How to Make a Jelly Roll Quilt

The true quilt making beginner can benefit from this technique because it really concentrates the 1/4" , pressing correctly, and the entire quilt makes in about 4 to 6 hours. Instant gratification, and super easy instructions.

1. Make sure you have a sewing machine that is in working order.
2. Sew with your machine to check the straight stitch to make sure that it is working, and use a 1/4" foot, otherwise called the patchwork foot.
3. Once you have verified that your machine sews. Test sew to check the 1/4" foot for accuracy by test sewing together two 3" x 1 1/2" strips of fabric, right sides facing each other. Sew these two pieces on the long 3" raw edges together at the right edge of the 1/4" foot.
4. Check for accuracy. After sewing them together press them open, and measure. The joined pieces or unit should now measure 2 1/2" in width.
5. If it doesn't, keep sewing similar strips together, use some painters tape to put down on your machine as a guide to move in closer to your 1/4" foot or further until you achieve the 2 1/2" unit, and the perfect 1/4" hem.
6. SEWING the Jelly Roll Quilt is easy, purchase a Jelly Roll from a quilt store, I own two Quilter's Stash BERNINA shops; one in Hurst TX the other in Southalake, TX. The Jelly Roll strips of fabric are already cut for you at a width of 2 1/2" (all of them)
7. Sew the strips, right sides facing each other end-to-end until they are all sewn using a 1/4" hem. Press all the seams down so that they are not puffy, but rather flat.
8. After sewing all of the strips end to end, you will have one very LONG strip unit, grab the very end of it and bring it to the beginning of the strip, and start sewing them side-by-side all the way down (making sure that the right sides are facing each other) until the end. It will now be twice as long, but joined.
9. Clip the end, and grab the newly clipped end and bring the newly joined end unit back to the beginning of the strips and sew them all the way down again.
10. You will notice that each time you sew the ends, the units double in size and the quilt starts making. (be sure to ALWAYS press your seams down before you starts sewing the new end to the beginning)
11. Keep repeating this technique of sewing the end to the beginning, clipping the end and bringing the new end to the beginning until your entire quilt is sewn.
12. At some point towards the end you will notice the quilt is done and it will be approximately 36" x 45" give or take a few. STOP sewing once you see your quilt.
13. Use a rotary cutter to square up the edges of the quilt to make even.
14. Enjoy your Jelly Roll quilt!

• Quilting requires an accurate 1/4" hem, and good pressing.

• Make sure you press well, you might even use a product called Best Press found only at quilt shops.
• Make sure you are always sewing facing the right sides of the fabrics towards one another. First time you make this mistake will be the last.