Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Announcing the Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin!

There are a ton of great swaps going on in quilt blog land. I wanted to come up with something to host myself. An idea got hatched in my brain (while I was in the shower this morning no less) and I decided to just run with it.

This won't be your typical Round Robin. Oh no, nothing typical for me. I prefer to add my own bit of quirkiness to a lot of things I do. I want it to be modern and fresh, not something you would have seen in the 1980s. Plus most of us are uber busy so I want to keep it small, wall hanging or table topper size. And my financially responsible side also wanted to keep it mega cheap to participate in, so lots of you will want to join the party. (The accountant part of me always has a say in these matters you know.)

The details you ask? I'm getting to that! Okay, okay since you beg, here it is:

 *You will make a 6 1/2" unfinished center block. Modern, Fresh, Fun! Brights? Only a couple of colors? A whole rainbow? Neutrals? Whatever you want! You will mail it to the 1st person on the list in your group.

*To the center you receive from someone else you will add ONLY a border, between 1" and 2" finished MAX. Each border can be a simple single fabric or it can be a mini pieced border, your choice. You could instead add (2) 1" finished borders, again your choice, but no more than 2" finished total. Your fabric additions will be minimal, likely no more than a FQ. You can purchase something that coordinates with what was already added or pull from your stash.

*You will have one month to receive the current month's mini from the previous contributor, add your part and send it on to the next person. You must be diligent on mailing on time so the next person has enough time to do her (his) part.

*Finished size of the top will be between 16 1/2" to 20". 27" to 34" (Oops! Thanks Annie for catching this little math boo-boo). Keeping this small means that it can be mailed in a padded envelope, keeping the postage costs down to a minimum (and hopefully avoiding customs for our international players).

*8 participants per group. If more than 8 people join in GREAT! We can have more than one group going. International participants welcome.

So I bet by now you are wondering "Where is the Mystery part of this Round Robin"? Well...I like to be a bit sneaky and I'm great at keeping secrets. I hope you all are too. This will have not 1 but 2 levels of mystery involved.

Mystery #1 - Unlike in a typical Round Robin where the owner sends all the fabric to be used for the rows being added to her (his) center block, the owner will have no say in what colors or fabrics get added. Each participant will make that decision. The owner can send along a note mentioning a general scheme or where the finished wall hanging will be placed to give everyone in the group a little direction, but the ultimate choice of fabrics/color/style will be up to each person in the round. If you choose to join in, you agree to accept the fact that you will have absolutely no control over the rest of the parts. Thems the rules!

Mystery #2 - Once the owner sends the center to the 1st person on the list, she (or he of course) will not know who else will be adding to it. I will email that list to the 1st person. So until the owner gets her (his) top back in December, there will be no knowledge (or emailing in the background with suggestions) by the owner to the other participants possible. (Except for me of course since I will putting the groups together, but there has to be some bonus since I came up with the idea and am hosting it. Believe me, I won't cheat! I really do prefer surprises.)

Sound fun to you? I hope so. In the end you will receive back a mini wall hanging/table topper that you can finish any way your little heart desires. I for one am needing something lovely to decorate the bare walls of my new studio.

You can certainly blog about this, I really hope you do so we can get lots and lots of participants, but during the Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin if you want to blog about your contributions to each quilt, you must be elusive and never reveal a picture the whole thing or enough that the owner will recognize it. Remember this is supposed to be a secret to the owner until it is received back home in December. A great little present to yourself!

Are you a bit sneaky too? Do you love to keep secrets? Of course I'm betting some of you will troll the blogs of the other participants looking for some info about your quilt. (Shame, shame. I chuckle at those that can't wait for anything. That's no fun at all! You're probably the ones who cheat and peak at your Christmas presents and then rewrap them so no one will know). At the end we will have a link up party so we can show off the terrific creations all made possible by our fellow quilting friends. I am looking forward to being able to look at mine knowing that friends all around the quilting world contributed to it.

If you want to play in this Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin, leave me a comment and let me know, and at the same time email me your full name and address. If you don't want to ship internationally please also let me know. I'm guessing that we will have enough groups that I can keep some of them US only. Deadline for signing up will be 5pm EST Sunday, March 18th (I know, short time frame to decide but I just came up with the idea this morning). Once you sign up you can get started making your center block. No need to wait. I will email everyone the name and address of the 1st person on the group list, where you send your center block to, by Tuesday March 27th. I will also then email the first person in each group the list of the rest of the group's participants.

Grab my button and take it to your blog. Pass the word far and wide. Let's get this party going with a giant bang in quilt blog land! Who's joining me?



34 of you added your own colorful comments:

Lisa Cox said...

This kinda sounds fun. I guess I'll join in.

Unknown said...

Sounds fun! Count me in. :)

Margaret said...

I have only done a couple of swaps and nothing like this so if you don't mind a total novice, I would love to join in on the fun.

Kathy S. said...

What a fun swap! I want in. It doesn't matter to me where I ship. I am the US, but will ship anywhere. Can't wait to get the little package in the mail at Christmas already!

beaquilter said...

I've never done a round robin and always wanted to since I heard about it..... so. count me in. that'll be FUN a christmas present.... uhhh can't wait.

Melinda said...

Okay girlie, this sounds pretty cool. I may have to play (cause I don't have enough going on already...!). So basically you do the center and 7 other people each add borders to it? Could you do something like just do a border on the top and one side to push the center block a little off center? Just thinking...

Ella said...

I'd be in....This sounds like fun, and I have been YEARNING for a round robin.

Annie said...

I've always been interested in Round Robins, but have never participated because of the large scale. So, this smaller scale sounds really interesting. I think I'll join in.

My math could be off, but if each of the 7 people were to actually add 2" borders, wouldn't the end result measure up to 28" square plus the 6" center for a 34" quilt? Am I figuring wrong somewhere?

Diane-crewe said...

I LOVE round robins xx i live in the Uk and am prepared to post anywhere xx hope to hear soon xx

Annie said...

I'm happy to learn that my math brain is still in tact and "new" math has not taken over yet. LOL

I forgot to mention that I'd prefer to only mail in the US but when you have a completed list of participants, I will certainly mail where ever you need me to.

Rachel said...

I have never done a round robin, but this sounds awesome!! Thanks for putting it together (and Thanks Annie for passing it along!) I would love to only mail in the US, but I would be willing to ship outside of the US.

Sparky said...

You knew I already had accepted..sew i am in...

Tiffany said...

I'm in! Just found your blog through someone else's posting :D

Pippa Parsons said...

I'd love to join in, seems like fun and not too much work lol... I understand totally if people don't want to ship to me and if you don't have enough willing to ship internationally I can drop out without any hassle :O)

Kylie Lloyd said...

Count me in please. I've always wanted to do a round robin. Any excuse for another project.

Doris said...

So, 8 borders (or seven borders) get added to the center? Sounds like an interesting swap...

Snoodles said...

Can I get in, too? What fun! I'll send you an email.... :)

Elsa said...

oh, this sounds really fun, I'd love to join in! I'll send you an email!

Charlotte said...

Add my name to the list.

Michele said...

Big OOPS! Thanks Annie for seeing this. I don't know why I didn't remember the other side. I guess my brain was too busy figuring out how to set this all up. I greatly appreciate it. I'm fixing it post haste.

Michele said...

Novices are always welcome!

Michele said...

Yup, you just do the center and the other 7 people will add to it, borders only though they can be simple borders or pieced borders. As far as doing it off center, for yours or the ones you get to work on, that is totally up to you. You could put a note in with your center telling the next person that you would like yours a bit askew but ultimately it will be up to your group members what they do with it.

I know for some it isn't easy giving up control but that will be half the fun with this one...not being able to direct what happens to your little quilt.

Michele said...

No dropping out now! You've committed yourself. We have some international shipping willing players already so you being in this party is no problem.

Michele said...

And we all know that we don't NEED an excuse, do we?

Michele said...

7 Borders, simple strips of pieced, get added to the center block.

Karen said...

This sounds like fun and I think I am ready to do something outside my comfort zone. Please count me in.

Pippa Parsons said...

Ive done my centre block...can I blog about it as it's *my* block ??
thanks
Pippa

Unknown said...

Michele this sounds like allot of fun...I would love to participate and with no larger that a 2" border it is certainly doable...Please add me to the list...

Renae said...

Please add me! This sounds soooo fun!!

edyB said...

I would like to join the fun!

Margaret said...

I would love to join in the fun. Sign me up.

Michele said...

Absolutely! Go right ahead. I'm loving to peek at what everyone is starting with.

Now I need to get mine figured out!

Samantha said...

Oh, Oh! I want to do this too please. I just squeaked in under the deadline right?!

Celine said...

Just found out about the RR, if it's not too late, I'd love to join in too. I have done a round robin for years...
Celine_Combet at yahoo.co.uk