of group members will be handed out. The list must remain with the box swap. The boxes will be exchanged at that time, brought back to each monthly meeting throughout the year to be swapped again and again, until the June meeting.
Each month when a member has completed a box swap block, she must check off the box next to her name. When swapped to the next on the list, swap down the list. If the next person is not at the meeting, pass it to someone who is and has not yet made a block. Boxes may also be passed outside of the meeting. The boxes will be returned to the owner of the box at the June 2019 pot luck.
There is the option to extend the swap to a second year so to make more blocks or to incorporate new members. Bonnie will head up this group.
Questions? Call or email Bonnie or Janice.
SWAP BOX REQUIREMENTS
- A box, cardboard or plastic, with your name written on top, large enough to contain the blocks, pattern and fabrics.
- The group member check off list, with your name checked off.
- Pattern for your block, with clear and complete instructions for making it. Block pattern size can be anywhere between 6”-18” finished, and not overly complicated/difficult, nor having appliqué requirements; you can have an applique block as an optional block. If you have a picture or vision of the completed quilt, include that as well.
- A completed block by you. This will proof the instructions. Pin a piece of paper with your name on it to this block.
- Fabric enough to complete nine blocks. If you want specific fabric(s) used in a particular place in the block, add this to the instructions along with a swatch of said fabric(s). If you want only your fabrics used, or if you welcome other fabrics, let that be known too. It is not a surprise, so it is OK to call and ask the box owner questions.
- As each member completes a block, pin a piece of paper with their name to the block. If there are instructions to sign the block, do so.
Block Swap Instructions(pdf) Block Swap Instructions(docx)
Round Robin 2017-2018
Center block due in October. Subsequent rounds due in December, February, April, and June.
Round 1 – Due December 12, 2017 – Add a 2” finished (unfinished 2 ½”) border with squares and/or rectangles. Some possible suggestions are four patch squares, checkerboard squares, etc. You can combine squares with rectangles or just use either. They can just be in the corner squares or used throughout the border. Once this is added, the block should measure 16” finished (16.5” unfinished.)
Round 2 – Due February 13, 2018 – Add a pieced 3” finished (unfinished 3 ½”) border with triangles and/or diamonds. The triangles can be any shape/style triangles. Some possible suggestions are half square triangles, flying geese, 60 degree triangles, etc. Diamonds can also be any shape. Use the shapes just in the corner squares or throughout the border.
Round 3 – Due April 10, 2018 – For the third round, you will add a pieced 4” – 5” finished (unfinished 4 ½” – 5 ½”) border with curves and/or circles. Some possible suggestions are pieced circles/arcs/drunkard paths/scallops, etc., appliques, yo-yo’s, or even just round buttons Use the shapes just in the corner squares or throughout the border. Remember there is one more border to go, so try to avoid a border that would not look good with an additional border, but would be best as an outer border. Once this is added, the block should measure 30” – 31” finished (30.5” – 31.5” unfinished).
If unsure how to sew curves, consider taking the March workshop (3/11/18) on sewing curves and circle techniques.
Round 4 (Final Round) – Due June 12, 2018 – For the fourth and last round, you are to finish the quilt with asymmetrical borders, meaning that the four borders are not to be all the same. Some examples are to not add four borders 0 for example, two top borders, no side borders, only one border (most likely the top one), or three borders. You can also make different size borders, For instance the top and bottom borders are wider than the side ones. Or you can use different fabrics for different borders, or put blocks/designs on some borders and not the others. Have fun with it. There is no size requirement, so let the quilt speak to you and do whatever you want or what the quilt tells you.
Round Robin Guidelines and Instructions 2017_2018 (pdf)
Round-Robin-Guidelines and Instructions 2017_2018 (docx)
Round Robin 2016-2017 –
When are rounds due? – Center Block – November, Round 1- January, Round 2-March, Round 3-May, Round 4-June
Center Block and General Guidelines Round Robin Groups
Guidlines Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
What is a round robin quilt?
It’s a medallion quilt that is composed of a center block or panel surrounded by a series of borders or frames.
How do I end up with a completed quilt top?
Each quilter makes a center block and hands it over to another quilter to put a border around the center block. The new border might be plain, pieced, appliqued, or embellished. It might not even go around all four sides. Then the center block is passed to a third quilter to add a 2nd border and so on to each member of the group. After the final border is added, the quilt top is returned to the center square maker to finish the quilt. The challenge is each quilter will be designing and putting a border on each quilt. It may be the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. The exciting part is the maker of the center block does not see her block until the final border has been added to it.