By Phyllis Hoffman Depiano
For the unitiated, Jelly Rolls are collections of 2 1/2×42-inch strips of fabric; these typically include 40 strips of fabric but can vary. The first time I remember seeing these was at a quilt shop in Fayetteville, Tennessee. Hanging in the window was the most beautiful ladies jacket made from a Jelly Roll. Of course, I purchased the materials and the roll to make the jacket.
I contacted Carrie Nelson at Moda Fabrics, who gave me a little scoop on this Jelly Roll craze.
Carrie says, “The name Jelly Roll came about for a couple of reasons: Most quilters like sweets; the roll does looks a bit like a jelly-roll pastry; and our marketing director, Lissa Alexander, has a gift for seeing possibilities, i.e., the ‘big picture.’ She created a theme, or concept, from the start, and she is the one who came up with the name.”
When I asked Carrie how many Jelly Rolls are sold each year, her answer was most informative:As for how many are sold in a year, the only answer that anybody can really provide is “a lot.” However, I do have some “facts” that might help.
- The Jelly Roll was introduced at Fall Market in 2006; they shipped to stores in 2007.
- There are Jelly Rolls with 40 strips — 2.5 x 42-inches WOF (width of fabric), and there are Junior Jelly Rolls with 20 strips—2.5 x 42-inches WOF. Junior Jelly Rolls (JJRs) are done with very small collections and many of the Bella Solids.
- As for yardage, there are 2.75 yards of fabric in a single Jelly Roll.
- Laid end to end as strips, one Jelly Roll measures approximately 1.680 inches – 140 feet – 46.5 yards.
- 38 Jelly Rolls laid end to end equal a little more than 1 mile, so 47,000 Jelly Rolls will stretch from Dallas to Spring Market in Salt Lake City.
- Moda has sold enough Jelly Rolls, laid end to end, to encircle the Earth.
Receive the pattern for this Gail Doane dress with your purchase of our Summer 2016 issue!
FAQs
For the unitiated, Jelly Rolls are collections of 2 1/2×42-inch strips of fabric; these typically include 40 strips of fabric but can vary.
Do you need to wash jelly roll before sewing? ›
Remember that prewashing charm packs and jelly rolls can help prevent shrinking and dye bleeding in the final quilt.
How many jelly rolls to make a queen size quilt? ›
Your queen sized Jelly Roll Race Quilt, with horizontal strips, and no border, will take 64 strips for the initial quilt + 32 strips for the add-on section = 96 strips need for the whole Jelly Roll Race Quilt top. So you need 3 fabric jelly rolls (with 40 fabric strips in each jelly roll) to make this quilt.
How many fabric strips are in a jelly roll? ›
Jelly rolls, also referred to as fabric rolls or roll-ups, are 2-1/2" x 42" strips of fabric. They come rolled up, typically about 40 strips per roll, and can be used in quilts, bindings, strippy bags, and more. Check out our jelly roll strip quilt-along for a great beginner tutorial in using jelly rolls.
How to make your own jelly roll strips? ›
If you want to make your own jelly roll strips, just cut 2 1/2 inch wide strips across the width of any fabric. If you are reusing fabrics that aren't 44 inches wide, still cut 2 1/2 inch wide strips, you'll just need more of them.
Does Jelly Roll need to be refrigerated? ›
Unfrosted, the cake will keep for about 24 hours at room temperature; if frosted with whipped cream, it will need to be covered, refrigerated for up to 24 hours, and then set out to room temperature about an hour before serving.
What happens if you dont prewash fabric before sewing? ›
It will shrink a bit.
In both directions. And it could be anywhere from ¼-inch to a few inches depending on the fabric. Some fabrics like flannel and linen tend to shrink more than cotton. if you're unsure how much your fabric will shrink, you can always launder a test swatch and see what happens.
How many different prints are in a jelly roll? ›
Manufactured by Moda Fabrics, Jelly Rolls are different prints from a single collection rolled together and cut length-wise into 2.5" x 42" strips. They are available by collection and have become very popular over the past few years. Jelly Rolls typically include 40 strips of fabric but occasionally can vary.
How many placemats can you make from a jelly roll? ›
For 4 placemats you will need a minimum of thirteen jelly roll strips (if you'd like to make your placemats even cuter and scrappier…cut 18 jelly roll strips in half and use 9 of those half strips along with 4 full-sized strips for the side borders).
What size is a fat 8th? ›
A traditional 1⁄8-yard cut is 4-1⁄2×42". A fat eighth is cut crosswise from a 1⁄4-yard piece of fabric-a 9×42" rectangle cut in half to make a 9×21" "fat" 1⁄8-yard piece.
(40) 40″ strips or (80) 20″ Strips – This will yield a lap quilt that is about 50″x 64.5″.
Can you use a cookie sheet to make a jelly roll? ›
Cookie sheets and jelly pans are not entirely interchangeable. However, a cookie sheet can work as a substitute for a jelly roll pan if the former has rims, and each rimmed edge is at least a half-inch high. If you don't use the proper pan to bake your jelly roll cake, it will be thinner than desired.
How much fabric do you need for a jelly roll? ›
Jelly Rolls which have 40 strips of fabric. They often have two strips of each fabric design, and the total roll comes in at just under 3-yards (typically 2.75 yards) of fabric. 2. Junior Jelly Rolls (JJRs) which have 20 strips of fabric and are often used for smaller fabric lines.
Should I wash fat quarters before sewing? ›
It's recommended to avoid prewashing any fabric that is Fat Quarter size or smaller. Because they are smaller pieces of fabric, there's a greater chance for their edges to unravel in the wash!
What fabrics should be washed before sewing? ›
Loosely woven fabrics should be washed and dried at least three times before being sewn, but regular fabrics will suffice with a single washing. 3. It's important to rinse away all of the loose fibers that cling to new fabric.
Do you need to prewash fabric for a rag quilt? ›
You want your “rag quilt” to fray, you will need to make the quilt and then wash the completed project to get the soft rag quilt look. Generally, if your project isn't intended to be a rag quilt, I'd definitely suggest to prewash flannel because of the fact that flannel does fray / shrink excessively.
Should you wash fabric before applique? ›
I prewash my fabrics. Period. Finishing chemicals on the surface of the fabric can interfere with the bond of your fusible. I also do not want to take the chance of my fabric colors running or seams puckering because of uneven shrinkage.
